My name is David, and I’m a connectorholic.
You might know that introducing people to each other is a hobby of mine, and even a pastime, but you might not realize that I find it addictive.
I get a little too eager to introduce two people who can create that 1+1=3 magic together.
Those opportunities happen often enough, but in the past, they were so labor-intensive that I couldn’t make as many intros as I wanted to.
That’s because the more intros you make, the more you wind up valuing your network, and the more seriously you treat every connection request.
I prefer the double opt-in intro, so that the recipient and the sender agree to connect beforehand. But doing so requires a lot of customized messaging and follow-through. If I really want to get Martin in front of Marie, I have to make it clear to Marie why she has to talk to them.
There are exceptions. If Marie tells me to introduce her to a web designer and Martin is the most talented such freelancer I know, voilà. Match made. Maybe in heaven. Or at least in Gmail.
But normally, it’s more of a slog. A worthwhile slog. Because if Martin lands Marie as a client, it could change their year. And Marie will value my recommendation even more next time. And it unleashes all kind of beautiful magic making this Pale Blue Dot a wee bit smaller.
I reached a connector milestone last month that I’m especially proud of, so naturally, I have to share it.
I made my 500th introduction on Bridge, the app where I’m quoted on their homepage as saying it’s my favorite app of the year. That’s true regardless of the year; I started using it thanks to a tip from Paul Sethi back in 2019.
The crux of Bridge is a simple premise that no one else has done so elegantly. You sync your contacts (just once), pick the people you want to connect, say if it’s forwardable (double opt-in) or a fast intro (instant), and then let ‘er rip.
If Martin requests the intro to Marie, Martin then gets an email saying I want to introduce them to her and they should share why. Once he does so and adds a brief bio, I get an alert to send it on. I can then customize it however much I want.
Sometimes, my note to the recipient it’s very tempered, basically saying “Martin asked for an intro so I’m passing it along.” Sometimes it’s more glowing, saying something like, “Martin is God’s gift to web design, and you need to hire them.”
It always feels like a Donnie Brasco moment:
“When I introduce you, I’m gonna say, ‘This is a friend of mine.’ That means you’re a connected guy. Now if I said instead, ‘This is a friend of ours,’ that would mean you’re a made guy. Capiche?”
I love those intros when I’m introducing a friend of ours.
But not everyone’s a friend of ours.
It’s okay to be a friend of mine though. It’ll still get you in the door.
I just connected a friend of mine this week that I wasn’t sure the recipient would go for. Sometimes, you just have to ask.
There’s a lot more to Bridge, but this isn’t a pitch for them, and I’ve never been an advisor or investor there. If you’ve used anything remotely as useful for connecting others, I’d love to hear about it.
If you want to try out Bridge, you can request an invite to collaborate with me.
The hardest part about an app like Bridge is the hardest part about networking in general.
If someone tells me they want to connect with agency people interested in omnichannel ad tech platforms, or VCs investing in series A fin tech startups, or brand-side marketers who can speak about DEI initiatives, I’d be hard-pressed to figure out who to suggest. I’d have to have detailed notes on such people, or they’d need detailed LinkedIn profiles, or I would have had to see something about them pop up recently.
I’m confident that over time, machine learning will take care of that. If I could even just categorize my connections by categories like brand, agency, ad tech, VC, journalist, analyst, etc, that’d be the next quantum leap forward for a connector like me. And for probably quite a few of you readers too.
If you see anyone making that happen, I’d like to know. I’d do practically anything to get into that alpha or beta.
Meanwhile, let’s connect more meaningfully. If we have any kind of relationship at all, mi network es su network. Let’s make the most of it.
It’s a fitting time to give a preview of another way I want to make the most of networking.
I get a lot of requests to recommend talent for jobs and gigs. And a lot of the members of Serial Marketers would be the right fits. But as noted above, I don’t usually know or remember who these people are.
Hence, a new feature for the community: Ask & Answer.
Create a profile if you’re a service provider. Fill out a request if you’re seeking a service or candidate. Get some relevant recommendations.
That’s it.
I’d love it if you could fill out a service provider profile, if that’s relevant to you. And as you have some requests, share them. Some great people are starting to sign up, and I’d love to kick the tires to make matches happen more often.
Instead of building Bridge, I hope to build thousands of those little bridges.
Ready to cross?
David
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WHAT TO READ:
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Recent content shared by Serial Marketers and friends:
- VC firm Primary was one of the early backers of New York’s startup scene and now boasts an 11x return on its first fund. Its founders reveal the secret behind by April Joyner
- Mediaocean ups personalized CTV ad capability with Imposium acquisition by John Glenday
- Signs, signs, everywhere signs: outdoor ad revenue soared 29% in Q2 by Webb Wright
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HOW TO SHARE
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Thanks to Seth Girksy, Michael Winter, Richy Glassberg, Scott Monty, Bob Gilbreath, Mat Zucker, Nancy Harhut, and E.B. Moss for spreading the word about the newsletter recently.
