How to tell your story with and without social media
I was raised in the digital age. I remember vividly when a dial-up computer first came into my home and watched in awe as I typed out the big block letters on the screen. I carefully chose my AOL Instant Messenger screen name, which ended up being “LowRiderChick29” since I was obsessed with that song at the time due to my love for the movie “Dazed and Confused” and its soundtrack.
Why am I telling you all of this? I am setting the storytelling stage for how to create your personal brand both with and without social media. I have made a decision that I am no longer using the term “Millennial.” It’s too broad and too narrow in focus.
From here on out, we are using the term “early career professionals.” Early career professionals can be of any age due to any reason and is much more encompassing. For most early career professionals, social media is not optional anymore, but rather imperative to building your brand. When done correctly, social media can be a powerful tool and can connect your personal and professional brands directly with your consumer!
According to an article about branding through social media in Forbes by co-founder and president of Track Marketing Group, Alex Frias:
- DO use imagery that’s powerful and personal to your brand.
- DON’T use a hashtag for the sake of using a hashtag.
- DO empower the community to tell YOUR story through THEIR eyes.
- DON’T be socially niche so that your story becomes unattainable.
- DO allow your words to become bigger than your story.
When you get down to brass tax, storytelling is all about the words you use. Whether the story is being told in a social media setting or in person, on the opposite side of the coin, it’s imperative for early career professionals to not invest all of their time in branding into social media. For many, that may be their comfort zone, but interpersonal communication is far from dead and its necessity in the business world is palpable for longevity in your career.
According to “The Art of Charm,” good storytellers do the following to an audience:
- Inject emotion into their stories.
- Know their narrative.
- Create rapport.
- Practice their craft.
In order to create rapport and practice your craft, you have to get on out into the big wide world! Networking, or connecting, is king and there are many local avenues for you to do so, whether it’s through your local Chamber of Commerce (not so shameless plug) or through any number of the stellar organizations Brevard County has to offer. Get involved, be seen, tell your story in person and on screen!
Jennifer Sugarman, President and CEO of the Cocoa Beach Regional Chamber of Commerce, is a busy working Millennial mom to son, Emmett. She formed the Cocoa Beach Chamber’s Young Professionals Group in 2016, currently serves on the board for United Way of Brevard and is an active member in Brevard County’s business community.
Check out this article in our DIGITAL MAGAZINE.
Map It
