TRANSCRIPTION 🔗
WEBVTT
00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:03.120
Honestly, my mantra is nurture your network.
00:00:03.919 --> 00:00:04.639
Nurture it.
00:00:04.799 --> 00:00:08.960
And that, you know, you kind of get almost like a planty vibe with it, you know?
00:00:09.359 --> 00:00:12.960
You have to put time and you have to put effort into it.
00:00:13.439 --> 00:00:14.640
But it's people.
00:00:14.720 --> 00:00:14.880
Yeah.
00:00:15.119 --> 00:00:16.160
And people are important.
00:00:16.320 --> 00:00:17.600
And you are important.
00:00:22.960 --> 00:00:29.600
Everyone, welcome back for this next episode of Marketers Managing, the mini-series of the Marketers Barely Managing podcast.
00:00:29.760 --> 00:00:33.039
Of course, I'm your host, Rachel Moore, here at the Floor Content Marketing World.
00:00:33.200 --> 00:00:35.759
I am standing next to Amy Fair of Vontage.
00:00:35.920 --> 00:00:37.200
Amy, welcome to the podcast.
00:00:37.280 --> 00:00:38.240
Welcome to my microphones.
00:00:38.320 --> 00:00:39.679
Welcome to Content Marketing World.
00:00:39.920 --> 00:00:40.719
It's an honor.
00:00:40.880 --> 00:00:43.039
I'm so excited to be here, especially with you.
00:00:43.200 --> 00:00:44.159
I appreciate you so much.
00:00:44.240 --> 00:00:48.000
And I I love that you wanted to hop into my little podcast booth with me.
00:00:48.159 --> 00:00:50.079
But Amy, let's lay the groundwork here.
00:00:50.320 --> 00:00:52.560
Amy's a veteran of Content Marketing World.
00:00:52.719 --> 00:00:54.799
Amy, how many years have you been coming to this conference?
00:00:54.960 --> 00:00:57.280
This is my ache content marketing world.
00:00:57.439 --> 00:00:57.600
Yeah.
00:00:57.759 --> 00:00:57.920
Yeah.
00:00:58.079 --> 00:01:03.759
So she's been around and she's wearing orange, which uh really briefly, can you tell us what is orange?
00:01:03.840 --> 00:01:04.879
Why is that a thing here?
00:01:05.120 --> 00:01:08.799
Orange is the color of content marketing world.
00:01:09.120 --> 00:01:11.840
It is something that is kind of a legacy thing.
00:01:12.079 --> 00:01:16.319
Even in our Slack group, you do not use a red heart to react.
00:01:16.400 --> 00:01:18.480
You use an orange heart to react.
00:01:18.640 --> 00:01:21.519
So the more orange, the better here at Content Marketing World.
00:01:21.760 --> 00:01:25.760
So for those of you who are in that Slack, I think I might have put a red heart on the back.
00:01:25.840 --> 00:01:26.239
I dare you.
00:01:26.560 --> 00:01:26.799
I know.
00:01:26.879 --> 00:01:27.359
I'm sorry.
00:01:27.519 --> 00:01:29.120
I retract, I take it back.
00:01:29.280 --> 00:01:37.760
But Amy's obviously come here for years because there's meaning here, and I have a feeling we're gonna get into that here right now.
00:01:38.000 --> 00:01:44.640
Because why do you keep coming back to content marketing or what's the value that just keeps presenting itself every year for you?
00:01:45.359 --> 00:01:53.760
For me personally, yes, they have amazing speakers, and you learn so much, but it truly, for me personally, is the people.
00:01:54.239 --> 00:02:02.640
The community that the Content Marketing Institute has built as a part of this conference is insane in a good way.
00:02:02.719 --> 00:02:02.959
Yeah.
00:02:03.200 --> 00:02:06.400
Um you know, you see it in the Slack group throughout the year.
00:02:06.480 --> 00:02:07.920
It's not just a one-and-done thing.
00:02:08.000 --> 00:02:11.199
Yeah, it is like it seeps into your whole year.
00:02:11.520 --> 00:02:13.919
It's just a community, it's a great group of people.
00:02:14.080 --> 00:02:23.759
Everyone is so welcoming, so inclusive, and I love coming here and like being able to look at people in the eyeballs and give them big hugs around their necks.
00:02:23.919 --> 00:02:24.080
Yeah.
00:02:24.319 --> 00:02:27.360
So Amy is she's such a veteran of the conference here.
00:02:27.599 --> 00:02:31.680
She's on a panel, she was on a panel last night, we saw for first-time attendees.
