A Passion for Communication

Marketing

Public Relaitons

Advertising

Social Media

Live Events

Damien Skinner

As a professional, well versed in multiple platforms of communication, I strive to help organizations and individuals to be effective and efficient in their efforts to engage their target audience. Whether the communication vehicle is writing, strategic com-munications planning, social media implementation, live events, developing training courses to empower employees and improve customer satisfaction; my focus remains on strategies and tactics that emphasize qualitative and quantitative return on investment.

Introduct ionI created this booklet to showcase my graphic arts skills, writing ability, professional timeline, and some of my

communications philosophy, in an engaging and effecient way. I want to share my story, going beyond just sending my resume. The goal is deeper engagment with my target audience and seeking opportunities in communications.

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DAMIEN SKINNERCOMMUNICATIONS ARCHITECT

I bring a solid understanding of strategic communications and marketing frameworks. The synergy of education and professional experience have made me successful in combining creative talent with more structured business skills, delivering communications programs that are cost-effective, market appropriate and profitable. Equally solid is my performance in strategic planning, issues analysis, brand awareness, teambuilding and leadership.

I have demonstrated my ability to build market recognition, increase customer awareness, and provide the foundation for strong sustainable revenue growth.

At NewsChannel 8, I pioneered and executed the station’s first client Holiday Open House, resulting in the closure of new and returning business that increased annual revenue by 4%.

Sincerely,

Damien Skinner

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MY TIFFANY’S BOX EXPERIENCE MY COMMUNICATIONS APPROACH

Today, brand identity, external/internal communications and relationship building with key audiences are critical functions of a successful organization. In customer engage-ment everything counts. Not only must the product be of great quality, the packaging should entice and arouse curiosity. The communications efforts must engage the audi-ence long after the purchase has taken place. “The Experience,” is in the impressions that remain after the monetary exchange has taken place and the customer has gone home.

Tiffany& Company© is the best example of the efforts necessary to achieve icon status. They recognize that the customer experience does not end after the purchase. As a communicator, I realize that the customer experience continues long after the customer leaves your store or website. The initial purchase has been made, now the efforts are to bring that customer back for more of the story. For Tiffany& Company “the experience” is the wow-factor of the packaging. For many

organizations “the experience” is in the messaging on the website, advertisment and social media engagement. Defining and executing “the experience” is a sustainable tool to maintain and increase the target audience’s top-of-mind awareness of the brand.

A great storyteller keeps the audience asking, “what’s next?” Successful organization will

keep customers looking for the next innovative service or product. - Damien Skinner

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THE GRIOT – Storytel lerTHERE IS NOTHING LIKE A STORY WELL TOLD

From folk tales, Greek mythology, Aesop’s Fables, and Harry Potter noth-ing captivates and engages an audience like a story, well told. Through the use of story, audiences learn about morals, love, valor, loyalty and history. A story can inspire, educate, influence and motivate an audience. Success-ful organizations are able to effectively engage, influence and educate their audiences using story. Products and services that have a story are more endearing to customers. Stories facilitates a more personal connection between the organization, product and consumer. The customer purchase is not only an endorsement of the product, it is also the customer’s at-tempt to become apart of the story. Purchasing the organization’s prod-ucts or service adds the organization to the customer’s personal narrative as well.

The storyteller must know his/her audience to ensure that the message is relevant to the audience. Today, the storyteller must be cognizant of the many communication outlets available, making the content and delivery platforms critical pieces of the overall communications efforts. Providing the audience multiple points of access to the story is a lasting and power-ful opportunity to innoculate them from the competition.

For example a “like” on Facebook or following the company on Twitter, the customer is adding the organization to their personal story.

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Timeline: A Time of Learning

I believe in life-long learning. My career has been a classroom without walls, allowing me opportunities to learn and grow as a professional. I have been fortunate to work for wonderful companies in varied and dynamic industries. Despite the industry, I am able to apply the insights

and tangible skills gained to a communications framework. From communications, healthcare and sales, I have a well-rounded background, from which I can draw to help an organization achieve its business and communications goals and objectives.

