Ploymint

I received a $10,000 grant for my current organization, The Parent-Child Home Program (PCHP), just from being active on Twitter. Never underestimate the power of social media folks – it can cost you your job, it can get you your job, it can help you flourish your career, and more.

I had only been working at PCHP for about five months when all of this happened. I can vividly remember checking my e-mail on my phone in bed at approximately 11pm, because naturally I never stop checking my e-mail even off work hours (even though I probably should). That’s when I received confirmation that we had received this grant. A joyous feeling spread through me – a mix of excitement, pride, and gratitude – a feeling I want all of you to experience.

Now, how did this happen? Because I was not afraid to talk to people.

Many people are hesitant to communicate and initiate outreach with people they don’t know, especially on social media platforms. Never forget that the entire point of social media is to be social; it’s right there in the name. Talk to people. If someone tweets something you’re interested in, ask them about it – that’s what I did, and it led me to a $10,000 grant.

I connected with the person who granted the $10,000 to PCHP by responding to one of his tweets – that’s it. That’s honestly all I did. I sparked a conversation with him, and the rest is history. Fewer than six months after connecting with him, PCHP received another grant, this time double the original amount, as well as tons of free publicity.

All I did was respond to one of his tweets.

Did I make that clear? Don’t be afraid to start conversations with people. The worst thing that could happen is  they don’t respond, and who cares if they don’t respond? They’re the ones missing out because you’re awesome. Of course, make sure these conversations are appropriate to be public, but that’s common sense. Talk to people. Join the conversation. You never know who can help you, and if you could help them.

Network Everywhere

I already wrote about this, but you have to network everywhere, and in today’s day and age, that includes social media. According to Pew Research Center, 65% of American adults use social networking sites; that’s nearly two-thirds of America’s adults. Use this statistic to your advantage, and connect with others.

Do you do the social media for your company? Search for things your company focuses on, and interact with people tweeting about these things. Do you simply want to further your own career or your own personal brand? Search for things you are interested in, and start conversations with others speaking about similar topics. Additionally, join Twitter chats. There are tons of things you can do to spark conversations with people.

Be social, tweet at people, start conversations, be appropriate.

Remember those things and you’re already one step ahead from the game. Still wary about starting? Tweet at me (@mnioannou) and I’ll be happy to chat. You truly never know unless you try; give it a shot and start tweeting away!