Highlights
I am a strategic, creative professional with 15+ years of experience leading design, marketing, advertising, communications, and web development for NPOs, NGOs, B2B, B2C, and SMBs serving multiple industries. Projects have included clients in the bourbon industry, international chemical manufacturers, consumer goods, human services, school board and state legislative elections, the U.S. State Department, and even a counter-terrorism think tank.
As a founding member of an advertising agency, I helped grow revenue from $0 to $240,000 in six months with ten clients.
Core competencies include designing and implementing all aspects of multi-channel marketing strategy, authoring development communications that drive donor engagement, and overseeing the entire content production life-cycle in print and digital formats.
Professional Experience
Marketing, Web Development, and Project Management
An Agency | Louisville, KY | July 2021 – April 2023
- Designed and built custom WordPress sites
- Designed and built digital ads, static and animated
- Created concepts for ad campaigns, including an award-winning television/internet commercial for Rabbit Hole Distillery
- Working with media planning and buying agencies provided digital marketing and social media strategies for consumer, industrial, and B2B clients
- Managed nine web servers and 12 client websites
- Managed creative partners, vendors, and design interns
Marketing and Communications Coordinator
St. Vincent de Paul Louisville, KY | December 2017 – July 2021
- Oversaw strategic marketing communications and entire digital and print content production for an organization with a $7M annual budget, including writing 100+ articles, graphic design, managing the department budget, and supporting programs and Development Department.
- During the first year of the pandemic, while working closely with the Associate Director of Development, we increased donations by 38% over the previous non-pandemic year by strategically and transparently communicating the pandemic’s impact on fundraising efforts and the ability of the organization to fulfill its mission.
- Increased annual donations by 40% ($264,093 to $370,476) by designing and implementing multi-channel campaigns through print, web, email marketing, and direct appeal communication
- Under my direction, St. Vincent de Paul Louisville became the first local NPO to launch a HyprMail campaign, a partner product to USPS’s Informed Delivery for direct mail that delivers Google Display ads and Facebook ads. Impressions for the first campaign were near 50,000, and online donations quadrupled.
- Directly raised $230,000+ by producing and publishing a monthly print newsletter reaching 5,000 donors, with each publication generating $13,000–$51,000 monthly
- Raised $43,000 for COVID-19 response through one newsletter appeal and a proactively organized community response
- Oversaw entire digital and print content production, including writing 100+ articles and program reports, in-store signage, brochures, annual reports, catalogs, packaging, newsletters, and forms
- Grew social media presence using targeted communications, a monthly email newsletter, blogging, and content creation
- Led organization-wide branding efforts, including design for the annual gala (300+ attendees), a new fundraising event, a new in-kind gift drive, and an internal cultural competency initiative
- Delivered 1.6 million digital ads and increased website traffic to 6,000+ per month in 5 months
- Wrote all press releases and media alerts for the organization and acted as the primary media contact
- Coordinated with the Office of the Mayor for frequent visits to campus
- Identified and prepped appropriate staff members to conduct on-camera interviews
Owner
davesharpedotcom | Louisville, KY | February 2004 – December 2017
- Full-service marketing and communications consultancy
- Secured and provided design services to 40+ clients over 13 years
- Managed high-profile clients, including Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest, ACLU of KY, and Global Center on Cooperative Security, producing websites, membership portals, e-commerce platforms, digital materials, email marketing, and traditional print materials
- Maintained both technical and content aspects of WordPress site for clients
- Oversaw all aspects of business development and growth (payroll, taxes, budgeting, etc.)
- Director of New Media
Red7e | Louisville, KY | November 2008 – August 2009 (The Great Recession)
- Full-service advertising agency specializing in creative strategies, concepts, and executions
- Pioneered award-winning, browser-based games and sites for high-profile clients such as the City of Louisville, Baptist Health, and The Muhammed Ali Institute for Peace and Justice
- Created digital strategies to complement traditional television, print, and out-of-home advertising
Recent Awards
2023 American Advertising Awards — Louisville
Gold Addy for Regional/National Television Commercial, “Wonderful Party” for Rabbit Hole Distillery (Writer)
Gold Addy for Internet Commercial Campaign, “Wonderful Party” for Rabbit Hole Distillery (Writer)
2023 American Advertising Awards — District 5
Silver ADDY Regional/National Television Commercial, “Wonderful Party” for Rabbit Hole Distillery (Writer)
2023 AIGA Louisville 100 Show
Best of Category in Motion Graphics, Animation and Video for “Wonderful Party” for Rabbit Hole Distillery (Writer)
Contact
David Sharpe
Email
Phone: (502) 387-0328