by Donna Papacosta

When I started my independent communication practice in 1985, I had to learn to network, so I joined professional associations, attended meetings, exchanged business cards and watched my business grow. Slowly. A few years later, I began contributing a business-writing column to my local newspaper, which helped me get better known in my town.

I built my first website in the mid-1990s and ventured into blogging in 2004. My podcast came soon after, along with profiles on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and now Pinterest.

I detected a noticeable shift after social media became part of my daily routine. Suddenly I was connecting with other communicators, and then with prospects. People I didn’t even know were reading my blog and listening to my podcast, which came as a bit of a surprise. Online connections blossomed into real-life relationships, assignments and speaking gigs.

I’m living proof that you can boost your marketing efforts and get real business results using social media. My advice: If you want to be someone whose name is known, get on board with social media as soon as possible. And keep at it; your online presence must be cultivated.

How to get started>>>