Kate Neilan
Marketer: First News Education at First News- Claim this Profile
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Bio
Credentials
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CIM ACIM Member
CIM | The Chartered Institute of MarketingMar, 2023- Oct, 2024
Experience
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First News
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United Kingdom
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Book and Periodical Publishing
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1 - 100 Employee
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Marketer: First News Education
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Jan 2023 - Present
As part of First News’ education marketing team, I raise awareness and secure subscription sales of our award-winning newspaper, as well as our teaching and learning products, through a full-funnel approach from brand awareness through lead nurture to conversion. I run campaigns across a full channel mix, including email marketing, lead magnet creation, paid and organic digital marketing, brand partnerships and strategy ideation. In my first nine months at First News, I have spearheaded the company’s emerging freemium model strategy. Following an initial testing period of a brand new formalised lead nurture email newsletter, I was thrilled to launch First News Education Free, our new freemium offering for teachers including an online resource hub for all members. As part of this project, I have worked closely with our ad sales team to create added-value opportunities for potential advertisers, creating a new revenue stream for the business. As well as year-round brand awareness activity and always-on lead nurture, I design and implement needs-led, reactive campaigns. In June 2023, to help combat summer reading loss, I launched the First News Education Summer Reading Scheme, which entitled all subscribing schools to claim a code granting a free two-month digital subscription to First News for every pupil over the summer holidays. Nearly 200 schools applied, generating addition school subscriptions, and hundreds of parents used the code, boosting our home subscription lead pool. Show less
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Penguin Random House UK
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United Kingdom
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Book and Periodical Publishing
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700 & Above Employee
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Marketing Executive - Vintage
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Nov 2018 - Jan 2023
I ran campaigns for a range of fiction and non-fiction titles across the VINTAGE hardback and paperback imprints, as well as leading on brand management for bestselling cookery author Rukmini Iyer. I was nominated for Marketing Strategy of the Year at the British Book Awards 2021 for my campaign for The Roasting Tin Around the World.My campaigns included major fiction, non-fiction, cookery and gifting titles, promoted across print, digital, organic social, bookseller outreach, and innovative partnership work in order to ensure titles cut through the noise. My roster of titles also included debut literary fiction, crime, fiction in translation and established novelists, in hardback and paperback, for example Jo Nesbo, Ruth Ware, Anne Tyler, Salman Rushdie, Susan Hill and Jung Chang. In 2019, my colleague Sophie and I won the Q4 Book Marketing Society award in the Fiction category for our campaign for The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern.In addition to title-specific campaigns, I worked closely with the VINTAGE brand team, creating content for VINTAGE social channels and working on content and production for the VINTAGE podcast.I attended regular Happy Foodie meetings as the Vintage marketing representative, to liaise on placement for our titles, and was also part of the VINTAGE crime fiction team, collaborating with Dead Good on great online content to support paid activity. I also led on the Vintage comms relationship with The Reading Agency. Show less
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Marketing Assistant - Vintage
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Aug 2015 - Nov 2018
In my role as Marketing Assistant, I ran campaigns, took on creative and digital marketing tasks, as well as overseeing key production duties. My campaigns included major non-fiction and cookery titles.I coordinated the production of all bound proofs produced by Vintage; this involved working closely with colleagues in production, publicity, editorial, marketing, sales and design, as well as freelance designers, to ensure proofs were designed and printed according to the critical path for long lead sales and publicity mailing, with the appropriate look and copy. In addition, I designed and wrote copy for a number of proof jackets each month, using InDesign. I coordinated production of sixth-monthly and thematic catalogues, for example the Vintage Cookery Catalogue. These tasks required working to tight deadlines, and ensuring that a large number of colleagues across the business deliver material according to those deadlines.I coordinated and attended regular Vintage Cookery focus meetings, was responsible for production of all physical marketing material for cookery titles and attended Happy Foodie meetings as the Vintage marketing representative, to liaise on placement for our titles.I was the NetGalley expert for the division, acting as the point of contact for the marketing team to keep up to date on latest rate cards and opportunities, and working with colleagues to implement any NG-related aspects of campaigns, including EOC analysis.I produced materials for various events, such as invitations, 'goodie bags' and their contents for attendees. I also produced and coordinated presentations for divisional conferences, for example Vintage Independent Booksellers evenings, attended by key retailers from across the UK.This was in addition to departmental admin duties, such as booking meeting rooms, preparing agenda and minutes for meetings, liaising with suppliers to process invoices, monitoring and updating budgets. Show less
