Fractional Content Marketing & GTM Communications
PTO EXCHANGE (BNFT)
The Company
PTO Exchange is a seed-stage benefits platform based in Woodinville, WA that turns unused paid time off into liquid assets employees can convert into things they actually value: retirement contributions, student loan repayment, travel rewards, charitable giving, and more.
The Problem
PTO Exchange had a strong product and a clear value proposition, but competing priorities and a lean marketing team meant their content and social channels had gone quiet. The silence was costing them. Without consistent presence, the brand was losing ground in a category it helped define, and the gap between what PTO Exchange offered and what the market understood about them was widening.
At the same time, a major product milestone was on the horizon: the launch of a mobile app extension of their benefits platform. The launch carried dual stakes, driving near-universal adoption across the existing customer base while using the moment to accelerate new demand and pipeline growth.
They needed more than content. They needed a communications infrastructure capable of doing both.
What I Led
Brand Narrative Development
Conducted a full audit of content and social channels to identify messaging gaps and opportunities to better align with customer pain points and product value
Developed a narrative that sharpened PTO Exchange's positioning and clearly communicated its value proposition to HR and benefits decision-makers
Created messaging frameworks and talking points for executive thought leadership and conference appearances to position the CEO as a category voice in the HR and benefits space
Content Engine
Built and managed a full-funnel content engine, including SEO-driven blog content and lead-gen assets informed by search intent and customer trends
Produced paid and organic social content tailored to HR audiences across LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter
Developed sales enablement and customer success materials to align internal teams around consistent messaging
Trained employees on advocacy, social selling, and brand amplification to extend reach beyond owned channels
Supported partner marketing with guest content that reinforced product differentiation
App Launch
Developed product messaging architecture to articulate the app's role within the broader platform ecosystem
Designed the launch communications strategy across paid, owned, earned, and partner channels
Built customer-facing communications supporting onboarding, activation, and sustained usage
Produced sales enablement materials and trained cross-functional stakeholders on message consistency and brand amplification to ensure cohesive execution across every touchpoint
Results
The work compounded across both the ongoing program and the launch:
90% mobile app adoption within the existing customer base, achieved within 30 days
30% increase in product adoption and 90% increase in user engagement
30% increase in MQLs and conversions, surpassing targets by 25%
200% increase in social audience and engagement
185% increase in blog production year over year
60+ thought leadership placements in top-tier HR publications, including TLNT and HR Benefits Pro
10+ page-one SEO rankings driving sustained inbound interest
“When we hired Alexa, we were just trying to get our socials and PR to work more efficiently together. Being a startup company and having contracts with companies and individuals to support your marketing initiatives can sometime go terribly wrong. Alexa brought her experience with a very collaborative and solutions-oriented approach to all the other stakeholders and has been instrumental in getting our company’s message out. She has helped us get back in front as the thought leader in the category that we created. She has spent time making sure we don’t send out mixed messages and doubled our social engagement within ninety days. Alexa has always been available to answer questions or just jump in and help. The professionalism she has in her work shows through in her client’s marketing and social media campaigns.”
