MEASURING SUCCESS MARKETING METRICS DRIVE GROWTH AT JUNK KING Written By KERRY PIPES
C
rissy Russo stepped into her role as senior director of marketing at Junk King about a year ago. Junk King is an eco-friendly junk removal company that recycles up to 60 percent of the items it picks up. Russo was hired in January 2020, along with a new COO and vice president of business development, as the brand brought in seasoned professionals to help take growth to the next level. With 15 years in marketing, Russo was tapped for her expertise in building brand awareness, developing strategic alliances, and leading teams. Before coming to Junk King she spent 5 years as vice president of marketing with Nelson, an independent staffing company where she was recognized as an innovative leader in building successful brands and market strategies. She also has been a part of a disruptive outplacement solutions provider where she focused on B2E marketing and was responsible for educating both enterprises and displaced employees. Since arriving at Junk King, she has been overseeing two key areas: 1) leading the strategic direction of junk removal from residential and commercial spaces, and
24
FRANCHISEUpdate
ISSUE 4, 2020
2) marketing strategy and implementation for franchise development. Russo is a strong proponent of technology use. Data today, she says, has become more sophisticated and provides deeper insights, but it’s also easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer amount of it. Nevertheless, the data Junk King collects has been instrumental for the brand entering new markets. “It allows us to find where those opportunities are and turn them into conversions,” she says. Since joining the company Russo also has been a part of a fundamental shift in social media marketing strategies. Junk King has begun using more local social media tools, and she says the result has been huge growth numbers in followers and consumers. Russo is quick to point out that while KPIs and conversions are important for marketers, numbers are only part of the story. Marketing, she says, should always include creativity and the desire to create great campaigns, which is ultimately what builds brand awareness, kindles interest, and leads to conversions.