Maru Sanchez
Verified Expert in Marketing
Digital Marketing Expert
Miami, FL, United States
Toptal member since September 27, 2024
Maru is a digital marketing expert with a robust business background and a passion for user-centric design. She excels in launching and enhancing products through market and UX research, go-to-market (GTM) strategies, compelling content creation, and UX writing. Maru has boosted user satisfaction at AI Buddy, localized Evernote business for Latin America, and helped tech companies enter new markets. Her expertise combines strategic insights with innovative design to elevate UX and market reach.
Project Highlights
Expertise
- Content Localization
- Content Marketing Strategy
- Go-to-market Strategy
- Market Research & Analysis
- Product Internationalization
- Product Localization
- Stakeholder Management
- UX Research
Work Experience
Research and GTM Project Consultant
Business Buzz Communications
- Executed a comprehensive mixed-methods user research plan, including surveys, interviews, and usability testing, increasing the adoption rate of a new patient engagement platform feature by 50% and user satisfaction scores by 20%.
- Synthesized qualitative and quantitative data into actionable insights, user personas, and journey maps, directly influencing critical design decisions and establishing a foundation for ongoing product improvements at multiple startups.
- Led cross-functional collaboration, translating user insights into product enhancements for a Latin American company.
- Streamlined UI and implemented three new features addressing critical pain points, boosting adoption rate by 35% in three months post-launch.
Biological Researcher
State of Florida - Department of Health
- Conducted over 15,000 bilingual English and Spanish qualitative interviews for disease investigations, achieving a 98% data accuracy rate and reducing translation errors by 40%.
- Designed and implemented questionnaires, resulting in a 93% interview completion rate over two years, surpassing the department average by 15% through effective rapport-building techniques.
- Presented research findings to over 250 health department employees, resulting in the adoption of three new disease prevention strategies and a 20% increase in community outreach effectiveness.
Market Manager
AI Buddy
- Conducted secondary market research, analyzing existing data to shape the company's GTM strategy and positioning, resulting in a data-driven approach that enhanced competitive differentiation and informed strategic decisions.
- Managed customer insights and user interviews for UX design, leading to a 25% reduction in support inquiries after updating the product onboarding experience based on usability findings in Q2 2021.
- Executed localization, copy editing, and proofreading of English-language curricula into Spanish, as well as marketing assets, campaigns, ad content, and product materials.
- Managed multi-channel marketing campaigns, including events and webinars. Oversaw content creation, aligning with brand voice. Coordinated vendors for creative services and logistics. This holistic approach drove engagement and growth.
Marketing and Content Strategy Lead
Kadampa Meditation Center
- Orchestrated a comprehensive digital marketing strategy encompassing content management, email campaigns, social media engagement, and website redesign, increasing online conversions by 40%.
- Developed a data-driven content strategy based on in-depth audience analysis, which propelled events revenue by 30%.
- Conceptualized and executed over 50 in-person and virtual events, including meditation workshops and fundraisers, driving a 25% year-over-year attendance growth and fostering community engagement in 2018-2019.
- Managed events budgets, coordinated vendors for materials and logistics, and oversaw lead management. Ensured cost-effective marketing initiatives and efficient follow-up processes.
International Marketing Strategy Manager
Ancestry
- Spearheaded AncestryDNA's expansion into the US Hispanic market, achieving a 100% increase in new user acquisitions within the 1st quarter by implementing targeted marketing strategies and culturally tailored content.
- Optimized localization efforts for Spanish content, resulting in a 40% improvement in engagement rates and a 25% reduction in bounce rates on the Spanish-speaking market website within six months.
- Developed localized marketing campaigns across multiple channels for new Hispanic and Canadian markets, resulting in a 40% increase in AncestryDNA kit sales.
- Planned and executed go-to-market and marketing events. Managed campaign budgets and vendor relationships and coordinated lead management, contributing to a 45% increase in branded search volume within six weeks.
Marketing Strategy and Brand Ambassador of Launch Project
Oportun
- Conducted comprehensive local market research and leveraged insights to tailor marketing strategies, increasing brand awareness by 45%.
- Streamlined the sweepstakes program processes, reducing customer friction points by 50% and increasing participation rates by 40%, leading to a 25% improvement in overall customer satisfaction scores.
- Orchestrated grand opening events for 40 new stores within four months, managing signage, radio ads, and promotional materials, contributing to an average of 30% higher 1st-week sales than previous store openings.
- Planned and executed events, generating leads and enhancing brand awareness. Managed vendors for 40+ store openings in four months. Acted as the brand ambassador, promoting Oportun's values in all field marketing activities.
Multichannel Sales and Product Expansion Marketing Expert
Evernote
- Spearheaded Evernote Business' expansion into Latin America, implementing a comprehensive localization strategy that increased regional user acquisition by 150% within the 1st year.
- Developed and implemented a targeted search engine optimization (SEO) strategy for the Spanish language Evernote Business website, increasing organic traffic by 70% and conversion rates by 45% for Latin American markets within six months.
- Led cross-functional initiatives to enhance product offerings, including developing a streamlined deployment process and influencing the product roadmap, contributing to a 35% increase in enterprise customer satisfaction scores.
- Managed lead follow-up for all marketing initiatives in the Americas.
Engine Program and Account Manager
Rolls-Royce Engine Services
- Supported the Rolls-Royce continuous improvement program by leading a yellow belt Six Sigma project (Component Repair Staff Co-location), the framework of which was implemented and blueprinted by the plant.
