Senior Marketing Consultant to Build & Scale Organic Mattress Brand (All Channels) - Contract to Hire

We are a factory-direct mattress manufacturer that has recently launched a new organic mattress line and website. We’ve seen promising early sales on Amazon, and now we want to build a robust, long-term direct-to-consumer brand and sales engine. We are very good at designing and manufacturing mattresses. We are not marketing experts, and we don’t have time to guess our way through it. We’re looking for a senior marketing professional who can: Look at the business from the top down Decide what needs to happen first, second, and third Use any and every relevant channel (digital, content, paid media, partnerships, etc.) Help us turn early traction into a systematic, scalable customer acquisition and brand-building machine This is a strategy + leadership + light execution/coordination role. You don’t have to personally do every tactical task, but you must own the plan and guide the ship. What We Know We Need Immediately Right now, most of our content and visuals are AI-generated. Our first tangible priority is to: Plan and execute real lifestyle photo and video shoots for the brand Define what scenes, props, models, rooms, and angles we need Ensure the resulting assets can be used across website, Amazon, ads, social media, email, and PR You will be the one to define the creative direction and turn our photo/video shoots into a consistent visual brand. Role Overview You will act as a fractional Head of Marketing / Marketing Lead, responsible for: Understanding our business, margins, and goals Prioritizing which channels and initiatives to tackle first Creating a practical growth roadmap (3, 6, 12 months) Guiding (and sometimes managing) the people and resources needed to execute You are not walking into a mature marketing operation. You are helping build it from the ground up. Key Responsibilities 1. Business & Market Assessment Review our: Website Amazon presence Current messaging, pricing, and positioning Understand: Our products and unique advantages (factory-direct, organic, etc.) Target customer profiles (who buys, why they buy, what alternatives they consider) Competitive landscape (other mattress brands, organic/natural players) From this, define: Clear positioning (how we stand out) Initial growth hypothesis (which channels and plays are likely to work first) 2. Brand & Messaging Foundation Develop: Brand narrative: Who we are, why we exist, what we stand for Key messages: Why choose our mattresses vs. competitors Tone of voice and communication guidelines Ensure our website, Amazon listings, and future campaigns all align with this foundation. Goal: Anyone seeing us for the first time understands who we are, what we offer, and why they should care within seconds. 3. Visual & Creative Direction (Immediate Focus) Define the creative direction for: Lifestyle photos (bedrooms, families, couples, minimal setups, etc.) Product detail shots (materials, stitching, layers, “inside the mattress”) Video content (brand story, product explainers, testimonials, behind the scenes at the factory) Create clear shot lists and briefs for photo/video shoots, including: Types of rooms and decor styles Demographics and look of models (if needed) Angles, compositions, and “must-have” hero images Short-form video concepts (ads, social clips, reels/shorts) Help us decide: What we can shoot in-house / locally What should be outsourced (photographer, videographer, editor, etc.) You don’t need to be a photographer yourself, but you must know what kind of assets a strong DTC brand needs and how to brief the people who produce them. 4. Channel Strategy & Prioritization (All Channels on the Table) Rather than starting from any single channel (SEO, ads, etc.), you will: Identify and prioritize channels based on: Effort vs. impact Speed to test Fit for our product and price point Potential channels and initiatives include (you will choose the right mix and sequence): Owned & Earned Channels Website optimization (copy, structure, conversion) Content (education: sleep health, materials, “organic”/non-toxic topics) Email/SMS marketing (welcome flows, abandoned cart, post-purchase, education) Organic social media (brand-building, social proof, content repurposing) Reviews and testimonials (website, Amazon, third-party platforms) PR and partnerships (bloggers, influencers, sleep/health experts, local partnerships) Paid/Performance Channels Paid search (Google Ads) Paid social (Meta, YouTube, potentially TikTok) Retargeting/remarketing strategies Amazon ad and listing optimization (if part of the growth plan) Your job is to recommend the right sequence. For example: Fix brand messaging and visuals Improve key website pages and product pages Build a basic email funnel Launch small-scale tests on 1–2 paid channels Scale what works, cut what doesn’t, and keep layering on channels over time 5. Execution Oversight & Resource Coordination Create a practical roadmap broken down into: Quick wins (0–4 weeks) Core foundation (1–3 months) Scaling and optimization (3–12 months) Help us: Identify which tasks you will handle directly Identify which tasks require additional freelancers/specialists (media buyer, copywriter, designer, etc.) Write scopes/briefs for other freelancers as needed Coordinate and oversee implementation to keep things moving and aligned with the strategy. 6. Measurement, Reporting & Continuous Improvement Help set up or refine basic tracking and analytics (we’re okay if you guide this, you don’t need to be a hardcore data engineer). Define key business metrics: Traffic Conversion rates CAC (customer acquisition cost) ROAS/ROI Repeat purchase behavior, etc. Provide regular, plain-English reports: What we tried What worked / what didn’t What we’re doing next and why Ideal Candidate We’re looking for someone who: Has significant experience in marketing and growth for consumer brands, ideally: DTC / e-commerce Home goods, furniture, bedding, sleep, or wellness (nice to have, not required) Is comfortable acting as a fractional Head of Marketing / CMO-level thinker for a smaller company. Has a strong grasp of multiple channels (not just one specialty), such as: Website optimization & conversion Content and storytelling Paid acquisition (search/social) Email/SMS and retention Brand-building and creative direction Has experience working with founder-led companies that: Are strong operationally (product/manufacturing) Need guidance on marketing priorities and sequencing Communicates clearly, sets realistic expectations, and can explain the “why” behind recommendations. Is comfortable starting from a lean, real-world environment (no big in-house marketing team yet, we will hire around your plan as we grow). Engagement & Scope We are flexible on structure, but a realistic path might look like: Phase 1 – Discovery & Strategic Plan (First 4–6 Weeks) Business/market review Brand and messaging foundation Creative direction + photo/video shoot plan Channel prioritization and 3–6 month roadmap Phase 2 – Build & Launch (Next 2–4 Months) Oversee photo/video execution and asset rollout Implement website and funnel improvements Launch initial campaigns on selected channels Set up basic reporting structure Phase 3 – Optimize & Scale (Ongoing) Iterate on what’s working Explore new channels or partnerships Support hiring/coordination of additional specialists as needed We are open to: Hourly (with expected hours per week) Or a fixed-fee package for Phase 1 plus hourly/retainer for ongoing work Please outline your preferred model in your proposal. What We Provide A quality product with real differentiation (factory-direct, organic-focused mattresses). A new website ready for refinement and optimization. Initial traction on Amazon and the operational capacity to fulfill demand. Founders who: Understand we need expert guidance Are ready to invest in proper marketing foundations Can make decisions quickly and implement changes Please provide: Your proposed engagement structure and rate (hourly or project-based for Phase 1). Apply tot his job