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Publicity Assistant - Vintage Books
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Apr 2015 - Aug 2015
As Publicity Assistant, I undertook a wide range of tasks, working across all Vintage imprints but focusing on assisting publicists working on Jonathan Cape and Bodley Head titles, and Vintage Classics and paperbacks.Day-to-day tasks duties included responding to emails and phone call enquiries from journalists requesting titles for review, coordinating bulk publicity mailings, and supervising publicity interns in their production of showcards and other tasks. I also coordinated monthly paperback review mailings, including preparing press releases, in cooperation with fellow publicity assistant, oversaw NetGalley requests from bloggers and reviewers alongside the marketing assistant, and oversaw the regular creation of the monthly events schedule, allowing sales to check all festivals and bookshops had sufficient stock for upcoming author events.I frequently assisted publicists preparing for, and on the day, at events, including preparing schedules, ordering stock, liaising with authors regarding transport and accommodation and booking both of these, sourcing and booking suitable event spaces and catering, and assisting with hosting duties, including setting up event spaces, bookselling and hospitality. I also accompanied authors to media interviews and events on behalf of publicists, for example radio interviews at BBC Radio 4.I also had the opportunity to work on the first stage of the Scottish Classics campaign, where five Vintage Classics by Scottish authors were released with covers designed by Scottish artists, to coincide with Edinburgh Festival 2015. I wrote the initial draft of the press release, as well as collating a mailing list of press, bloggers and influencers who should receive copies. Show less
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Blogger and Podcast Host
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May 2012 - Nov 2018
I regularly podcast and blogged about books and more on the website AdventuresWithWords.com. Since 2012, the blog grew its readership significantly and was featured in The Guardian. Our work was also featured on welovethisbook.com, and I was invited to become a contributor to the Waterstones.com blog, one of just seven bloggers while the project lasted.I cohosted a bi-weekly podcast discussing books, television, films and all elements of storytelling, as well as hosting and producing a monthly podcast about Young Adult fiction with cohost Darran. The podcast had an international audience and was highlighted as 'new and noteworthy' in iTunes, with over 250,00 downloads and counting. I worked directly with authors on content, including audio interviews with Philip Reeve, Tom Pollock, and Lisa Williamson, and numerous written interviews (Adele Parks, Joanna Rossiter, Nigel McDowell, etc). As a result of the growing success of Adventures With Words, I collaborated in organising and hosting an event at the Essex Book Festival 2014, featuring Essie Fox and Wendy Wallace. This involved coordinating directly with the authors on discussion topics and audiovisual presentations, identifying an appropriate location and working with venue organisers on room layout, food, refreshments and equipment for the evening, and working with Festival representatives to promote the event locally and via social media, and monitor ticket sales. After the success of this event, I was invited to chair an event, as well as live blogging, at the Essex Book Festival 2015, and returned to coordinate, chair and act as guest speaker at all-day writers’ masterclass ‘Birth of the Book’ at Essex Book Festival 2016.I regularly used Microsoft Office, Apple Pages, Keynote and Numbers, Wordpress and Google Analytics, Audacity and Garageband as part of my work for Adventures With Words. Show less
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Event Coordinator: Birth of the Book, Essex Book Festival
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Oct 2015 - Mar 2016
I collaborated in organising and hosting an event as part of Essex Book Festival 2016, “Birth of the Book”, held at Anglia Ruskin University. This involved planning the day, booking speakers, in this case, author Ruth Ware and editor Alison Hennessey, coordinating on discussion topics and audiovisual presentations, working with venue organisers on room layouts, food, refreshments and equipment for the evening, and working with Festival representatives to promote the event locally and via social media, and monitor ticket sales. I was also responsible for ensuring a bookseller was present, and was in attendance all day as chair and speaker but also as a host, ensuring a positive experience for speakers and the attendees.Feedback was overwhelmingly positive and useful, both from our attendees and the Festival Director. Show less
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Event Host: Kate Hamer talks about Girl in the Red Coat, Essex Book Festival
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Mar 2015 - Mar 2015
On Monday March 2nd, I hosted an event as part of the Essex Book Festival 2015, “Kate Hamer talks about Girl in the Red Coat”, held at Manningtree Library. This involved liaison with the author and her publicist regarding discussion topics, and working with Festival representatives for arrangements for the evening, and to promote the event locally and via social media. I interviewed Kate in front of an audience, and then took questions from the audience at the end of the event.
