Dirk Pilon

Experience

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  UncoverTheCape

  Jul 2005 - Aug 2015

  Marketing Director / Co-Owner

  Co-founder and Marketing Director at UncoverTheCape. Responsible for web development, digital marketing, web site traffic growth through SEO and Google Adwords. Developed a paid marketing strategy and led the marketing team.

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  2U

  Jul 2015 - Oct 2018

  Digital Strategy Director for the USA portfolio. Overseeing the full marketing strategy using data-driven decisions. Accountable for results achieved against targets - managed within a set budget. Key Responsibilities:• Accountable for the results of course marketing strategies, and overall portfolio performance.• Holding outcomes-orientated discovery and strategy sessions with key stakeholders.• Overseeing development of channel (e.g. PPC, SEO) and platform strategies.• Re-forecasting expected lead and students number on a weekly basis and managing budgets within a viable constraint.• Analysis of channel performance and using data to define spend plan.• Developing a holistic understanding of the consumer profile and geo landscape. • Driving strong collaboration between Marketing and Sales to establish an exchange of insights, and a fast, accurate feedback loop that will inform rapid optimisation of targeting and messaging from lead generation to conversion. • Driving, and contributing to, in-depth post-campaign analysis at the conclusion of each course campaign, to inform optimisations to campaign targeting, messaging and channel mix going forward. Show less Lead Strategist - Accountable for leading and advising a dynamic and experienced marketing team. Responsible for the development and success of GetSmarter's paid search marketing strategy.Key Responsibilities:• Manage Paid Search activity for large global markets and take responsibility for driving the strategy for these markets.• Take a market level view of managed markets and coordinate with other channels in order to understand channel interplay and deliver truly integrated campaigns.• Manage the day to day operationalisation of Paid Search campaigns across the relevant engines, including but not limited to optimisation of bid strategies, KW audit & expansion, testing, launching new initiatives etc.• Ensure campaigns are optimised and delivering against KPI's.• Monitor daily, monthly and quarterly spend level (forecast and actual) in comparison to budget allocation.• Analyse quarterly performance trending report for each country by targeted CPA's. Show less

  • Director, Digital Strategy

    Jan 2017 - Oct 2018

  • Performance Marketing Strategist

    Jul 2016 - Jan 2017

  • Digital Marketing Manager

    Jul 2015 - Jul 2016
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  HyperionDev

  Jan 2018 - Sept 2018

  Digital Strategy Consultant

  Digital Strategy Consultant at HyperionDev. Advising, on a consultancy basis, on the paid search marketing of this EdTech company, offering online and part-time coding bootcamps.

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  Rhino Africa

  Oct 2018 - Jul 2019

  Head of Performance Marketing

  Managing one of South Africa’s largest Google Adwords accounts across 5 languages and multiple brands, with the assistance of our digital agency.Developing and executing a global marketing strategy across online channels that supports Rhino Africa's purpose and strategic objectives.Key Responsibilities:• Develop the marketing strategy and continually evolve this, aligned with the company goals.• Defining overarching lead generation and conversion strategies.• Producing media spend plans, that break marketing spend down into media types and channels to guide the team in executing the marketing strategy.• Monitoring lead generation and conversion performance on a daily basis. Using data to analyse areas of strong or weak performance and directing the team on optimizing these.• Ensuring that the team reporting requirements are met - that relevant, accurate reports are delivered on time.• Manage the entire campaign life-cycle, including development (idea generation, messaging, creative briefs, agency/internal coordination), and managing budgets within a viable constraint.• Create data driven approaches to prioritize/arbitrate between performing campaigns.• Provide in-depth analysis of platform/campaign performance. Create and monitor reports to track performance.• Stay on top of the latest advertising innovations. Show less

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  JEFF Fitness

  Jul 2019 - Mar 2020

  Head of Marketing

  Head of Marketing, developing and executing the marketing strategy of JEFF Fitness, a fast growing online coach-supported fitness company.Key Responsibilities:• Developing, executing and optimizing the marketing strategy and analysing and reporting on the performance to ensure target metrics are reached and achieve a high ROI on all marketing efforts.• Using market and competitive research to segment and define target markets and implement market-penetrating strategies.• Promoting and increasing brand awareness through paid search, SEO, events, media and PR, webinars, newsletters and sales campaigns.• Attending relevant industry events and acting as a brand ambassador.• Forecasting, measuring, analysing and reporting on the impact of the marketing strategies on our sales pipeline and resulting revenue generated.• Understanding, defining and managing the flow of leads.• Working closely with the sales team to ensure that sales goals are achieved and optimize lead generation, while building a pipeline through integrated marketing campaigns.• Providing leadership and development to the marketing team.• Guiding and developing content strategies for presentations, reports, blog posts, webinars and other marketing material.• Ensuring effective campaigns across the customer journey.• Ensuring core target accounts and relevant personas are being reached.• Balancing marketing strategy across organic and paid channels.• Ensuring that we are using effective channels and systems for marketing efforts, and that these systems are integrated and allow for accurate measurement.• Managing and forecasting monthly budgets. Show less

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  Independent Contractor/Consultant

  Mar 2020 - now

  Marketing Director

  Contract Services: Connect to discuss any business growth opportunities. As a Strategic Marketing & Business Growth Consultant, I collaborate with businesses as an external expert, leveraging data and analytics to deliver valuable insights, strategies, and guidance to enhance their marketing initiatives. My services encompass a comprehensive evaluation of existing marketing strategies and tactics, in-depth examination of target audiences, and data-informed recommendations for optimal engagement. I am committed to providing practical, results-driven solutions aimed at achieving marketing goals, elevating brand visibility, and driving conversion rates, all grounded in data-driven decision-making.Current projects:🦏🦒🐘 Scaling growth in the Luxury Travel Industry - using in-depth knowledge of the US, UK, DE and AUS high-net-worth market. 🎓🧑‍🎓👩‍🎓 Improving lives in the Edtech space - utilising my years of experience targeting the US, UK, SG and ZA audiences in the higher education market. Show less

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  IXperience

  Jan 2021 - May 2021

  Director of Marketing

  Producing and executing a marketing and acquisition strategy that can achieve the enrollment targets for the iXperience 2021 summer program. Build and implement a high growth, scalable multi-channel strategy.

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  Yoco

  May 2021 - Oct 2022

  Leading Yoco's Innovation Incubator, a 10x Lab of rapid experimentation for scalable growth.Key Responsibilities:• Identifying, developing & optimising growth channels to drive revenue growth. • Analysing marketing data and user feedback (campaign results, conversion rates, traffic, etc.) to help shape future marketing strategies. • Proposing new initiatives to attract prospects and convert leads as well as testing new approaches to capture existing demand. • Providing inputs & expertise to drive efficacy of marketing activities (content development and optimization, advertising etc.). • Planning and executing initiatives to reach the target audience through different channels. • Working closely across teams with other teams to share ideas, feedback & present results• Pinpointing issues that are hampering growth for the business. • Choosing, setting, and prioritising growth goals for the business. • Identifying growth opportunities for the business. • Implementing projects to achieve growth goals for the business. • Using data, analytics, and other tools to inform decisions and growth strategies. • Reporting on initiatives and projects to management and stakeholders. • Replicating successful strategies at scale and in new markets. Show less

  • Head of 10x Lab

    Jan 2022 - Oct 2022

  • New Market Expansion - Growth Consultant

    May 2021 - Jan 2022