00:02:31.840 --> 00:02:36.159
And Amy, you talked about something that I know I tell my kids this all the time.
00:02:36.240 --> 00:02:42.719
I've got a 20-year-old and an almost 18-year-old, and I emphasize this to them all the time because they're looking at a whole future, the whole career.
00:02:42.960 --> 00:02:44.159
The value of network.
00:02:44.319 --> 00:02:45.840
Yes, and professional networking.
00:02:46.000 --> 00:02:50.479
Can you talk to us a little bit about what your philosophy is and that why, you know, how important is that?
00:02:50.719 --> 00:02:54.080
So for me, networking is definitely a two-way street.
00:02:54.479 --> 00:03:10.719
And the reason that I say that is because in my experience, I have had situations where I heavily leaned into my network, and that's a uh vague way of me saying I lost my job and I needed people to help and support me.
00:03:10.800 --> 00:03:15.039
And I'm not saying I expected people to like give me a job, right?
00:03:15.360 --> 00:03:26.000
But at that time it was super hard, and I kind of went into it like I would get scared when everything went dark, when no one was reaching out.
00:03:26.159 --> 00:03:35.520
Right, there were no jobs, but I for me the key was if no one was giving me their time and their support, then that's I was like, that's rock bottom for me.
00:03:35.680 --> 00:03:38.479
Yeah, but I think that it goes both ways.
00:03:38.639 --> 00:03:44.560
I have to be willing to give that support when people reach out to me, ask for a 15-minute phone call.
00:03:44.719 --> 00:03:50.240
I literally had somebody from Content Marketing World reach out to me one day and said, Can you please get on a call for just 15 minutes?
00:03:50.400 --> 00:03:51.599
I'm having a breakdown.
00:03:51.840 --> 00:03:53.039
And I said, Absolutely.
00:03:53.439 --> 00:04:02.639
But it's so important for it to be a two-way street because I believe in karma and you give what you receive, and to me that's so important,
Load full transcript
especially in networking.
00:04:02.879 --> 00:04:03.599
That's so important.
00:04:03.840 --> 00:04:09.120
This is so funny too, because Anne Wynne, our mutual friend, was just on interview for the same miniseries as well.
00:04:09.280 --> 00:04:10.960
We talked about the give to get thing.
00:04:11.039 --> 00:04:15.039
She was talking about the collaborativeness that marketing professionals need to have.
00:04:15.280 --> 00:04:20.639
But you are so right too, the networking part where it's like none of us know.
00:04:21.120 --> 00:04:22.480
I mean, we wish we did, right?
00:04:22.560 --> 00:04:27.279
We wish there was some more certainty in this world that we would just like, oh, I know when I'm gonna need the power of a network.
00:04:27.439 --> 00:04:28.079
You don't know.
00:04:28.319 --> 00:04:34.160
That's why it's so important to build it in those moments and phases when things are going great for you.
00:04:34.639 --> 00:04:37.120
Keep that up, keep that networking muscle going.
00:04:37.279 --> 00:04:42.480
But you're saying too, it's like it's in those moments where you're like, because I love that you really got into the emotion of that.
00:04:42.639 --> 00:04:44.000
Because I think all of us can relate.
00:04:44.240 --> 00:04:44.399
Yes.
00:04:44.639 --> 00:04:55.279
Unfortunately, more of us now than a lot of people because there's a lot of uproar in the career area, the career space, and finding jobs, but you really talk about like that felt scary, right?
00:04:55.519 --> 00:05:01.600
It was scary, but I think also too, what like people going into the market or into college right now.
00:05:02.480 --> 00:05:06.639
I think there's also this hesitancy to use their parents' network.
00:05:06.720 --> 00:05:06.879
Yeah.
00:05:07.120 --> 00:05:08.879
They like, I want to do it myself.
00:05:09.120 --> 00:05:14.959
That's great if you can, but legit, I got my very first job through my dad.
00:05:15.120 --> 00:05:15.680
Yeah.
00:05:16.000 --> 00:05:18.959
My dad was my very first LinkedIn connection.
00:05:19.040 --> 00:05:19.439
Yeah.
00:05:19.680 --> 00:05:20.879
And I love him.
00:05:21.120 --> 00:05:25.279
And he's weird, and he, you know, he's a total boomer, and I hope he never sees this.
00:05:25.360 --> 00:05:27.199
To hear me saying that, upsetting you.
00:05:27.519 --> 00:05:34.079
But I think you have to use every resource that you have available, and if it's your parents, that's okay.
