Hey there! My name is Lauren—better known as Lo—and I’m a Detroit native who now lives in beautiful San Diego.
I began my career in content marketing around seven years ago as a marketing copywriter-turned-senior editor for an online driver education and traffic school provider.
That experience of working to address and ease drivers’ pressures and pain points throughout their lifetime on the roads ended up leading me to my dream job: working as a Content Project Manager for DMV.org, the largest driver-related site on the web!
Our company is small but mighty team of All-Stars working to change the DMV experience for drivers across the country.
Our highest goal is to cut your time in line and make a notoriously frustrating experience better and faster through comprehensive, accurate, and easy-to-digest information and partnerships.
I love being able to make a tangible difference in someone’s day, and working to get our message and brand into people’s awareness is an exciting challenge.
Oh, and we were voted one of San Diego’s Best Places to Work in 2016… perhaps the daily Nerf gun fights had something to do with it.
Tell Us More About You & Your Content Process:
My team of content strategists, writers, and editors are brilliantly creative and make my job a joy—I play the role of publisher, editor, and strategist in support of our Directors of Content/SEO and Marketing.
I also manage the workflow and deliverables of a whole smorgasbord of projects, from content build-outs to branding initiatives and more.
When I’m not dodging Nerf darts at work, I love to cook and bake, knit baby blankets for my friends’ growing families, and take advantage of California’s natural and cultural wonders—you can often find me hiking, skiing, running (I have four half marathons slated for this year), paddle boarding, stuffing my face with tacos, and convincing my husband that yes, dear, we absolutely need to do Disneyland again this weekend.
What prompted you to register for CMC?
As our company grows and expands its horizons, marketing has shifted to a major focus for us. As we’re engaging deeper with our users and exploring the realms of mobile and social in greater scope,
I wanted to find places and ways where I could support these initiatives, as well as add to own skills with the latest and greatest in content marketing strategies.
How did you convince your boss?
It didn’t take much! I feel so lucky to work at a place that deeply believes in investing in its employees.
I simply wrote up a short brief on why I felt #CMC17 would be valuable for both our company’s strategic targets and my own personal development, and what learnings I felt I would bring back to DMV.org. My boss took it to our President/COO, who gave me the green light!
What speaker and session(s) are you most looking forward to?
Josh Bernoff’s workshop, “Writing Without the Bullshit” (can I say that?!), is what originally piqued my interest in the conference.
I mean, how can you NOT be intrigued by that?
Additionally, Lee Odden’s keynote, “The Influence Imperative,” may be one of the most fruitful learnings I bring back to my team as we move forward with our brand expansion and further establish ourselves in the industry.
What is your major 2017 marketing goal(s)?
Our company is exploring new O&O properties, and getting them out into the world will take a completely different thought process and plan of action than what we’ve been doing with DMV.org.
Broadening my scope into executing archetype and persona marketing, using targeted language, site architecture, and visual identity markers for those archetypes/personas, will help set these properties up for success.
What is one thing you’d like to know about Boston before heading here in April (food, drink, must-sees)?
I am a massive Revolutionary history nerd, so visiting Boston is practically a pilgrimage for me.
Aside from the major hits such as Paul Revere’s house, what are the lesser known sites that I should find? Favorites that only the locals really know about? Let me into your secret club!
*Editors Note*
Hi Lauren, we have you covered! Below are a few of our favorite historical sites:
- The Old North Church: the oldest church in Boston!
- Old State House: you’ll get everything you could hope for on Samuel Adams, John Hancock, John Adams and more!
- USS Constitution Museum: visit the well preserved history of old Iron Sides!
- The Granary Burial Ground: honor the graves of Paul Revere, John Hancock, those citizens kill during the Boston Massacre, Sam Adams, and even Benjamin Franklin’s parents.
- Bunker Hill Monument: rangers on site will provide extensive details on the Battle of Bunker Hill. It’s a stop along the Freedom Trail, and bring your sneakers (it sounds like you have more than a few great pairs) as there are 294 steps to reach the top of the monument for startling views.
What has been your favorite conference to date and why?
Sustainable Brands, hands down. Our CEO took the company to the 2013 conference in San Diego, and not only was it one of the most eye-opening and energizing experiences in my career, but it was also such a beautiful bonding experience for our little work family.
Getting to dream big about changing the world for the better really brought our team together in ways I hadn’t experienced before then. We still talk about things we did and learned at that conference.
What is the best conference swag you received?
It wasn’t swag, but rather an activity—at Sustainable Brands each morning, attendees could participate in sunrise yoga and paddle board yoga on the bay before the sessions began. Such a perfect way to begin the day!
If you could give one piece of advice to a speaker, a sponsor, and a conference host, what was they be?
To a speaker: Flaunt your expertise! We are all here to learn something from you, so revel in your glory of being the smartest gal or guy in the room for that 60-90 minutes.
Just don’t overdo it… I actually walked out of a session once when a participant asked the speaker a question, and the speaker straight up laughed at them. Not cool, bro. Teaching a group of people is far different than talking down to them… aim for the former.
To a sponsor: Know your attendees! Marketers are different from engineers, who are different from developers, who are different from medical professionals, etc. By knowing your audience, you’ll know what you can provide to them that will enhance their experience and make them remember your brand.
To a conference host: Bring the energy! Conferences often mean long days using a lot of brainpower in varied ways, and it’s easy to feel burned out.
I always appreciate when there are good jams playing, activities to participate in (whether to relax or reenergize), and a welcoming environment in which to network, brainstorm, and enjoy the experience.
What’s your top conference networking tip?
Listen to truly learn about someone else (and their company), rather than to reply with your own pitch as quickly as possible.
By providing your full attention, you’re not only far more likely to form a positive relationship with them, but also determine in a flash whether that partnership is a fruitful one worth pursuing.
Anything else?
I’ll be bringing my running shoes with me to Boston—if anyone wants a morning run buddy, I’m your girl!
*We may have you covered in that area too!*
We cannot thank you enough for your thoughts and tips for speakers, attendees, and hosts alike and are thrilled to meet you (and potentially run with you) at #CMC17 in April.
See how Content Marketing Conference 2017 can further propel your business with tactical takeaways that can be implemented immediately.