Welcome to another edition of Meet Your Pod Squad!
Today, we’re talking to Lauren Bus, our account manager lead at ProudMouth. If you start a podcast with us, there’s a good chance you will work closely with Lauren, if not one of our other outstanding account managers.
Along with onboarding new clients, Lauren reviews client files and podcast episodes to make sure our clients are on track and that they’re getting high-quality content to help promote their podcast.
Let’s get to know Lauren…
(Listen to Lauren’s interview with our CRO, Matt Halloran, or keep reading!)
Describe a day in your life as an account manager at ProudMouth
I usually get to my computer any time between 8 – 9 a.m. I always check my emails first, take care of anything that I can do quickly, check my task list for the day, and set my priorities based on deadlines. I often have a meeting or two in the morning, so I prepare for those, make my second (or third) coffee of the morning, take my meetings, then go heads-down to finish my tasks.
Throughout the day, I usually follow multiple lists, one with the episode tasks with deadlines and another scratched on a piece of paper with client requests and action items from meetings that I don’t want to let fall off my radar. It probably looks like chaos to anyone who sees my desk, but it works for me!
What do you enjoy about working at ProudMouth?
There are honestly a lot of things I love about ProudMouth. I feel like such a valued member of the team, which means A LOT. As an account manager, I feel like I have the perfect balance of autonomy in my role to be able to make decisions for my clients, but I also feel fully supported by the whole team if I need help with something. I think we’ve been able to develop a special team vibe that I think is pretty unique for a remote company. I have fantastic clients, I love listening to their content, and I love working with them to help tell their stories.
What’s on your desk right now?
Pretty much at any given moment, you’ll find:
- My laptop and second monitor
- AirPods
- Multiple water bottles
- A coffee with vanilla almond milk
- A couple of pairs of glasses
- A notebook and pen
- Chapstick
- A Bose speaker
- A bunch of plants
This is a small portion of Lauren’s plant collection ➡️
If you had a podcast, what would it be about?
I actually just launched a podcast! SURPRISE! My friend and I have a podcast about life as independent, career-driven twenty-somethings, the things people talk about, and the things people maybe don’t talk about as much — career-wise, relationships, friendships, family, living through a global pandemic (because who the heck planned for that?! –– I know I didn’t). Things like that. Check out We Don’t Cook on Fridays, available wherever you get your podcasts!
Which podcasts are you listening to these days?
I’m a big fan of true crime, so my favorite podcast is My Favorite Murder. I’m also a huge fan of Serial (not-so patiently waiting for season 4!), Uncover, and Someone Knows Something (we love some Canadian content from the CBC). I’ve also been loving Conversations with Kenzie lately, as I’ve taken a lot of time in the past year on a journey of self-growth (I had to do something productive through quarantine!). I could honestly go on and on forever; I’m a big podcast fan, so I definitely feel like I’m in the right line of work!
Which TV shows and movies do you enjoy?
I’m a BIG re-watcher, and I definitely watch more shows than movies. I get really stressed when I don’t know what’s going to happen in a show, so if I’m watching something I’ve never seen before, I look up what happens (I know, I hate that I do that too, but I can’t stop myself from doing it). I will ALWAYS rewatch Schitt’s Creek, One Tree Hill, and Grey’s Anatomy. When it comes to movies, I usually gravitate towards documentaries because, you guessed it, I can look up how the story ends. Wow, I’m realizing I must be so annoying to watch things with. At least I never share the ending with anyone else.
What kind of podcast episode keeps you listening to the end?
When it comes to most client podcasts, I think episodes with guests are some of the best because they feel super conversational. I love when there’s a guest with views and a mindset that really resonates with mine; when they can come on and share their personal stories, it makes an impact on me. I love getting to know people on a more personal level in a podcast, especially when it’s about a cause or topic that I care about. Educational episodes are obviously valuable, but when I feel like I’m being educated through a personal story, the impact is more powerful than if they had stuck with sharing numbers or acronyms.
What advice do you have for an industry expert who’s thinking about starting a podcast but is scared to do it?
Remember that you’re the expert! You know what you’re talking about. Just think about your podcast as a conversation with a client. Sometimes, when people get in front of the mic, they feel intimidated because they become so aware that they’re being recorded. But if you think of it as a casual conversation, it can take some of the pressure out of it. Plus, it’s our job to make sure you sound amazing, so just do what you do, share your expertise, and let us do the rest!
What’s one of the most enjoyable aspects of working with a client?
I love the onboarding process because I get to know the clients and their team, how they do business, and what they want to share with listeners. It’s definitely the time in the process where I have the most (virtual) face-to-face contact with clients, and I enjoy getting to know them and helping them build the brand for their podcast. I love working directly with clients to help them make their vision come alive, or even help them realize what they truly want the podcast to do for them and their business.
What would you say to encourage an industry expert who wants to post on social media but has no idea what to post about?
Hire ProudMouth for all of your podcasting and social media marketing needs! 😉 No, but in all honesty, I would say pick one (maybe two) platforms and become an expert at them. For people in financial services, I would recommend LinkedIn, but it’s important to know your audience and where they spend their time, and take the time to learn how to post on those platforms WELL. One of the most important things to do is make sure you understand what works (and what doesn’t) on each platform. Make sure you’re sharing valuable information and not just posting to check off a box. Social media is such an important part of your online brand and personality, so it’s important to make sure you put in some time to build a strong presence.
What is one piece of advice for writing a post that shows the client’s personality?
It’s important to make sure you read client communication like their emails and pre-existing social media presence, the language from their website, things like that. I also really try to get a sense for clients’ vocabulary when I’m on calls with them. I often keep my notebook next to me on calls, and I write down words and phrases that clients say to use them in their social media content. Since we’re writing for them and their brand, it’s important to make sure we use their language and their tone. We have to make sure that what we’re saying is something they would say