1999 200420032000 2001 2002 2005

Public Relations AssociateFleischman & Company

Associate PublicistPlanned Television Arts

Business Office ManagerHealthSouth Medical Imaging

Medical SecretaryFoxHall Surgical

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200820072006 2012201120102009

Assistant Account ExecutiveMerrick Towle Communications

Marketing Coordinator | Program Coordinator | Segment Producer

NewsChannel 8

Museum Shop SupervisorThe Phillips Collection Research Intern

Leading Authorities, Event Advisory Services

Co-Vice President of CommunicationsInternational Associaion of Business Communicators/ DC Metro chapter

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Case study: EmpowErmEnt, a Cost-EffECtivE rEvEnuE tool

BACKGROUNDHealthSouth Radiology was a medical imaging facility performing MRI, CT-Scan, Ultrasound and X-Ray procedures, located in the hustle and bustle of Washington, DC’s K street corridor. A majority of the patients were referred to the facility by neigh-boring physicians. The facility typically saw over 150 patients daily.

THE SITUATIONWith a staff of three front desk receptionists to receive patients and ensure patients were prepped for their procedure and three appointment clerks, who made appointments and informed patients of the necessary preparations for their scheduled procedure, the staff was never trained about the facility modality and the preparations for each service offered. Within a four-month period, the facility manager, marketing representative and I, fielded many patient and referring doctor complaints. Eventually, we found referring doctors and their staff unwilling to refer patients to HealthSouth. Because a high rate of patients were scheduled wrong modality or not told the correct preparation for their procedure, doctors no longer trusted HealthSouth to service their patients. Business declined by 40% and the facility reputation was in ruins.

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This also negativley impacted the ability to collect insurance payments, especially when the wrong study was preformed.

THE ANALYSISI discovered that only two staff members actually understood the doctor’s orders and the modality preparations. The staff was never trained to read, schedule and prepare patients for their procedures. The staff ’s lack of understanding was costing the

facility $1000’s of dollars everyday. If this were allowed to continue it would not be long before staff would have to be let go.

THE SOULTIONWorking with the facility manager, I developed and executed a training module for the reception and appointment staff. The medical technologists, who operate the MRI, CT-Scan, Ultrasound and X-Ray explained how each modality operated and why patients needed to be prepared correctly. The training empowered the staff to understand the doctor’s order, accurately schedule appointments and inform patients about necessary preparations for their procedure. Within a week scheduling and preparation errors were down 80%. Over the next three-weeks patient and referring-doctor satisfaction improved by 65%, appointments were up by 20% and revenues increased 60%. An empowered staff performed better and reducing errors proving to the target audience, that HealthSouth was a reliable brand worthy of their trust.

Case Study from page 6

Over the next three-weeks patient and referring-doctor satisfaction improved by 65%, appointments were up by 20%

and revenues increased 60%. - Damien Skinner

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MUSEMY INSPIRATIONS

Food: I am a fat kid at heart. I love food. I often think about great dishes I’ve eaten like a long lost friend. Food is an expression of culture and love. A good meal is a bonding experience family and friends look forward too. I had the best conversations with my family and friends over a meal.

Music: I played Cello for ten years and found great joy in translating sheet music to sound. Watching or listening to an orchestra perform is a great experience, but to be in the midst of one is a far more powerful experience. The sound flows all around you like water. Playing in an orchestra you are no longer a single instrument, you are part of an engine with many moving parts. All the part coming together to make a single, unified sound.

Communications: Communicating is a part of natural instinctive human behavior. It is a skill that can be sharpened and a craft to be mastered. Communication is an art that can be expressed through language, the body and writing. The ability to influence opinions and perceptions is exciting and motiva-tional for me.

History: For me history is more than names and dates. History is about understanding the mindset of a time period. How that mindset influenced politics, music, literature, fine art, and social norms. History is the record of how people engaged the world, society and each other.

Stories: If you want to make a complex concept clear, tell a story. Stories have been used since time and memorial to educate, inspire and motive. For me, stories are the intersection of strategy and creativity. Stories are a great vehicle to inform, deliver messages and engage the audience.

THE STORYA great story keeps the audience engaged, peppering the tale with the brand’s messaging and unique selling proposition. The story should help shape the audience’s perception of the organization or brand. A story told using multiple communica-tion platforms, allows the organization many opportunities to engage the audience in different ways.

I believe an organization’s story should be authentic and engaging. It should be crafted to highlight the organization’s unique selling proposition, messages and define the brand position. The story should endear the audience to the brand, allowing connections to be made to the overall organization. Through the story a more direct and personal connection can be made between the organization and audience.

From an internal communications perspective, the organization story increases buy-in from internal stakeholders. It edu-cates internal audiences and helps to ensure that the organization speaks with one voice, sharing one message.

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Damien SkinnerMobile: 202.361.6202

Email: d.skinner423@gmail.comlinkedin.com/in/damienskinner

http://re.vu/damienskinner