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Event Producer: In Conversation with Essie Fox and Wendy Wallace, Essex Book Festival
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Jan 2014 - Mar 2014
I collaborated in organising and hosting an event as part of the Essex Book Festival 2014, “Adventures With Words in Conversation with Essie Fox and Wendy Wallace”, held at The Waiting Room in Colchester, a local arts and event venue. This involved coordinating with the authors on discussion topics and audiovisual presentations, identifying an appropriate location and working with venue organisers on room layouts, food, refreshments and equipment for the evening, and working with Festival representatives to promote the event locally and via social media, and monitor ticket sales. Show less
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Event Producer: Great British Book Off, Lightbulb Festival
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May 2013 - Jul 2013
In connection to my work with Adventures With Words, I organised and produced the live event "The Great British Book Off", which took place as part of the Lightbulb Festival of the Arts, in Colchester on 13th July 2013.This involved inviting guests to take part in the event, booking time slots, sourcing equipment and refreshments and coordinating timings and locations for the event to take place.
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Quercus Books
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United Kingdom
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Book and Periodical Publishing
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1 - 100 Employee
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Sales Administrator
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Feb 2015 - Apr 2015
I was invited to take up a fixed term contract as Sales Administrator at Quercus Books, from 27th February until their move to new premises in mid-April, following positive feedback from my internship with Hodder Marketing. I had to learn quickly in order to maintain a high standard, monitoring and distributing sales figures to key colleagues, placing orders and agreeing terms for direct deliveries to key accounts, managing ad hoc orders for author events, preparing sales materials for use in presentations to customers, and for field sales representatives, and other general administrative duties, such as raising purchase orders for promotional deals with customers, responding to queries regarding sales figures and monitoring stock levels of frontlist titles at our distributor warehouse. Working with the marketing team, I extended my original role by writing regular publicity and marketing updates emailed to booksellers nationwide. I exercised careful attention to detail, whilst working efficiently and to tight deadlines. Show less
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The Waiting Room
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Colchester
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Events Manager
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Jul 2014 - Apr 2015
I monitored and approved event applications, working with potential users of the event space to make sure they had everything they needed, in terms of support from the team and that they were also aware of their obligations as users of the space. I ensured events were promoted across The Waiting Room's social media streams. I also sought feedback from users after their events, so the venue could continue to improve our offer in the future. I was an integral part of the management team as the venue renegotiated its lease, and in its development towards a more regular rotation-style programme. I took responsibility for working with a number of new event hosts to arrange regular recurring bookings, as well as working with them to create event marketing copy, to be used online and across our platforms. Finally, I wrote a proposal for a monthly Sunday community market, to be shared with other Waiting Room team members, potential stallholders and organisers, and local authorities. The proposal was accepted and the monthly market is still running at the venue. Show less
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Penguin Random House UK
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United Kingdom
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Book and Periodical Publishing
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700 & Above Employee
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Publicity Intern - VINTAGE
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Jan 2015 - Jan 2015
I assisted the Publicity Department at Vintage, undertaking a wide range of tasks. These included collation and filing of Precise press cuttings, various bulk mailings of review copies and bespoke mailings to literary festivals, ordering books from TBS, checking author mail for forwarding, creating showcards for author events, and downloading and distributing ATIs and book jackets from Biblio. I carried out admin tasks such as crosschecking spreadsheets to identify authors without addresses listed, updating imprint allocation documents with current information on titles from Biblio, compiling additional addresses for invitations to a book launch, adding author events to Biblio, and collating press coverage of H Is For Hawk after its Costa Prize win, using the Precise online portal. I was also given more independent tasks. Using my own research, I created a spreadsheet showing all Vintage authors appearing at literary festivals during March, including venues, dates, times, key contacts and the bookseller for the event, to be used by the sales team to check stock levels. I created a document with possible venues for a press and author dinner for the Bodley Head imprint, successfully finding suitable venues that the team were keen to book. I pulled quotes for use on Twitter from John Aubrey: My Own Life, travelled to key tube and train stations to take photos of book marketing posters to be used to investigate competitor activity, skimmed women’s magazines for features that could be used to publicise Eliza Kennedy and transcribed quotations from a radio interview with Suzanne Dean. Finally, I enjoyed more unusual duties, such as assisting at a book launch and demonstrating to the team how to create a ‘stop-motion’ style Vine. Show less
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Hodder & Stoughton
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United Kingdom
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Book and Periodical Publishing
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100 - 200 Employee
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Marketing Intern
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Dec 2014 - Dec 2014
