When I entered the workforce I recognized that in order to be successful and get deals closed it was about networking and knowing the right decision maker.

I acknowledged that successful individuals in my industry had established relationships that went back several years, and trying to insert myself into this network was a vexing challenge. Building relationships is not an overnight process; they need to be nurtured and developed. I thought to myself – how do I meet as many influencers as quickly as possible and build relationships? I knew I couldn’t make up 10 years of Rotary meetings, but I could add value to these individuals by sharing pertinent industry news, leadership articles and market updates.

I decided to disrupt the traditional relationship business and create a new way of getting deals done through a new (er) and more powerful tool called social media. I’m a banker by day and self-taught social media enthusiast by night. To me, social media is the equivalent of going to a million networking events and shaking everyone’s hands. As a banker I play to my strengths; my accessibility and commitment to the community – both of which are positively rewarded in social media. An active social media presence can help develop new relationships. Ignore these online platforms and you’re overlooking the largest networking event in northeast Ohio.

Your message on social media is about your personal brand; branding is about making promises through multiple experiences over time. Through personal branding you can build deep, trust-based relationships that generate loyalty and profitability over time.  

How to leverage your social media:

1. Define your Personal Brand
2. Set a clear goal and/or objective
3. Understand what makes your target audience tick
4. Publish content that is complimentary to your objective and target audience

Remember: content shared on social media leads to conversations. Conversations build relationships, and relationships result in ROI.

Regardless of your age, position or industry, it is important to understand the power of personal branding on social media. As Tom White says, “We are CEO’s of our own companies: Me, Inc. To be in business today, our most important job is to be the head marketer for the brand called YOU. It is that simple and that hard and that inescapable.”

Stay tuned for my next post on how to improve your business through personal branding.