00:05:34.240 --> 00:05:35.040
Yeah, absolutely.
00:05:35.120 --> 00:05:35.360
Yeah.
00:05:35.519 --> 00:05:44.160
And again, my son finally, he's a junior in college, and he finally got his LinkedIn going and he said, Okay, mom, I'm going to a thing today, help me take a headshot.
00:05:44.240 --> 00:05:44.639
And it did.
00:05:44.720 --> 00:05:47.519
And so he's like, Okay, well, and I was like, Well, I'm gonna get you out of my network.
00:05:47.600 --> 00:05:48.399
And he's like, All right.
00:05:48.560 --> 00:05:51.920
But by that evening, he texted me back, said, So I have eight new connections.
00:05:52.000 --> 00:05:53.439
Your power is unmatched.
00:05:53.600 --> 00:05:57.199
I'm like, Well, I don't know that's true, but I'm glad you have that.
00:05:57.360 --> 00:06:02.000
And so, Amy, I want to ask you, like, let's talk about two different audiences here.
00:06:02.160 --> 00:06:07.279
Maybe there's people here at Content Marketing World and they're seeing this after, you know, we're gonna get you this video tomorrow.
00:06:07.360 --> 00:06:12.480
And they're like, Well, I'm here and you're talking about the power of network.
00:06:12.560 --> 00:06:14.399
I'm trying, but what should I be doing?
00:06:14.560 --> 00:06:16.800
Amy, do you have some advice for our listeners for that?
00:06:17.040 --> 00:06:17.360
I do.
00:06:17.519 --> 00:06:20.000
You have to put forth the effort to talk to people.
00:06:20.079 --> 00:06:21.920
Yeah, it's not always gonna work out.
00:06:22.160 --> 00:06:23.519
Some people might be busy.
00:06:23.680 --> 00:06:27.360
I'm literally looking at some people right now on their phones here in the expo hall.
00:06:27.759 --> 00:06:28.720
She can come get you too.
00:06:28.879 --> 00:06:34.800
I wish they would be, you know, eyes up talking to the people that are sitting at their tables, but that's part of it.
00:06:34.959 --> 00:06:35.120
Yeah.
00:06:35.360 --> 00:06:42.160
I think people here are pretty receptive to that, so you don't have to feel like you're gonna get like shot down.
00:06:42.319 --> 00:06:42.639
Yeah.
00:06:42.800 --> 00:06:45.279
But we highly encourage people to just talk to each other.
00:06:45.839 --> 00:06:47.680
You never know where you're gonna find a commonality.
00:06:47.839 --> 00:07:00.720
I literally was in line to talk to a speaker after a session, and this guy had he was from Ohio, so I looked at his badge, and he knew my husband's uncle in random Tip City, Ohio.
00:07:00.879 --> 00:07:01.279
Oh my god.
00:07:01.519 --> 00:07:09.680
So you never know what kind of commonalities or connection points you might have unless you just, you know, get out there and talk to people.
00:07:10.000 --> 00:07:10.959
That's so key.
00:07:11.120 --> 00:07:18.879
I mentioned earlier I actually recorded this uh people you can hear the marketers barely managing for next Monday, the normal episode, but I shot it here this morning.
00:07:19.040 --> 00:07:25.920
I mentioned how yesterday I was I went sleeveless and I had two, not one, but two people come up to me because of my tattoos.
00:07:26.319 --> 00:07:28.560
Because they had affinity with it or whatever.
00:07:28.800 --> 00:07:29.759
You just don't know.
00:07:29.839 --> 00:07:30.480
I love that too.
00:07:30.560 --> 00:07:33.199
And and you listen, we all wear these badges around this conference.
00:07:33.279 --> 00:07:37.360
It's giving us the people our name, the business, where we're from, which I think's great.
00:07:37.600 --> 00:07:38.800
Wait, and I'm gonna hold it up.
00:07:38.879 --> 00:07:40.160
We also have these awesome things.
00:07:40.240 --> 00:07:46.480
So I basically almost tried to make a skirt out of this, or you know, it's a really great loincloth, actually, if I needed that kind of thing.
00:07:46.720 --> 00:07:54.720
But so many of these little flags that you can put on your badge, which again lets people know oh, maybe you and I are first timers at the or we're of alumni.
00:07:54.879 --> 00:07:59.360
We've been here before, or I'm hiring there's one that there's a flag that's available.
00:07:59.600 --> 00:08:03.920
I also love too how these tables at lunch, I think they turn them into those common things.