In addition to on-going tasks such as updating Pinterest, bulk mailings, and collating reviewer feedback, I carried out a number of digital-based tasks. Using and adapting information from Biblio, I created pages and contributed copy to blog posts for hodderscape.co.uk, to feature in the Hodderscape ‘Advent calendar’. I proofread and updated draft emails in Campaign Manager. I wrote copy for tweets to market Deliciously Ella by Ella Woodward, selected quotations from Red Rising by Pierce Brown, as well as two other titles, to be used on social media share cards, and picked out audio clips from interviews to be used in marketing materials. I was also able to secure a possible location for the filming of an author interview video. Show less
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Simon & Schuster UK
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United Kingdom
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Book and Periodical Publishing
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1 - 100 Employee
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Publicity Intern
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Nov 2014 - Nov 2014
I created press releases, show cards, and flyers, using information and images from aScribe. I contacted influencers to publicise events with authors of interest to their members/audiences, as well as emailing local, regional and national press to follow up on ARC mailings, using details from Gorkhana. I assisted with book signings, included bulk signing in the office (Brian Moore), and an author signing at a bookshop (Diane von Furstenberg). I wrote copy used by The Prince Charles Cinema to publicise an author event and film screening (an appearance by Carey Elwes for a Q&A and signing, after a screening of The Princess Bride). I carried out research into book bloggers covering a number of genres, to inform publicity coverage for future titles, particularly 'vlogger' books, undertook large and small-scale mailing of ARCs, compiled and filed press coverage of relevant titles, and provided general office/admin assistance. Show less
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Icon Books
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United Kingdom
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Book and Periodical Publishing
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1 - 100 Employee
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Marketing and Publicity Intern
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Sep 2014 - Sep 2014
Duties included monitoring social media streams, posting and scheduling updates, administering giveaways, and responding to tweets. I compiled lists of potential reviewers based on social media exposure and CisionPoint, and carried out bulk mailings. I checked and updated all press releases for frontlist titles with correct details, created new documents using details from Booksonix, adapted existing copy for special interest groups, and selected quotations to be used in future marketing material. I also used Booksonix to update all pricing for Icon’s 2015 ebooks. Show less
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Thurstable School
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Tiptree, Colchester, United Kingdom
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Head of PSHE/Citizenship
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Sep 2009 - Aug 2014
I coordinated Citizenship and Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education, a school-wide role, involving auditing provision of subject teaching across all departments, managing a large team to ensure high quality provision, organising and implementing whole-school and whole-year events which can involve over 1000 students, 50 members of staff and outside agencies, writing policies, departmental evaluations and improvement plans and contributing to whole-school development as part of the Heads of Curriculum Area and Heads of Year team. I also maintained the CzPSHE Departmental website and Twitter feed, allowing students and parents to interact with the Department via social media. I also acted as Secretary for the Colchester and Tendring PSHE Coordinators' Group; we met three times yearly to keep up to date on developments within our subject area, met with representatives of local agencies, shared innovative teaching and assessment techniques and carried out CPD. This management responsibility was carried out in addition to a full timetable teaching, planning and assessing Cititzenship and PSHE, and English, at KS3. Show less
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Colchester! Free Festival
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Events Services
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Social Media Coordinator
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Jul 2013 - Sep 2013
I helped to manage and maintain the website for the Colchester Free Festival, a music and arts free festival. I helped to update the website and run the Twitter and Facebook campaigns leading up to the day. This involved promoting the festival, highlighting the bands playing and lineup of the stages, as well as fielding questions from members of the public. I helped to manage and maintain the website for the Colchester Free Festival, a music and arts free festival. I helped to update the website and run the Twitter and Facebook campaigns leading up to the day. This involved promoting the festival, highlighting the bands playing and lineup of the stages, as well as fielding questions from members of the public.
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Thurstable School
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Tiptree, Colchester, United Kingdom
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English Teacher
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Sep 2005 - Jul 2009
I taught, assessed and planned English and English Literature, for students of all abilities from age 11 to 18, including contributing to departmental development through rewriting schemes of work for Year 9, as well as acting as a Form Tutor to a tutor group of around 25 students, monitoring academic progress, as well as social and behavioural issues. In addition, I communicated with parents, in their roles as stakeholders, on a regular basis, discussing and analysing students' progress, and volunteered to assist on student activity weeks and excursions to France and Germany. Show less
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Education
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2004 - 2005
University of Cambridge
PGCE, Secondary English -
2001 - 2004
University of Durham
BA (Hons), English Literature -
1999 - 2001
Colchester County High School for Girls
A Level, English Literature (British and Commonwealth)
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