Do you ever wonder if the time that you spend on social networking is worth the effort? Over the past several years I have made so many wonderful contacts through sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, there's no doubt in my mind that it's worth it.
People that I have met through online networks have contributed to my blog, hosted my virtual book tours and guest posts, interviewed me on teleseminars and podcasts, and re-tweeted my messages, and I am happy to return the favor.
Recently, I hooked up with Stephanie C. Harper on Facebook. This multi-talented woman is a Certified Human Resources Professional with over 20 years experience in the industry, Publisher of CAREER Magazine, Producer of CAREER Magazine TV, Speaker, and Author of several books, including the Books are a Business™ Kit.
After we chatted online, Stephanie said that she wanted to feature my work in CAREER Magazine. I was thrilled when that interview turned out to be a 7-page cover story for the May/June 2011 issue of the magazine! You can read my cover story on marketing methods here.
How about you? What kind of valuable contacts have you made through online networking?
Congrats, Dana! Nice spread and great article! It sure shows us how social networking can pay off. Networking is one of my next big learning curves. I'm collecting your articles for when I'm ready to dive in. Thanks for making so much info available!
Posted by: Dee for D.I. Telbat | May 26, 2011 at 08:21 PM
Thanks so much Dee! And I'm so glad that you find my information helpful.
Posted by: Dana Lynn Smith | May 27, 2011 at 06:24 AM
Wow, Congratulations. Thanks for sharing your success story. Sometimes I wonder if all the networking is worth it. The answer is...absolutely.
Posted by: Alison Naomi Holt | May 27, 2011 at 03:30 PM
Thanks Alison. Building up a network and an online following takes time, and it's easy to get discouraged and wonder if it's worth the investment of time. I hope this story will inspire other authors to keep at it.
Posted by: Dana Lynn Smith | May 27, 2011 at 04:28 PM
Hi Dana,
Congrats on being on the cover! You look great. I always found keeping up with social media sites sometimes a bore, and sometimes time-consuming. I wondered if I'd ever get results. However, I persisted and always posted my book reviews on as many sites as possible. Imagine my joy when a movie company read a great review I posted on Twitter, bought my book, and I have just signed a movie option for the first in my children's adventure series, with possibly more options as the series progresses. So, no matter what it is, make sure everyone knows about your achievements.
Posted by: Fiona Ingram | June 01, 2011 at 05:05 AM
Fiona, that is awesome - congratulations! I agree that persistence is the key.
Posted by: Dana Lynn Smith | June 01, 2011 at 08:07 AM
Social networking is a wonderful way to learn what works. Often when people thank me for sharing, saying something like, "I never thought of that," I'm thinking the same thing about another idea I've just come across.
Posted by: Charles G. Timm | June 03, 2011 at 07:24 PM