The best user experiences begin with discovery, research, and an intentional, results-driven strategy.
When April initiates work with clients, she will:
Identify communication goals
Develop audience-centric themes and messaging for preferred channels of communications
Develop metrics that will be used to ensure the success of the communication strategy
Develop website and email content that aligns with clients content management system (CMS)
Created social media content for Facebook, Instagram, and other social media platforms
CLIENT: Hess Gehris provides mediation services and conflict resolution consultation for their clients in New Hampshire and Vermont. Hess Gehris wanted to redesign their website content to quickly highlight the range of services offered. Themes of integrated circles showed the interconnectivity of services they provide, and the butterfly watermark image represents the transformation from initial conflict to resolution. A liquid layout was used for ease of reading digital content on any platform.
CLIENT: Brown Dog Farm is an animal rescue and foster non-profit in Vermont. In 2022, April volunteered her web services to evaluate their current website structure and it’s functionality. She realized that the majority of the website traffic was coming from Petfinder. Brown Dog Farm also wanted to highlight the need for donations to this non-profit. April developed an updated wire frame structure for client review and input. April also provides consultation services for the organization logo and social media content.
CLIENT: Co-op Food Stores is a $90 million retail grocery store with a membership of 30,000. April and the marketing team are responsible for the daily website updates, content management planning and content creation. In addition to website management, each week the Co-op sends out email blasts to customers who have opted-in for the eblast. April works with the Co-op’s Merchandising and Marketing teams to identify content. She then works to create graphics, text and layout in Emma.
SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY (2023)
In 2023, Hanover Co-op Food Stores launched a rebranding campaign. Social Media was the primary communication channel for this rebranding effort.
HOW WE DID IT
• Use a different writing style that was engaging and down-to-earth.
• Use Employee Spotlight posts to highlight who we are as an organization and give praise to our hard-working, value-driven team.
• Use reels to entertain and create motion.
• Create content that shows our community connection and charitable giving programs.
BY THE NUMBERS
• Created and executed brand campaigns with 50% increase in reach through reels, animated gifs and strategic paid posts.
• Increased social media engagement by 50% through targeted content and employee spotlight posts.
• Created and executed brand campaigns resulting in a 30% increase in brand awareness through content development and posting frequency.
PAID SOCIAL MEDIA
Whether it is Facebook ads or Instagram posts, I create content that gets you noticed. During the Co-op Food Store’s hiring campaign, we marketed across multiple channels and brought in 40 new hires for our 80 open positions.
INSTAGRAM GROWTH STRATEGY (2107-2021)
From July 2017 to December 2021 April managed the Instagram account for Co-op Food Stores. She grew the account from 184 followers up to 1,824 followers during that time.
Key elements in her engagement strategy were: 1. Increase the initial followers to the Co-op’s instagram account by connecting with the Co-op’s 300 local vendors (Vermont and New Hampshire). 2. Photograph and create content that aligns with Co-op Food Stores’ branding and communicates their values. 3. Create content that connects on an emotional level with viewers.
Co-op tagline: Nourish. Cultivate. Cooperate.
Co-op values: Local Producers, Co-op employees, Sustainability, Healthy Food, Community (partnerships and involvement)
As the staff photographer for Co-op Food Stores, April’s photography accounts for 85% of imagery on instagram (2017-2022).
April received her Advanced Social Media certificate in 2019 from the University of Vermont.
April’s approach to logo design is to use pencil or ink and brush to create logo concepts. They are then further refined before becoming digital files for collateral, special event logos, or a product logo.
Giving the product the right look and feel with typography and design takes exploration and revisions. Working through the process is the fun part!
Integrated marketing is a strategy for delivering a unified message across all the marketing channels your brand uses. It provides consistency wherever customers choose to interact with a company.
April’s skill a digital and traditional designer gives her the aptitude to create content for any communications channel and meet audiences where they want to interact.
Reimagining retail spaces takes thinking outside the box. Often there are pre-existing elements that need refreshing to bring about an enhanced customer experience. April brings here background as a painter and visual artist to sketch, develop and then design these revitalized spaces.
Learn about more about this project under my heading
CASE STUDY | INTERIORS | RETAIL.
Since 2017, April has managed the digital signage system for Co-op Food Stores (currently 16 monitor display units). April manages the day-to-day content creation, including photography and image sourcing. She uses content maps to show marketing and merchandising teams where content will play within store departments.
In 2022, April finalized the placement and design for the Lebanon Cafe digital menu boards.
Client: Co-op Food Stores
As the Co-op staff photographer, April shoots imagery for both digital and print venues. She has photographed more than 200 images for the online grocery shopping platform, photographed beauty shots for digital menus, photographed food dishes for holiday promotions.
Whether it is an environmental portrait, your Board of Directors group shot, or even a wedding in a grocery store, April can shot the image you are looking for.
