Shannon Foster

MARKETING, GRAPHIC DESIGN, WEB DEVELOPMENT

Value Proposition

With over 25 years of experience, Shannon’s marketing portfolio includes a variety of industries such as retail, communications, business services, oil and gas, home building, real estate development, not-for-profit, entertainment and automotive. In addition to acute account management capabilities, Shannon’s skills include copywriting, graphic design, corporate communications, website design, website development, search engine optimization, social media, strategic planning, business development and training and sales. Shannon’s clients benefit from her creativity, keen marketing sense and business acumen while appreciating her devotion to brand integrity, time management and budget discipline.

Selected Achievements

Designed and built websites for various clients using WordPress, including SEO implementation.
Provide ongoing marketing, website and social media support for a not-for-profit client, including membership, advocacy and event campaigns.
Coordinate, write and design all marketing and collateral needs for Osborne Interim Management. Redesigned and built content for the relaunch of its website, including a defined search engine optimization strategy.
Represented IT consulting company’s largest account, the Royal Bank of Canada, and increased revenue from $0.5 million to over $3 million in less than one year.
Mastered the art of cold calling and booking meetings with new business prospects, which resulted in new business accounts amounting to over $1 million in yearly revenues.
Wrote communications plan that redefined the brand identity and marketing strategy for Cedarglen Homes, helping to increase its industry position from fifth to second. The plan set the foundation for the redesign of the logo, all collateral, signage and sales centres.
Identified strategies and implemented an integrated campaign for the 2003 Calgary Stampede 10-day event. The campaign consisted of television, radio, transit, newspaper, urinal and wild postings. Despite decreased tourism due to national issues, attendance and revenue remained level.
Launched a successful new community (Garrison Green) including full advertising campaign, logo design, collateral, sales centre displays and interior/exterior signage program.
Negotiated and successfully executed a multi-level marketing contract between Star Choice Communications and The Beer Store in Ontario.
Developed value-added promotions for General Motors of Canada to increase sales and market share, including the “Win More Horsepower” promotion that increased truck sales an average of 120%.
Created, published and sold The Decorator’s Journal – a décor organizational book. Sold the product to over 65 retailers, including Urban Bar, a national chain. Also established a customization program and sold it to Homes by Avi.
Developed design, navigation and functionality for an iPhone app, DécOrganizer, that was available for sale in the Apple App Store (sold the app to lushpad.com in January 2014).

Experience

Osborne Interim Management (Director, Marketing & Communications) in addition to contracts as a Principal:
- Friends of CABR: Marketing Strategy, Website Design/Development, Social Media (July 2022 – Present)
- NPS Industrial Power: Website Content Writing (November – Present)
- Zephyr Sleep Technologies: Interim Director of Marketing (December 2020 – April 2021)
- Next Hydrogen: Website Design/Development (June 2020 – October 2020)
- Fortress Insurance Company: Marketing and Website Design/Development (January 2020 – Present)
- De Novo Inc.: Marketing (September 2019 – January 2020)
- Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association: Communications Specialist (November 2017 – Present)
- Western Investment Company of Canada: Website Design/Development, Maintenance (May 2018 – Present)
- YouQuest: Marketing Strategy, Graphic Design, Copywriting (May – December 2018 )
- Lifetime Adventures Travel: Social Media (June – September 2016)
Defero Communications (contract assignments for various clients) (November 2010 – November 2018)

Qualifications

Bachelor of Commerce – McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario
Professional Selling Skills 1 & 2 – Learning International, Toronto, Ontario
Certified Advertising Agency Practitioner (CAAP) – Institute of Canadian Agencies

Volunteerism

West Ridge School Council: Co-Chair (May 2021 – Present)
Sagesse Domestic Violence Prevention Society (December 2018 – Present)
Girl Guides of Canada: Guider (leader) for 140th Sparks Unit (July 2013 – May 2018)
West Springs Elementary School:
- President, West Springs School Development Association (fundraising society) May 2016 – May 2018
- Vice President, West Springs School Development Association (fundraising society) May 2015 – May 2016
- Classroom Volunteer September 2013 – Present
- Fundraising Chair, Balzac Meats February 2014 – Present
- Yearbook Committee September 2014 – June 2018
- Allergy Committee September 2015 – June 2018
- Room Parent September 2013 – June 2014

Calgary Home Builders Foundation:
- Board of Directors 2007 – 2009
- Marketing Committee 2006 – 2009
- Gala Committee 2003 – 2008

Canadian Home Builders Association – Calgary Region: Sales & Marketing Committee 2004 – 2007

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Articles Written By and Featuring Shannon

Getting Real with Domestic Violence and What Your Organization Can Do

Do you know that one in three Albertans (two in five Canadians) will experience domestic violence in their lifetime? And the number is likely higher as most cases aren’t reported? Shocking, right? My own marriage ended at the hands of domestic violence in 2016. Unfortunately, at that time support resources weren’t readily available, or at [...]

Our Wishes for 2022

As 2021 comes to an end, some of Osborne's Principals and Advisors reflect on what the year has meant for them and what their hopes are for the new year. If we could ask Genie to grant us three wishes this coming year they would be: kindness and compassion for all; recovery from Covid, both [...]

Tips to Propel You from Do to Done and Achieve Success

Ironically, I’ve had Jeffrey Gitomer’s book “Get Sh*t Done” sitting on my coffee table, glaring at me with disappointment and hypocrisy, for over a year. I intended to write this article last January, but that didn’t happen. Not sure why. If I recall, nothing monumental was going on, life was pretty normal; maybe I was [...]

Our Wishes for 2021

Our Principals and Advisors join our families, friends, clients and fellow citizens in our hope for an imminent emergence from this tragic pandemic and an eventual healing of the scars it will leave behind. It is critically important business carries on and addresses the challenges and opportunities that 2020 has left behind. In spite of [...]