Here’s your own personalized link, with more referral rewards for sharing the newsletter. Visit https://
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EVENTS
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Please submit any events you’re hosting to our calendar at https://serialmarketers.
UPCOMING SERIAL MARKETERS EVENTS
- 9/16: Web3 Marketer Meetup with Serial Marketers on Upstream — connect with fellow marketers 1:1. 12pm
- 9/21: Serial Marketers Salons: Using Behavioral Science in Marketing with Nancy Harhut author of “Using Behavioral Science in Marketing,” Amazon’s #1 New Release in Business Marketing.
- 10/6: Serial Marketers is proud to be a partner at the 2022 @Propelify Innovation Festival! Join us in person October 6 for FREE with code SerialMarketersPropels
for networking, inspiration, & innovation. - 10/12: Web3 Marketer Meetup with Serial Marketers on Upstream — connect with fellow marketers 1:1.
- 11/9: Web3 Marketer Meetup with Serial Marketers on Upstream — connect with fellow marketers 1:1.
- 12/8: Web3 Marketer Meetup with Serial Marketers on Upstream — connect with fellow marketers 1:1.
BRANDWEEK
September 12-16, Miami Florida
“Where the Vanguard Spirit Comes Alive. The Fifth Annual Brandweek Summit returns live and in person. Come experience an unparalleled array of intimate sessions and exciting activities designed to educate, entertain and foster new connections with industry power players. Set against the vibrant backdrop of Miami, this experience will explore the marketing innovation and creativity that came from two years of societal upheaval. Join Adweek for five invigorating days alongside world-class brand leaders who will share their thoughts, challenges and the transformative strategies that will shape their futures.”
Register
SERIAL MARKETERS SALONS: USING BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE IN MARKETING WITH NANCY HARHUT
September 21, Zoom
“We’re bringing back the Salons for the Serial Marketers community! Join us as we have a conversation with Nancy Harhut, author of “Using Behavioral Science in Marketing,” Amazon’s #1 New Release in Business Marketing. Hear about easy-to-use tactics that drive customer action and loyalty by prompting instinctive responses. Then stay for some networking with other members where you can share any marketing needs or updates that you have.”
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PROPELIFY INNOVATION FESTIVAL 2022
October 6, Maxwell Place Park in Hoboken, NJ
“Serial Marketers is proud to be a partner at the 2022 @Propelify Innovation Festival! Join us in-person October 6 for FREE with code SerialMarketersPropels for networking, inspiration, & innovation. #letsPropel”
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SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIES SUMMIT
October 26–27
“Join Your Peers at the #1 Social Media Event for Senior-Level Marketing Professionals. Learn the nuts and bolts of a successful social media strategy to position your brand for success. Assess and audit your current social media initiatives through real-life feedback, discussions and peer-to-peer learning. Revitalize your strategy framework as brand practitioners walk you step-by-step through successful case studies…etc”
Register
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JOBS
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Keep checking out the #jobs channel in Serial Marketers for more. Better yet, subscribe to get updates from our job listing board. Here are some great opportunities shared in these places or sent to me directly.
REALDEFENSE
Senior Digital Media Manager – Paid Media
Pasadena, CA
Via Jeff in the community
“This role will support the Paid Digital Media team identifying paid media opportunities, campaign execution, ad management, and performance optimization to maximize campaign performance for the Company’s various privacy, security, and optimization technology products. You will be expected to collaborate with members of the media, ecommerce, BI teams, and external media partners to fulfill campaign needs that involve quality assurance for strategy, creative, audience targeting, and measurement. You will be working with various platforms such as paid social, Demand Side Platforms, display, email, search, and affiliate networks. The ideal candidate will have media buying experience with either anti-virus, VPN, PC optimization, or downloadable software products. They must showcase exceptional attention to detail, excel in project management, be able to provide recommendations based on campaign reporting data, and have the willingness to learn quickly in a fast-paced environment. Must be passionate about digital media.”
Apply
NFT GENIUS
Marketing Director
Freelance
United States
“What You’ll Do: -Drive the strategy and execution of all marketing efforts, -Partner with the leadership team to develop a go-to-market strategy, -Partner with Sales to execute inbound/outbound marketing strategies. -Partner with Product team to communicate vision, -Contribute to helping build materials/collateral, -Develop social media strategy and content, -Develop and manage a yearly budget, -Create & execute a staffing plan, -Weekly reporting of progress from the marketing department.”
Apply
Enigma
Content and Graphic Designer For Investor Deck
United States
Via David in the community
“What you’ll be working on:- Help us refine the content, look and feel of our board/investor-worthy presentation on our company’s progress, strategy and direction. – We have a rough draft of slides that we need about 40 hours of a designer’s time to help us refine further.- This will be a highly confidential project.- We are a data technology startup wherein we harness commercial intelligence about small and medium size businesses to power marketing, sales, lending and underwriting by lenders (large FIs and fintechs). We are revolutionizing the small business economy by building the most reliable and complete profile (firmographic, performance, etc.) on every small and medium sized business in the United States.”
