Kristen O'Connell - Marketer
Former Big 5 marketing and comms strategist specializing in content, platform-building, email, and social. Now booking FEB-APRIL
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Overview
Building on twenty years of experience in digital marketing, content strategy, book marketing, and publicity, I'm passionate about building meaningful connections between authors with audiences who matter and convert. I spent my career in positions at Penguin Random House, Penguin USA, Simon & Schuster, and DK Publishing where I created and managed innovative marketing initiatives, oversaw email communications to millions of readers monthly, developed engaging acquisition campaigns to help grow author and program platforms, booked author tours of all sizes, and launched web and social properties for fiction, nonfiction, self-help and children's books.
During my tenure at PRH, I spent the last two years leading content marketing strategy for the flagship site and,, a content vertical for parents and educators to foster a love of reading in children. Building upon my years of title marketing experience, this was an amazing opportunity to work across the full scope of fiction, nonfiction, and children's titles to create compelling inbound marketing content, grow traffic from search, and craft best-in-class, personalized email marketing journeys and campaigns.
I'm ready to put my skills to work for you. I believe that marketing a book is a marriage of science and heart--and I'm uniquely positioned to use my experience creating marketing moments led by data and insights to create a compelling strategy for your book.
During my tenure at PRH, I spent the last two years leading content marketing strategy for the flagship site and,, a content vertical for parents and educators to foster a love of reading in children. Building upon my years of title marketing experience, this was an amazing opportunity to work across the full scope of fiction, nonfiction, and children's titles to create compelling inbound marketing content, grow traffic from search, and craft best-in-class, personalized email marketing journeys and campaigns.
I'm ready to put my skills to work for you. I believe that marketing a book is a marriage of science and heart--and I'm uniquely positioned to use my experience creating marketing moments led by data and insights to create a compelling strategy for your book.
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs
Parenting & Families
Political Science & Current Affairs
Self-Help & Self-Improvement
Fiction
Children's
Contemporary Fiction
Contemporary Romance
Mystery & Crime
Work experience
Owner
Self-employed
February, 2021
–
Present
(12 months)
In 2021 I launched a full-service author and book marketing shop designed to help authors build their platform, connect with readers, and sell books. Specializing in web, email, and social media strategy and campaign management, I'm available to help you meet your readers where they are and create meaningful, lasting connections.
Sr. Director Content Marketing and Strategy
Penguin Random House
January, 2018
–
February, 2021
(about 3 years)
Sr. Director Consumer Engagement
Penguin Random House
January, 2016
–
January, 2018
(about 2 years)
Director of Online Marketing
Penguin
September, 2008
–
March, 2013
(over 4 years)
Projects
Read To Sleep 2020
In January of 2020, I worked with the team at Penguin Random House to launch a campaign with luxury home textile company Parachute to drive subscriber acquisition, build positive brand sentiment, and promote reading as wellness. Encouraging readers to swap their phones for a book at bedtime, the team created a campaign landing page, sweepstakes, and 5 part email series featuring bedtime routines and author reading recommendations. The campaign included bestsellers The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates, Fleischman is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner, Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson, Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid, and Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano.
Campaign coverage included the New York Post and The Drum.
Book the Vote
Timed with the 2020 election this multi-author campaign for Penguin Random House featured bestsellers Deepak Chopra, Khaled Hosseini, Jasmine Guillory, and Jeff Tweedy, and partners PEN America, When We All Vote, and Out of Print. Weekly author videos were featured on-site as well as in email campaigns.
Penguin Random House Books Connect Us
In 2020, at the start of the pandemic, I led my team in the launch of the Books Connect Us campaign to help readers find solace and connection in books during a time of separation. This campaign featured multi-channel communications across web, email, and social channels and reached millions of readers throughout spring and summer 2020.
Coverage for this campaign included articles in Esquire and Publisher's Weekly
Portfolio (18 selected works)
Hungry Hill
Curran, Eileen Patricia
ON THE MARCH: A NOVEL OF THE WOMEN'S MARCH ON WASHINGTON
Krisher, Trudy
Belle (The Belle Trilogy Book 1)
Pearse, Lesley
Dead or Alive (A Jack Ryan Novel)
Clancy, Tom, Blackwood, Grant
Scarpetta: Scarpetta (Book 16) (The Scarpetta Series)
Cornwell, Patricia
Joy of Cooking: 2019 Edition Fully Revised and Updated
Rombauer, Irma S., Becker, Marion Rombauer, Becker, Ethan, Becker, John, Scott, Megan
Morimoto: The New Art of Japanese Cooking
Morimoto, Masaharu
Ken Follett The Kingsbridge Novels Stories Collection 3 Books Set (The Pillars of the Earth, World Without End, A Column of Fire)
Ken Follett, The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett, 978-0451222138, 045122213X, 9780451222138, World Without End by Ken Follett, 978-0451224996, 045122499X, 9780451224996, A Column of Fire by Ken Follett, 978-0451477996, 0451477995, 9780451477996
Break No Bones: A Novel (Temperance Brennan Book 9)
Reichs, Kathy
Killing Yourself to Live: 85% of a True Story
Chuck Klosterman, Patrick Lawlor, Tantor Audio
The Artist's Way: 25th Anniversary Edition
Cameron, Julia
Bride Quartet (3 Book Series)
Roberts, Nora
Powerballs
Jimmy Clifton
"A mysterious author delivers the comical tale...a raucous adventure around the globe." -KIRKUS REVIEWS A sudden windfall – and the money to make every dream come true… With finances and marriage strained to the breaking point, Rose and Henry Ball dream of new lives filled with romance and adventure. Then Fortune takes a hand. Against all odds the couple win a record Powerball lottery. The sud... read more
Moonstruck at Midnight (Moonstruck Series Book 1)
Andrade, Alejandra
Kidnappers from the Future (Defenders of Time)
Abel, Gene P.
Evan Wycliff Mysteries
Jones, Gerald Everett
Milo's Moonlight Mission
Blasi, Kathleen M., Dostalova, Petronela
Kristen has 15 reviews
Professionalism
Professionalism
Quality
Quality
Value
Value
Communication & Punctuality
Communication & Punctuality
Diligent, professional, and helpful. Met objectives! Thank you.
Gerald Jones, December 2021
My biggest challenge was learning about social media. Kristen was always patient during the learning process, encouraging me when I needed it. She would be a good choice for someone in need of basic marketing strategies.
trudy krisher, November 2021
It was a pleasure to work with Kristen as a new author. She provided meaningful guidance throughout the process and took time time to explain everything along the way!
Linnet Coppa, October 2021
Kristen was knowledgeable, helpful and positive. I really appreciated her efforts.
Paul Folmsbee, August 2021
Promotion and marketing were all new to me. Kristen was incredibly helpful by offering a PowerPoint presentation loaded with useful information to guide me through the process, setting up my Facebook author page, reviewing my blurb, and providing me with great direction and insights on my author website. I was very impressed with her performance and decided to have her help me with Amazon ads....
Read more
Richard Lanoix, August 2021
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