Dennis Bailen

About Dennis

Dennis is known as a “Marketing First Responder” for industrial manufacturing, engineering, construction and other b2b businesses that are very early in their strategic marketing journey. Client companies are typically experiencing unsatisfactory growth and have been sales and or operations driven supported by tactical, sporadic marketing activity.  Dennis has been very effective helping such companies identify and prioritize growth opportunities and build and align strategic marketing programs, processes, resources and metrics with sales initiatives and operational capabilities. A seasoned marketing executive in client and agency environments, he has developed successful strategies and programs in aerospace, electronics, automotive, construction, and industrial manufacturing.

How Dennis has Helped Businesses Grow

• Successful new product introduction for Scotts Miracle Gro in multinational launch.
• Increased sales for residential and light commercial construction company 200% in 5-year period at Windward Builders. Developed an integrated operations and brand strategy codifying, "productizing" and packaging the project management and customer care processes. Hired as company COO and led the company for 8 years.
• Repositioned Pep Boys with introduction of service bays to expand offering and customer base beyond DI segment. Updated and reformatted all marketing communications for 140 store retail chain.
• Led the strategy to reposition Royal Engineered Composites to become one of fastest growing companies in state of Nebraska. Developed a new name, logo, website, continuity of contact program, trade show strategy and social media program.
• As agency executive, developed growth strategies for wide range of regional, national and international companies including McDonalds, Fleet Bank, Nabisco, Morse Shoe and more.

Client Resources

• Why Manufacturers Need Socrates for Growth in H2 2022
• Manufacturers, Would a Marketing First Responder Help You Resuscitate Growth?
• Road Map the Customer Experience to Align Sales and Operations
• How to Brand the Service Component of your Business
• Branded Service Processes Create Value and Profits for these Companies

Client Case Studies

• Precision Work, Inc. - Integrated Marketing Strategy Boosts Excitement, Momentum and Control
• Steffes - Defining Manufacturer’s Brand to Expand into New Markets

Executive Experience

• VP, CMO, Pep Boys
• COO & CMO, Windward Builders
• CMO, Century Fasteners & Pumps
• VP, CMO, Kobacker Corporation
• VP, CMO, Thom McAn Footwear Division, Melville Corporation
• SVP, Strategic Services, Arnold Communications

Clients Served

• Campus Cooks (Food & Beverages)
• Priority Sign (Marketing and Advertising)
• Precision Work, Inc. (Wholesale Distribution)
• Seura (Consumer Electronics)
• Perkinson Homes, Inc. (Construction)
• Steffes Corporation (Metal Fabrication and Manufacturing)
• Cloverdale Foods (Food Production)
• Western Falcon Energy Services (Oil & Energy)
• Luminii (Lighting Design) - a Riverside Portfolio Company
• Boehm Pressed Steel, Inc. (Mining & Metals)
• Sweeney Controls (Engineering)
• Azione (Industry Association Board)
• Movoto (Online Real Estate)
• Hansen Plastics
• Manifest (Marketing and Advertising)
• Fieldpiece Instruments (Construction)
• Akers Packaging Service (Packaging and Containers)
• Paradigm Windows - Capital Works (Building Materials)
• ESSCO - a Capital Works Portfolio Company
• Total Commerce Solutions (ESSCO repositioned) - a Capital Works Portfolio Company
• Green Cubes Technology - a JMC Portfolio Company
• Functional Devices Inc - a Shorehill Capital Portfolio Company
• Gilman Cheese
• Albany - an Aterian Portfolio Company

Testimonials

“I really found it refreshing working with Chief Outsiders. Dennis devoted his time to us and it was real work. He wasn’t just saying do this, do that…we made him turn the wrench, hand-in-hand with our staff. He’s very professional and not afraid to speak up. He looked at everything from a marketing perspective and we’re still working with that internally. He played the role of CMO very well while he was here helping us identify our brand. He’s very committed and has very good communication skills. He dedicated the time and was always available.""It felt like he was one of the management team. When we hired people in the marketing field, they grew probably ten times faster by working with Dennis and Chief Outsiders than they would have just being here at Steffes. If you had a specific project, they could bring real value back to you and help your marketing people look at it another way. If you don’t have a marketing department, they’re great to help educate and find the areas that you may be struggling in.”

Joe Rothschiller, President, Steffes Corp.

“Chief Outsiders offers a strategic level of marketing which is absolutely outstanding. They get people to focus on where they are going with marketing. Dennis is part of that and really good at it. Through the process we learned more about business-to-business branding.”

Tom Schneider, VP Sales and Marketing, Steffes Corp.

"Bottom line, working with Dennis and Chief Outsiders has reinvigorated our entire company. We’re getting a tremendous amount of value from what they bring to the table. Employees see where we are going and they are excited. It’s been contagious to everyone here. At our second meeting, Dennis came with ideas, potential brochures, and a new logo. I’ve never seen someone so prepared. Now we have a marketing direction with a program that’s measureable.”

Jeff Plotka, Owner and CEO Precision Work, Inc.

Download Dennis's Resume Here