Apply
ASSOCIATION OF NATIONAL ADVERTISERS
Email Marketing Specialist
New York, NY, Full Time
“The ANA is seeking an Email Marketing Specialist to join our team to help us achieve our membership targets and bring our membership engagement to the next level. This role will work collaboratively with the Marketing and Communications team and other business units to drive campaign strategic development, campaign execution, reporting, and email optimization. The Email Marketing Specialist will report to the Senior Manager of email production and provide support to others on the Marketing and Communications team by contributing to the overall creative process.”
Apply
Also, check out the Serial Marketers job board.
Other job resources (see a full list here):
- Beeler.Tech: Job listings for ad operations, programmatic account management, sales operations, and more.
- Braintrust: A freelance platform where you are the owner and where freelance talent keeps 100% of the bill rate.
- Built in NYC: Jobs at a range of levels and functions, as long as you’re okay working in this quaint, backwater hamlet.
- Candidate: Featured marketing and sales jobs
- Creative Women of Color: List yourself in the database and find talent, via Women Who Create
- ExecThread: Senior roles spanning a range of verticals and cities; membership is free but fully vetted (this uses my referral ID to get you in faster)
- Gently Ventures: Helps scale businesses by finding the right talent
- Growth Collective: Apply to join this network of notable freelance marketers
- Hearty: Get recommended by peers and be discovered
- Hue: Amplifying voices of people in color working in marketing
- Lunch Club: Match 1:1 around predetermined goals with accomplished professionals (free)
- NYC Ad Jobs & Networking: A popular Facebook group
- #OpenToWork: There’s a channel in Serial Marketers where you can share what you’re looking for
- Pocit: A platform connecting people of color with jobs in the tech industry
- Questions to Ask for a Marketing Role: What questions should you ask when starting a new marketing role or job?
- Serial Marketers Job Board: Post regular and featured listings and subscribe for updates.
- VC Job Boards: Aleph, Eniac Ventures, Pear, Sequoia, Union Square Ventures
- Venwise: Submit your job interests here and get in front of their roster of hiring leads; select “Serial Marketers” under “How did you find us”
Do you run or enjoy other job listing sites? Let me know, and I’ll share them.
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OFFERS
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Below are offers extended to the Serial Marketers community. To share your own or access the Premium member discounts, review membership options here.
SURVIVAL: This 90-day transformation program takes consumer-facing brands from nobody to superstar with influencer marketing (or you don’t pay). It’s the most no-brainer way to try creator-driven growth especially if you’re bleeding money on Facebook ads. Premium members get a 10% off their 3-month done-for-you program. Speak with Yash to see if you qualify for the first cohort.
GPO: Generate at least 20% more organic traffic. Doing a strong job in SEO but wonder if more traffic can be had? GPO will custom-build an AWS instance that will become a subdomain of your site, and generate at least 20% more traffic the first year. Contact Cory Cox in the community to redeem.
ContactSmarter: ContactSmarter is an AI tool that generates over 40% call booking rates without requiring human intervention. More details.
Markman Speaker Management: Get 15% off the half-day customized virtual training session “Get Speaking Engagements” for individuals or corporate staff through Dec. 31, 2022. Contact Steve Markman to redeem.
Thece: Get 10% off their Getting Started Kit — just let them know Serial Marketers sent you.
FocusedFounder
Get 5% back on any bookings of the Focus, Growth, and ReFocus plan. To receive your rebate, please contact me after you book the course.
My Software Tutor
My Software Tutor is offering all Excel and PPT courses through December 2021 at 50% off listed price. Learn the practical skills you need to succeed. Use promo code: SERIAL50. This code can be shared with friends and family. Register today on the MST website.
ReverseAds
Get 10% discounts on campaigns. ReverseAds reverses the search ad process, outperforming Google at a fraction of the cost. To redeem, contact Thom Feltz by email.
Northarc Media
Marc Lefton is offering brands a free one-hour consultation on your media mix to show how you can integrate programmatic. For agencies, you can get a free one-hour consultation on how to add programmatic to your service offerings. To redeem, contact Marc by email.
Secret
Sign up and use the promo code SERIALMARKETERS to get 20% off on any membership plan. Membership enables you to access all deals with unlimited usage. One deal should more than pay for itself.
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Create an account and start a 7-day free trial for $125 in ad spend credit toward your first experiment with this multivariate testing platform. Redeem here. (Premium members get $175 in credit with a custom code)
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Following a 7-day trial of this AI-powered marketing tool to generate ads, product descriptions, and more, use code SERIALMARKETERS for 35% off any plan for 3 months (premium subscribers get 50% off for 4 months).
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