Where social media has taken me – Shelby Says

For our She Said, He Said blog posts this week, Jim and I will share our views on where social media has gotten us; both personally and professionally. Our #shehechat will return to its normal time on Thursday at 8 p.m. CST with special guest host @Einley because I will be on vacation.

There are several people in my life who tease me about how much time I spend on social media. I’ve been asked frequently if I ever turn off my networks or if I sleep with my iPhone by my head (I do). There is a running joke about me always being “plugged in.”

I take this teasing in stride. Not everyone understands the power of social media or even needs it like I do. Whenever I hear this, I smile and remind myself just how much social media has brought to my life.

My social media present

I have come to rely on social media as an effective communication tool with friends, clients and colleagues. Almost every day, I meet new connections and meet people in life I wouldn’t have otherwise met. I hold and moderate events via social media. I’m marketing for clients on social media. I’m networking and connecting. I’m building creditable business relationships.

On the personal side, I enjoy sharing bits and pieces of my life and experiences with my audience. I like having an outlet for my sometimes quirky sense of humor. I love to share others’ achievements and read their blog posts. The social media world is a plethora of information and entertainment that I appreciate more every day.

My social media past

My social media past is what got me to where I am today. The very first post I wrote for this blog was entitled “Hello, I’m Shelby and I Met Him on Twitter.” The “him” in this reference was Jim and it tells the story about how our interactions in 140 characters led to me taking on his company ColorMetrix as the first client for my startup Panoramic Interactive.

That story is my favorite one in my social media past. It was my stepping stone. Nothing that happened over the last nine months would have happened without Twitter.

My role at ColorMetrix has grown. As project manager for several of the company’s clients, it’s become imperative that I get some face-to-face time with the major players. Yes, that means I’m spending a lot of time on the road lately. That’s a major change for me, but one I’m beginning to like quite a bit.

My social media future

As I write this, I’m sitting at Graph Expo Chicago where ColorMetrix is exhibiting in two different booths. During this trade show, I’m meeting with clients and posting tidbits about our products and demonstrations on Twitter.

I’m connecting with current clients and potential ones in the social media space and beginning to cultivate relationships.

I’m making more travel plans for client visits and planning out another trade show next month.

I’m discussing new ColorMetrix marketing strategies with trade show attendees that include broadening our position in the social media world.

Social media got me here. Now where will it take me?

The honest answer is that I have no idea where social media will take me in my career or even personally, but I know it will always be there. Social media will change and I’ll change with it. Business relationships will continue to grow through theses channels and I’ll continue to nurture them.

My life is simply different – and better – because of social media. Everything I do professionally now started with that first tweet I sent out long ago. I trust that social media will take me even further in the future.

Where has social media taken you? I’d love to hear your stories!