00:08:05.120 --> 00:08:09.519
Yes, it's a great way for people to connect about not necessarily work stuff.
00:08:09.600 --> 00:08:13.920
I mean, they have the work stuff like the different industries, groups, and things like that.
00:08:14.160 --> 00:08:18.800
But it I mean, one year they had like a Swifty table, so all the Taylor Swift fans could get together.
00:08:18.959 --> 00:08:20.480
There's a bookworm table.
00:08:20.560 --> 00:08:23.040
Yeah, there's a mentoring table as well.
00:08:23.360 --> 00:08:26.560
So I feel like everyone can find their place here.
00:08:26.800 --> 00:08:27.120
Yeah.
00:08:27.600 --> 00:08:34.159
What now we know there, like we just mentioned, there's a lot of marketers out there who maybe between jobs.
00:08:34.320 --> 00:08:34.480
Yes.
00:08:34.720 --> 00:08:40.960
And maybe where you were, where you're like, yes, I got laid off, I got let go, I need to make money to make, you know, to eat, and things like that.
00:08:41.200 --> 00:08:48.879
And they're okay, what could they be doing to help with their network to say, okay, maybe they've been great at cultivating their network, maybe they're not.
00:08:49.039 --> 00:08:51.440
And now, but now they're in that moment, right?
00:08:51.519 --> 00:08:53.039
They're they need that network.
00:08:53.279 --> 00:08:55.120
Do you have any some guiding wisdom for them too?
00:08:55.200 --> 00:08:56.799
Like, what can be are you talking about here?
00:08:57.120 --> 00:09:00.960
Well, here or just in general, because I have a feeling there's a lot of folks out there looking for words.
00:09:01.120 --> 00:09:02.879
Yeah, so I actually talked about this.
00:09:03.039 --> 00:09:09.279
I did a speaking session in 2023 called How Marketers Market Themselves, nurturing your network.
00:09:09.679 --> 00:09:29.440
And I tried to give practical tips because there was another aspect to it though, that I think sometimes topics like this can be embarrassing or shameful, and people hesitate to talk about it, and not only the losing your job part, but even like folks who find themselves in toxic work environments, which I have found myself in.
00:09:29.600 --> 00:09:35.440
But I think it's important that we talk about it and we don't like shy away from the hard things.
00:09:35.519 --> 00:09:35.679
Yeah.
00:09:36.000 --> 00:09:38.159
You need your community in those moments.
00:09:38.240 --> 00:09:42.720
You absolutely need your community because it can get dark and it's scary.
00:09:42.960 --> 00:09:56.480
And so, you know, I would talk about the things about like the two-way street, making sure that you're not sitting in your cushy job, living your best life for you know, three years, and then all of a sudden you lose your job and expect all these people, you know, to come at you.
00:09:56.720 --> 00:09:57.039
That's right.
00:09:57.200 --> 00:10:01.279
But there's other things like you know, you just have to talk about it.
00:10:01.440 --> 00:10:08.000
Yeah, people need to know because they don't know if you're just sitting there like faking it till you make it, that's not gonna work.
00:10:08.240 --> 00:10:08.720
That's right.
00:10:08.960 --> 00:10:14.720
So if anyone's in a job search right now, I really truly believe that you have got to leverage your network.
00:10:14.879 --> 00:10:15.039
Yeah.
00:10:15.200 --> 00:10:21.759
I have only gotten one job in my whole career that I got like cold turkey on my own without knowing anyone at the company.
00:10:22.159 --> 00:10:28.240
And at the job I just got, I had two contacts within the company who helped me, you know, get in.
00:10:28.399 --> 00:10:29.919
Well, that could be the difference too.
00:10:30.080 --> 00:10:36.320
And I agree, like, I think there was a stretch in my career, like three jobs in a row, I got because of LinkedIn, literally just because of LinkedIn.
00:10:36.480 --> 00:10:42.960
Like, I either it was I saw someone I had worked for before, she posted a role, and I'm like, oh, do you mind if I apply?
00:10:43.039 --> 00:10:44.720
And she's like, Oh my god, come here, please do.
00:10:44.799 --> 00:10:45.440
Yeah, yeah.
00:10:45.519 --> 00:10:58.159
And so, and I would say too, like, even if you think I posted this on LinkedIn the other day, it was a tweet that I saw where someone said, if you think that the four people watching you isn't a lot, imagine four people watching you parallel park.
00:10:58.240 --> 00:10:59.279
Yeah, it's a lot.
