Meet Our People: Alyssa, Marketing Communications Specialist

Welcome to the latest installment of our “Meet Our People” series, where we spotlight the talented individuals who drive Zuken’s success. Today, we are thrilled to introduce Alyssa Maurer, our Marketing Communications Specialist.

With her extensive marketing experience and keen eye for detail, Alyssa has significantly enhanced Zuken’s social media presence and played a crucial role in preparing for our most significant event of the year, Zuken Innovation World Americas (ZIW) 2024. In this blog, we’ll explore Alyssa’s unique career path, her role here at Zuken, and her personal interests that keep her busy when she’s off the clock.

From Dance Floors to Digital Platforms

My path to Zuken was utterly unexpected and not typical for one desiring to work in marketing. In 2016, I graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor of Science and aspirations to further my education by getting my doctoral degree in physical therapy. My passion for dance, cultivated from childhood through my collegiate career, naturally led me to focus my studies on physical therapy and rehabilitation, as I was a frequent flyer at the nearby PT clinic.

While in school, I worked for a student housing development company, Landmark Properties, as a Community Ambassador, aiding in on-site marketing events and managing social platforms for the community. What started as a fun and creative part-time job quickly evolved into a career, leading to a full-time position as a Leasing and Marketing Manager in Mississippi. This role marked the official shift in my career path from physical therapy to marketing, and I have never looked back. My tenure with Landmark was followed by other positions that provided occasions to sharpen my skillset, so when the opportunity at Zuken arose, I eagerly joined the team, drawn by its collaborative and innovative spirit. Nearly a year after joining the Zuken USA Marketing team, I am still so grateful for the opportunity to work with such a talented and supportive group of people.

Crafting Compelling Communications

As the Marketing Communications Specialist, I oversee all of Zuken USA’s social media channels. This includes content and graphic creation, scheduling posts, conducting research, and analyzing performance metrics. Beyond social media, I coordinate the planning and logistics for external trade shows and internal events such as the annual Sales Kick-Off (SKO) meeting and Zuken Innovation World Americas (ZIW). Although my role is commonly thought of as being a social media “influencer” and ordering fun giveaways for events, a large portion of my day involves a lot of strategic thinking to enhance social presence and engagement in a digitally dominated world.

The Dream Team

Do you know that feeling when your teacher assigns you a group project, and you get paired with the smartest kid in the class? That’s the feeling I get every day working with my incredible team. Small but mighty, our marketing team of 5 individuals comprises a diverse range of talents that perfectly complement each other. The collaborative spirit and unwavering support within the team have not only fueled my professional growth but have also fostered deeper personal connections.

Balancing Creativity and Strategy

My daily “to-do’s” change as frequently as TikTok trends these days, always keeping me on my toes and my creative cap close by. Typically, my days start with a large cup of coffee because, well…#adulting. Once caffeinated, I dive into our social analytic tools to see how our content is trending. Flexibility is vital in my role, as I continuously adapt strategies based on engagement metrics. I love to see what people say about us online, and I usually jump right into the conversation. From social, I typically pivot to monitoring upcoming events and determining necessary actions to stay on time with preparations. Sometimes, this includes managing purchase orders and handling invoices related to the annual department budget. Other times I’m creating fun holographic stickers for our team to hand out during an upcoming trade show. My job is fun.

A Project to Remember

Today, I’m completely immersed in preparing for Zuken Innovation World Americas (ZIW) 2024, which will take place in Cleveland, Ohio. Our highlight event of the year, this conference brings together the brightest minds in PCB, Wire Harness, and Digital Engineering for three days of innovation and networking. Preparing for such a large-scale event is a complex and lengthy process, involving meticulous planning and coordination months in advance. Despite the hard work and long hours, I am eagerly anticipating when our team can celebrate together at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Life Beyond the Office

I never really wanted to travel outside of the United States until my husband and I were told we were moving to Germany for his job. Initially, I went kicking and screaming, but I quickly realized the unique opportunity I was given that most people would love to have. We lived there from 2019 to 2022, traveling to 13 countries together, which could have been more had it not been for COVID. Living abroad during a global pandemic was tricky, with most of our time learning about border restrictions and heavily relying on travel insurance. It was hard to leave the beautiful lifestyle of Europe after having lived there for so long, but we were happy to be closer to family. Our love for travel continued after we moved, so we constantly look for new places to explore in the continental US.

Traveling these days looks slightly different than it did a few years ago. Recently, my husband and I welcomed our son, Luca, who is the cutest piece of extra baggage we could have hoped for. We’re only three months into our parenthood journey, but so far, we’ve been able to travel to two states with a baby and our 7-year-old German Shepherd, Koda, without major catastrophe.

When we’re not traveling, you can often find us relaxing with a glass of wine after a day of hiking or enjoying some quality time with friends & family.

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Stay tuned for more inspiring stories about our talented team members as we continue to introduce you to the people behind Zuken’s success.

#MeetOurPeople #GetToKnowZuken #MarketingMagic