Creating Community via Social Media
I recently attended several area events that I simply wouldn't know about if it weren't for LinkedIn and Twitter and paying attention to my email. First, I spoke at the Rotary Club of Historic Folsom. It was an early bird breakfast with very awake, motivated do-gooders. I found my way to Folsom through the fog, after setting my alarm to go off during the 5am hour. (I can do it every now and then!) My presentation was well received and I was as grateful for their warm reception as I was for their hot coffee. I've since emailed back and forth with a couple of people I met and a couple posted pictures of the event on Facebook.
The friend who asked me to address the group that morning, I had met one time only at a Folsom Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony I helped emcee several years ago. I may not have crossed paths with him again if I hadn't stumbled across his name on LinkedIn and was bold enough to send an invitation to connect. My friend then introduced me to the idea of Tweet-ups...where my love affair with Twitter truly began.
I attended one Tweet-up and learned the basics. Now I have more than 500 Twitter followers and plenty of new contacts. Not only have I gotten story ideas from "tweeps" on Twitter and kept on top of news locally and from all over the world...I also have developed new friendships with social media mavens and information innovators. Thanks to them, I have been asked to take part in two local panel discussions on Social Media. (One for the Social Media Club of Sacramento and the other for the Sacramento Public Relations Association).
Again that's led to more contacts, Twitter followers, Facebook friends and viewers.
Even old-fashioned email has its advantages. After my 7am speech in Folsom, I ventured over to El Dorado Hills for an eWomenNetwork conference at a local hotel. I learned about it through emails I regularly receive from a public relations professional. I'd only met her once before, but feel like I know her just because we correspond so regularly.
At that meeting, I met fascinating women who've started their own businesses and authored books...truly inspiring success stories. And, I will likely be speaking at one of their events in the late summer or early fall, to share some of my experiences. Even though I spend most of my days sitting in my cubicle or broadcasting from the CBS13 studios, I am watching my community expand - all thanks to social media.
