Sally Mundell
Senior Director of Direct to Consumer Marketing and CRM, Spanx Inc.
Winning ways: When it comes to shaping Spanx’s marketing, Mundell produces results that are anything but slim. Mundell not only launched Spanx’s catalog business, but also grew it to a circulation of six million that drives 30% of the company’s Web volume. Furthermore, she led Spanx.com’s redesign, which resulted in a 20% increase in organic search revenue and a 25% mobile conversion lift.
Defining moment: “It was probably launching the catalog business for Spanx. I didn’t necessarily have a background in print. I was more on the digital side. So, it showcased my ability to learn a business quickly and build a successful program. I’ve [applied] that to other areas of the business…. I now run the digital marketing programs and expanded the website worldwide.”
Words to live by: “You win some, you lose some. By that I mean, don’t be scared to ask questions or to present ideas—some will be great and some will be learning experiences.”
Head swivel: “A lot of people are adjusting to the shift to mobile, and that trend has definitely made us rethink the Web experience and how it plays an advertising, educational, experiential, and transactional role. We’re currently exploring how all of these pieces play together.”
Good advice: “Be curious and ask a lot of questions. Don’t just deliver the data; ask why. The more curious you are the more interesting findings you see and ultimately lead to strategic actions.”
First job: “I have a history in startup companies. One of my first jobs [out of college] was a startup that had a technology that allowed people to filter out their direct mail. That really fueled my entrepreneurial spirit; Spanx is very entrepreneurial and an empowerment-oriented company. It was a great fit for fueling that spirit of mine. Also having been on the direct marketing side of things and understanding the consumer was actually [a good] fit to start the catalog program, as well.
“[In terms of my first job], my parents own a pediatric health center—my dad is a pediatrician—so I would work the front desk. That taught me a lot about how to work with people—who were doctors and nurses—and then I was communicating directly with the patients coming in and working them up.”
Click or tap here to read the stories behind the successes of the other Direct Marketing News 2014 40 Under 40 winners.