00:10:59.440 --> 00:11:07.360
And I say that too, and it, yeah, I mean it's funny, but then you're like, well, if only four people are seeing my post that hey, I'm looking for my next gig.
00:11:07.679 --> 00:11:17.279
And I it's so sad too, because we can see in the feeds as well these days, people are hitting some desperate points where like sometimes they're out of work for months and stuff, but I think we come back to the give to get.
00:11:17.440 --> 00:11:23.519
Even if you're looking for work as well, but if you have a contact that person can be helped by, help them.
00:11:23.759 --> 00:11:26.720
You know, and that like you said, karma will come back.
00:11:26.879 --> 00:11:27.840
There is something to that.
00:11:28.159 --> 00:11:50.320
And I think the uh with all of the AI stuff as part of that hiring and recruiting process too, the human element
is so critical because there's one side of it where you just you know throw over your AI generated and you know, tweaked resume into the infinite abyss of the ATS that's gonna just immediately kick it out.
00:11:50.879 --> 00:12:06.159
Or you can send in your resume and ping somebody inside the company that you know and you've you're like legit connected with and say, Hey, I just applied for this job, can you please flag it with the HR team or the hiring manager?
00:12:06.399 --> 00:12:12.639
Because that is what's because ATS is they will just kick you out for the weirdest things.
00:12:13.679 --> 00:12:19.679
But if you have a person who can say, I vouch for this person, yeah, at least give them a look.
00:12:19.919 --> 00:12:21.919
You're not again, you're not saying give me this job.
00:12:22.080 --> 00:12:24.000
You're saying just look at me.
00:12:24.480 --> 00:12:24.879
I'm here.
00:12:25.039 --> 00:12:36.080
That's well, and even if you can help get that person a phone screen or that interview, even if they don't get moved along the process, that is get practice, and it's the now you just never know.
00:12:36.159 --> 00:12:38.480
You've made an impression in steps.
00:12:38.799 --> 00:12:44.399
In those situations, any small glimmer of hope is so powerful.
00:12:44.639 --> 00:12:44.879
Yeah.
00:12:45.120 --> 00:12:49.919
Well, I wanna I know we're running out of time with you because we're doing these little 15-minute shots, but they're impactful.
00:12:50.000 --> 00:12:51.120
That's what we wanted from these.
00:12:51.360 --> 00:12:58.159
Amy, if you had a final word to say just about how you feel about networking and the power they're in, what would you say?
00:12:58.480 --> 00:13:07.360
Honestly, my mantra is nurture your network, nurture it, and that you know, you kind of get almost like a planty vibe with it, you know?
00:13:07.759 --> 00:13:11.360
You have to put time and you have to put effort into it.
00:13:11.440 --> 00:13:15.919
Yeah, but it's people, yeah, and people are important, and you are important.
00:13:16.399 --> 00:13:17.440
That's what I wanted.
00:13:17.600 --> 00:13:20.399
Because I'm just like this all comes back to people.
00:13:21.039 --> 00:13:28.000
Yes, we know AI is out there, but the people matter, and people matter in your network, and you have made that so clear, and I really appreciate that.
00:13:28.080 --> 00:13:29.120
But Amy, thanks so much.
00:13:29.360 --> 00:13:31.919
Looking forward to some more sessions here at Content Marketing World.
00:13:32.080 --> 00:13:32.960
Oh yeah, very good.
00:13:33.120 --> 00:13:34.320
Oh yeah, yeah, I'm excited.
00:13:34.480 --> 00:13:36.480
And Amy's got her own little fan club here, by the way.
00:13:36.639 --> 00:13:40.159
So next year we're gonna have Amy fan club shirts that we're gonna all wear.
00:13:40.480 --> 00:13:41.679
I have no idea.
00:13:42.000 --> 00:13:42.320
I know.
00:13:42.480 --> 00:13:45.519
Well, that's see, people matter, and that's that's how much you've mattered to us.
00:13:45.840 --> 00:13:54.320
Honestly, if I look back to the root of like, you know, we had Ann on here too, talking about like I'm here because of her, and she's here because of you, and you people matter.
00:13:54.480 --> 00:13:58.080
So it's really just manifested in everything you've done here, including this interview.
00:13:58.240 --> 00:13:59.519
Amy, thanks so much for joining us.
00:13:59.840 --> 00:14:01.279
Thank you for having me, Rachel.
00:14:01.919 --> 00:14:07.600
All right, tune in for some more episodes with the Marketers Managing mini series here on Marketers Barely Managing.
00:14:07.759 --> 00:14:08.480
We'll be back.