All posts by Robert Payne

Multichannel marketing and communications professional with a proven ability to deliver award-winning campaigns that inspire action from difficult to reach and discerning audiences. • I’ve exceeded benchmarks time and again across programmatic and social media buys. • Empowered sales teams with tightly integrated lead funnels and lifecycle management solutions leveraging Salesforce.com. • Know how to craft a compelling narrative and have won over a dozen video production awards in the past 5 years. • Served on both the interactive agency and client side, and I am a highly capable sparring partner for any marketing professional whether B2B or B2C. Most recently, I helped the Georgia Department of Economic Development attract new business both domestically and in 12 strategic markets around the globe. In the 7 years I ran Georgia’s global marketing efforts, we were selected as the #1 State for Business by Site Selection magazine, and its database of site consultants, for an unprecedented 7 years in a row. Jobs and investment grew steadily YOY due to a healthy pipeline of prospects. In addition, the Department’s commitment to marketing over that same period of time grew more than 300% because the ROI was clear and measurable. I also managed a team of 5 and 4 agency relationships for interactive, pr, traditional and video production. My online marketing career started with the direction of email marketing and web campaigns for Mandalay Resort Group, resulting in several awards for creative execution and exceptional return on investment. This caught the attention of the interactive marketing company, Twelve Horses where I directed their corporate marketing, advertising, and public relations efforts, as well as provided strategic consulting for travel/tourism clients such as Park City, Heavenly Mountain Resort, and America’s Adventure Place. Leveraging my experience with media and multi-channel marketing technology, I went on to lead the marketing and branding initiatives for SAXOTECH (now NEWSCYCLE), a global provider of content management platforms, circulation systems and advertising solutions for the media industry. I’ve worked in sales, marketing, advertising and public relations for a variety of other companies, including Switchback PR & Marketing, Stoel Rives LLP, Preferred Capital Corporation and Patagonia. I have an MBA with a specialization in Marketing and a BA from Clemson University. Side hustle: My photography has appeared in countless ads, brochures, and marketing campaigns.
Musings

Photography

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Despite being a father and a working professional, I still enjoy playing around with photography when I can.

I took a recent course at Piedmont Park focused on lighting. Plenty of factors to consider, much of it requiring more gear than I care to sport around. But if you want to expand your knowledge and live in and around Atlanta, check out Mike Moreland. He brings the models and the gear, and you’ll certainly learn a few tricks. The true art though – in my humble opinion – is directing the model in the context of the scene.

Yes, I got these:

But I actually like this one – no light and off the cuff.

Rock

I can’t pretend to know for sure, but for me it encapsulates what I think many black men, especially in Ferguson, feel about the world around them. Want to get a greater appreciation? Hit the new Center for Civil and Human Rights in downtown Atlanta. We’ve come a long way, but there is still work to be done.

Professional

Web Dev

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Recently launched two new web projects in recent weeks.

Newsroom Georgia Department of Economic Development
Newsroom
When I came into economic development for the state of Georgia, one of the first projects I worked on was in conjunction with Harris Interactive. We surveyed a number of companies and site consultants to determine what the primary factors were for relocating or expanding a company. A number of outputs helped inform some crucial changes to our web initiatives, but it also allowed me to take a step back and look at how we publish news. It became clear that it was disparate.

Commerce was in one web property while Tourism or Film were siloed in their own web properties. It did not provide a holistic view of all that was happening in the state whether from a manufacturing or say a lifestyle perspective. In addition, I have also always been a fan of the saying, no single mode of communication is 100% effective.

Therefore, I sought about creating a new newsroom that integrated all departments and content types under one roof. I hope to build in further business logic, but for now the tag based architecture of the site along with utilization of xml bring a better experience to all that is happening.

国际化业务 中国 Georgia Department of Economic Development
International Lead Generation
It is one thing to translate web copy into different international languages, but it is another to recognize the IP address a of website visitor and then customize the on-site experience. That is exactly was Get Smart Content allows for when an international visitor, for example, comes to our site. You may ask, well, what if a Japanese person enters the website while they are in the United States? Good question. That is what the language flags are for on the homepage.

I hope to keep building out this solution, but for now I have 11 international pages that use Get Smart and integrate with Salesforce.com.

Cool stuff coming that uses ESRI and ArcGIS. Just have to keep drinking my Google juice.

Professional

Georgia’s Film Industry

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In the past 2 years I have produced dozens of videos dealing with aerospace, agribusiness, manufacturing, life sciences and international trade. Some have even won video awards. But it has been a real pleasure working on this one for Georgia’s film industry. Tax incentives can be a hot topic, but in my opinion this one so clearly demonstrates the positive impact they can provide.

Film Industry Video from Robert Payne on Vimeo.

A few takeaways:

The crew at Devious Maids were very accommodating and helped to capture much of the b-roll. The part with Brigid Capelletti was not planned, but while she was handling lighting we struck up a conversation. Beneath the Carhartts and big knife on her side she proved to be an articulate and intelligent woman. I asked her if she would mind speaking on camera. She agreed but needed to check with her boss. Her boss admitted her to the makeup truck and she came back looking like a completely different person.

The Lifecycle Center is an amazing example of recycling. Now I know where to go to get Italian slate, wooden blinds, door knobs, mantels and much more for cheap prices.

John Raulet probably knows the location of more abandoned warehouses in Southwest Atlanta than anyone else. What he has done with one is what entrepreneurship is all about.

I’ve always thought of Atlantic Station as a shopping center. Now I know there are dozens of talented illustrators and animators creating fictitious characters just above the street.

After the interview at Cofer Brothers I’ll never look at a small Georgia town in the same light again – there is always so much more than meets the eye.

Musings

Family

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Wow, I’m 40. Chased a few dreams, found one or two. But nothing compares to my wife and two boys. Houston will soon be 6, and Heyward is approaching 6 months. They all recently joined me on the trail for a great 10 mile hike. My birthday wish is for more time by the fire as we share a common respect for the world around us and plans for the next adventure.