Cover Story: The Top Women in Cross-Channel Retailing

Susan Lyne, chairman,
 Gilt Groupe
Susan Lyne is chairman of Gilt Groupe, an invitation-only shopping site that offers a curated selection of merchandise at discounted prices via flash sales. Lyne joined Gilt Groupe as CEO in September 2008, less than a year after the company's launch as a women's apparel and accessories brand. Today Gilt Groupe has over 3 million members, 500 employees and operates six business lines in the U.S., as well as being the leading flash-sale site in Japan. Susan assumed the role of chairman in September 2010. Prior to joining Gilt Groupe, Lyne was president and CEO of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, where she steered the company's recovery and return to profitability, led by a three-fold increase in advertising revenue and the diversification of its merchandising business.
* Tip: Pay attention to mobile apps. They're creating a whole new shopping channel — the-five-
minutes-before-your-next-
appointment channel.

Cindy Marshall, chief marketing officer, Performance Bicycle
Cindy Marshall is chief marketing officer of Performance Bicycle, a $250 million cross-channel retailer. Marshall has over 25 years of traditional cross-channel direct marketing experience. Most recently, Marshall was president of Pace Communication's e-commerce division, and head of marketing, e-commerce and brand for The Vermont Country Store, where she was responsible for driving cross-channel sales and profits. Marshall's background includes senior-level positions at Ross-Simons, eZiba.com, L.L.Bean, Appleseeds, J. Jill and The Walking Magazine. Marshall is currently the vice president of NEMOA.
* Tip: Treat your customers as boss. Learn everything about them in order to deliver a relevant and engaging brand-building experience. Don't treat everyone equally.

Margaret Moraskie, senior vice president of marketing, 
Boston Proper
Margaret Moraskie is the senior vice president of marketing for Boston Proper, a cross-channel retailer of high-end women's apparel and accessories. With over 20 years of retailing experience, 15 of which have been spent at Boston Proper, Moraskie is responsible for delivering the brand, image, message and vision of the company. Focused on strategic solutions, Moraskie oversees Boston Proper's e-commerce, public relations, circulation, catalog and social media efforts. Leading the company's online efforts since 1999, Moraskie has grown sales of that channel to 70 percent of total company sales.
* Tip: Succeeding in cross-channel retailing takes four things: great merchandise, staying true to your brand at all times and a clear vision of the customer. And, of course, teamwork!

Hope Neiman, chief marketing officer, ShoeDazzle
Hope Neiman is the chief marketing officer for ShoeDazzle, an online styling service and social commerce site. Neiman oversees multiple teams, including marketing, business development, public relations, creative and consumer experience. Prior to joining ShoeDazzle, Neiman served as vice president of online and e-commerce for Beachbody, where she oversaw consumer-facing online initiatives. With more than 20 years of executive-level consumer marketing experience, Neiman has built and expanded a variety of well-known consumer brands online, including P90X, Disney and Right Start.
* Tip: Speak with one brand voice. While disparate teams may work on different initiatives, each needs a singular understanding of what your brand is. It's the only way to garner the trust of consumers across channels.

Audrey Nizen, senior vice president of creative services, Bloomingdale's
Audrey Nizen is the senior vice president and creative director of marketing at Bloomingdale's, the iconic American department store. Nizen joined Bloomingdale's as senior vice president, creative director in 2003, and injected the brand's identity with a modern, tech-savvy and fashion-forward sensibility. Nizen began her marketing career as vice president at Sasson Jeans, helping to expand the brand's customer base from 3 million to 300 million. In 1983, Nizen joined Macy's as broadcast director, where she was ultimately promoted to group vice president and creative/marketing director.
* Tip: Hear the customer and keep it simple! To create a direct conversation, it's critical to tailor the story to its medium. The voice on Facebook is one voice, the email voice another, which is different from the viral video voice … on and on.