Jean Gazis Copywriting & Content Strategy

I just realized that there are actually two of my photos in the featured member photo on My.Nature.org, which is part of The Nature Conservancy's website. One is of my son on the beach at Coney Island (which generated one of the nicest comments I've ever seen!), and the other of my husband and another dad walking at Clarence Fahnestock State Park. They were promoting a theme of "Spring Outdoors," so I submitted a few shots of nature with actual people in them. Mine are the 4th and 5th images if you scroll down.

I've been enjoying the Sierra Club's Daily Ray of Hope email, which consists of a photo and quotation every weekday morning. (I actually found it when I wanted to unsub from another of their email broadcasts that was getting annoying.) You can submit photos via a Flickr group, so I put in a few. They used one of mine back in April, and another today. Very flattering!

Today's Photo:



Pumpkins in a doorway on Union Street near the community garden in Park Slope, October 2008.

I have fun with digital photography, mainly of my children, nature, and city scenes. Here are a few of my pictures. Enjoy!




Reeds in Promised Land State Park in the Poconos region of Pennsylvania. Used in the Sierra Club's Daily Ray of Hope email for April 28, 2008.









Pumpkins in a doorway in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Used in the Sierra Club's Daily Ray of Hope email for December 3, 2008.










Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn.













Late summer rose, Hudson River Park.











Tourists looking at a big crocodile, Mara River, Kenya, August 2001.









Rainbow over Celebrate Brooklyn, Prospect Park, Summer 2009.







See more of my photos on Flickr.

Here are some of the firms and organizations with which I've worked:

Clients

• Webster Hall Digital
• Better Indeed
• Urban Organic
• Box of Rain LLC
• Business Base Network
• Steven Katz Solutions-Oriented Psychotherapy
• L&D Computer Consulting Corp.
• WebHostNY LLC
• Hunki’s Pizza
• Brooklyn Business Base
• Doubleday Select
• Registered@
• Gower/Mosby Medical Publishing
• Current Science

Volunteer

• New Alternatives for Children (through Taproot Foundation)
• Cub Pack 187, Brooklyn
• The Feminist Press at CUNY (through Taproot Foundation)
• Kids Play Tunes
• Cub Pack/Scout Troop 14, Brooklyn
• Binding Together, Inc. (through Taproot Foundation)
• A Networking Event Made in Heaven
• PS 261 PTA
• Independent Computer Consultants Association – NYC Chapter
• Empire Kerry Blue Terrier Club

Employers

• Royal Media Group
• Caminus LLC
• US News & World Report
• Ziff-Davis
• Technical Database Services
• Delmar Publishers
• Gower Medical Publishing
• John Wiley & Sons
• Prentice-Hall Media
• Kelly Services
• The Johns Hopkins University Press
• The Reader's Digest Association

Overview

Strong, versatile writer with management experience in all aspects of business-to-business marketing.

Consulting & Freelance Experience

Selected Clients
Urban Organic, Box of Rain, LLC, L&D Computer Consulting, WebHostNY, Hunki’s Pizza/Ackerstein Caterers, Brooklyn Business Base, Doubleday Select, US News & World Report, Independent Computer Consultants Association – NYC Chapter, Registered@, Delmar Publishers, Gower/Mosby Medical Publishing, Current Science

Selected Projects, 1992-Present

• Box of Rain, LLC – Website development, marketing guidance, print advertising for consulting firm
• L&D Computer Consulting Corp. – Customer newsletter, marketing, HR materials, website, company blog
• WebHostNY LLC – Website, customer communications, advertising, and blog setup for customers
• US News & World Report – Custom print and online merchandising proposals for national news magazine advertisers
• Doubleday Select – Direct mail copy for computer and history book clubs
• Registered @ – Market research and strategy for prospective e-commerce start-up
• Gower/Mosby Medical Publishing, Current Science – Marketing guides and strategic advice for publishers
• Brooklyn Business Base – Website content and event promotion for business networking group, manage Meetup.com presence

Volunteer Experience

Taproot Foundation (2005-Present)

• New Alternatives for Children: Copy Director on Advanced Website Grant team charged with creating a more effective web presence for a specialized child welfare agency.
• The Feminist Press: Marketing Manager on Advanced Website Grant team charged with creating a more effective web presence for a nonprofit university press by implementing the Joomla CMS.
• Binding Together: as Marketing Manager on Brochure Grant team, developed innovative system of "modular" brochures to engage diverse target audiences for a nonprofit job training organization.

A Networking Event Made in Heaven (2006-Present)

• Website development: create all site content, implement design, maintain and update as needed
• Event promotion: email blasts, listings in local media

Cub Pack/Scout Troop 14 (2007-2008)

• Website development: move entire site into Drupal CMS, maintain and update as needed

Corporate Experience

Marketing Manager, Royal Media Group (2003-2004)

Marketed newsletter subscriptions, conferences, and research reports to financial executives.

• Planned and executed all direct mail, forced free trials, and email blasts.
• Hired and supervised customer service specialist, telemarketers, designers, and vendors.
• Significantly increased conference attendance, exhibit space sales, and related advertising revenue.
• Researched markets and created marketing plan for potential acquisition.
• Generated RFP for website overhaul, contributed site content.
• Developed new trade show exhibit; managed company presence at industry events.

Marketing Communications Specialist, Caminus LLC (2000-2002)

Marketed energy trading software applications and strategic consulting services.

• Created software product brochures and sales collateral, managed ad agency.
• Edited and produced company newsletter.
• Wrote website content, managed online event calendar and document library.
• Developed corporate and executive profiles, edited senior executives’ articles for publication.
• 10 business days turnaround for new product brochure from assignment to delivery of printed pieces.

Marketing Manager, US News & World Report (1999-2000)

Generated value-added merchandising proposals to gain advertising business for national news magazine.

• Developed merchandising ideas, wrote proposals, and managed fulfillment of accepted proposals.
• Created new web and email value-added ideas to enhance print advertising.
• Developed sales collateral and support materials.

Promotion Manager, Central Advertising Sales, Ziff-Davis (1995-1998)

Created media kits, direct mail, advertising, sales collateral, fax broadcasts, and website supporting over $40MM in annual ad sales for several leading technology publications.

• Developed and managed Central Ad Sales area of corporate website on tight launch deadline.
• Wrote sales letters and managed database, migrated sales letter library to Lotus Notes, trained sales reps.
• Managed extensive advertiser testimonial series, interviewed senior customer executives.
• Completely revamped direct mail program to achieve better timing and greater impact.
• Developed media kits for all publications with sections sold by Central Ad Sales.

Marketing Manager, Technical Database Services (1993-1994)

Marketed chemical and environmental software and database services.

• Managed lead generation and qualified leads for phone salesperson.
• Launched new products and upgrades, promoted increased usage to database customers.
• Revised and significantly improved user manuals for key products
• Produced customer newsletter and direct mail.

Marketing Assistant/Manager/Director, Gower Medical Publishing (1988-1992)

Marketed specialized publications to physicians in 15 specialties.

• Developed all marketing communications including direct mail, newsletter, and catalog.
• Created annual marketing plans, budgets, and sales forecasts.
• Managed all aspects of trade show program, including pre- and post-show marketing.
• Successfully launched new titles in new markets.
• More than doubled annual sales to over $1MM and exceeded goals every year.
• Promoted twice.

Education

The Johns Hopkins University

Bachelor of Arts in English Literature, minor in French, Dean’s List

Continuing Education

Courses in Advertising Copywriting, Fiction Writing, and Copy Editing at NYU, Gotham Writers' Workshop, and MediaBistro

National Merit Scholar