- Led a Kaizen Asset Management project to identify and catalog over $5 million in unaccounted inventory, utilizing new part availability to open warehouse space and reduce part-sourcing person-hours.
- Resolved over 100,000 component repairs "aged work-in-progress" within two months, improving profit plant-wide.
Project History
AI Buddy | English Tutor App for Kids—Curriculum and Product Localization
Spearheaded the localization of English curricula, marketing assets, and campaigns into Spanish, acquiring 10,000 new users in the first quarter and exceeding projections by 25%.
I collaborated with curriculum developers, UX designers, and engineers to create a cohesive, localized product. I transcreated educational content, ensuring lessons were linguistically accurate, culturally appropriate, and engaging for Latin American students. This included adapting examples, cultural references, and interactive elements to better suit the target audience.
We achieved a 20% higher engagement rate than the industry average for new product launches.
Adapting Ancestry's Genealogy Product Offerings for US Hispanic and Mexican Markets
Launched a culturally adapted version of Ancestry's genealogy product for US Hispanic and Mexican markets, resulting in a 40% increase in user acquisition from these demographics within the first six months of launch.
• Leveraging deep cultural knowledge to identify key adaptations needed.
• Conducting targeted market research with the Hispanic audience.
• Consulting with academic experts to refine genealogical approaches.
• Modifying the core product and bundled offerings to align with cultural preferences and audience needs.
• Developing culturally relevant marketing strategies.
• Enhancing customer support to serve Spanish-speaking users better.
The project included product redesign, marketing strategy overhaul, and customer service improvements, ensuring a holistic approach to market entry and optimizing user experience.
Multilingual Content Creation for Evernote Business Product
Developed English and Spanish content for Evernote Business product demos, deployment, and sales, resulting in 35% higher adoption in Spanish markets and 28% faster onboarding for enterprise clients.
• Crafting engaging product demonstrations in English and Spanish.
• Developing deployment session materials for smooth client onboarding.
• Creating a walkthrough video to support consultative sales efforts.
• Tailoring content to address the specific needs of enterprise clients.
• Ensuring cultural relevance and linguistic accuracy in all Spanish materials.
The project involved close collaboration with product, sales, and customer success teams to ensure content alignment with business goals and client needs. This comprehensive approach significantly enhanced the product's appeal in Spanish-speaking markets and streamlined the adoption process for new enterprise users.
Education
Bachelor's Degree in International Commerce
Alejandro de Humboldt University - Caracas, Venezuela
Associate's Degree in Customs Administration
Simon Bolivar University - Sartenejas, Venezuela
Certifications
Women's Entrepreneurship Certificate
Cornell University
User Experience Design
BrainStation
Advanced Project Management
Stanford University
Skills
Core
Marketing, Go-to-market Strategy, Content Strategy, Content Marketing Strategy, Email Marketing, Digital Marketing, Product Marketing, Marketing Campaigns, Market Research & Analysis, Marketing Strategy, Content Creation, Content Marketing, SEO Content, Brand Strategy, SEO Keyword Research, Writing & Editing, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Social Media Content, Social Media, Social Media Management, Email Marketing Automation, Landing Pages, Marketing Technology (MarTech), Marketing Budget Management, Marketing Leadership, Marketing Research & Analysis, Branding, Account-based Marketing (ABM), Copywriting, B2C Marketing, Brand Marketing, Channel Strategy, Public Relations (PR), Social Media Marketing (SMM), Influencer Marketing, Sales
Platforms & Tools
Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, HubSpot Marketing Hub, Content Management Systems (CMS), Google Analytics 4, Marketo
Business Models
SaaS Product Marketing, Business to Business (B2B), B2B, B2C
Technical
HTML, CSS
Other
Salesforce, Figma, User Testing, Trello, UX Research, Patient Experience Research, Clinical Trials, Product Localization, Event Management, Creative Strategy, Market Fit, Project Management, Product Internationalization, Planning, Customer Research, SaaS Sales, Marketing Localization, Communication, Human-computer Interaction (HCI), Journey Mapping, Wireframing, User Interviews, Project Scoping, Organizational Change Management (OCM), Holistic Project Management, Leadership, Cross-functional Collaboration, Cross-cultural Communication, Cross-cultural Product Adaptation, Strategic Planning, Stakeholder Management, Business Strategy, Content Localization, Consultative Sales, Video Production, Creative Design, Web Content, Copy Editing, Video Scripts, Localization, Localization Marketing, Content Writing, Launch Strategy, Go-to-market Plans, Thought Leadership, Spanish, Article Writing, Event Marketing, Event Planning, Events, Budget Management, Luma, Presentations, Technical Writing, Pitch Decks, Technical Proposals, Content Management, WordPress, Audience Segmentation, Email Marketing Strategy, Competitor Analysis & Profiling, Startups, User Feedback, Platform Testing, SurveyMonkey, Customer Journeys, Focus Groups, Survey Development & Analysis, User Journeys, Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI), Marketing Management, Customer Experience, Innovation, Campaigns, Program Management, Startup Marketing, Market Research, Storytelling, Growth Marketing, B2B Marketing, Epsilon, NVivo, International Trade, Education, Legal & Financial Acumen, UX Design, Business Administration, Customer Support, Video Editing, Partnerships, Statistics, Project Budget Management, Technical Documentation, Process Improvement, Data Analysis, Relationship Building, Sales & CRM Platforms, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Google Keyword Planner
How to Work with Toptal
Toptal matches you directly with global industry experts from our network in hours—not weeks or months.
Share your needs
Choose your talent
Start your risk-free talent trial
Top talent is in high demand.
Start hiring