Co-Founders Andréa McBride John and Robin McBride of McBride Sisters Wine Company with their newest … [+] joint venture partner Jess Druey, Founder of Whiny Baby.
Social media is no longer about likes and popularity. Many Gen Zers and Millenials use social media to think outside the box and land their dream jobs. With 72% of Gen Zers and 66% of millennials contemplating a career change this year, as reported by CNBC, chances are high that you may be ready for more fulfilling work.
Strategic social media use can help you break into any industry.
From utilizing applications’ messaging features to crafting a personal brand one post at a time, young professionals find windows when doors seem closed. Here are three ways to make new connections by maximizing social media:
1. Slide Into Their DMs
How did McBride Sisters Wine Company, the most prominent Black-owned and women-founded wine company in the United States, decide to partner with Whiny Baby, the brainchild of a virtually unknown Zillenial newcomer, for their newest chillable wine line? The answer: persistent direct messaging on social media.
“I started my wine journey with no connections in the industry and a team of just myself. It was a side hustle while I worked full-time,” said Jess Druey, Founder and Co-Owner of Whiny Baby, in an email. Realizing that there was no conventional path to garnering the McBride Sister’s attention, she relentlessly pursued them on social media, “I begged to be connected and after months of reaching out in any form possible (email, direct messages, LinkedIn, you name it) I landed a call with the Sisters, and the rest is history,” Druey said.
Her unabashed ambition was a callback to the McBride Sisters’ beginnings in the wine industry. “Jess’ vision and tenacity reminded us so much of ourselves when we first started in the wine business.” Wrote Robin McBride, President and Co-Founder of McBride Sisters Wine Company, in an email. “We were incredibly inspired by her unapologetic viewpoints and goal of serving the Gen-Z community of which she’s part.”
When utilizing social media messaging to broker partnerships, Druey says it’s best to go all in and leave the shame at the door. “Have no embarrassment. I am in meetings now with people in the industry with unread DMs I sent sitting in their LinkedIn inboxes from a few years ago. Own it, and you will be surprised that people respect the hustle.”
2. Be Active On LinkedIn
LinkedIn, which just turned 20, may not be the hottest app for innovation, but it is beginning to attract new users close to its age. Statista’s recent findings show that 20.4% of LinkedIn users are mid-range Gen Z, ages 18-24. One of those users is Kerry Ao, an 18-year-old co-founder, and CEO of the AI-driven education software platform Intertwined Finance. “We mostly sell B2B, so having a popular Instagram or Facebook account isn’t necessarily a top concern.” Wrote Ao via LinkedIn Messenger, “However, as a recent high school graduate, potential customers are always looking to validate my credibility, so maintaining an active LinkedIn profile of my interests and professional development is crucial to establishing trust.”
Being active on LinkedIn makes it easier for Ao to build rapport when reaching out to potential mentors, partners, and customers over direct messages rather than traditional emails. He feels that his LinkedIn presence leads to greater engagement and, eventually, video calls and chats that fuel growth for his company and personal development.
3. Use Social Media To Create Community In Real Life
Moving people from social media followers to in-person attendees is a masterful skill that Mariah Oliver, Boss Babe Network (BBN) founder, uses regularly. Through social media, she has built a community of women-owned businesses connecting like-minded women in person worldwide. “I did not set out to make an organization of women when I first got started,” said Oliver in an interview with WishTV. “I just graduated from my Master program and realized that I didn’t know my community and decided to do a brunch and threw it up on Eventbrite
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Oliver uses BBN’s social platforms to amplify members’ businesses and highlight upcoming events in real life. “We utilize social media by posting consistently, sometimes up to 4 posts a day on some of our platforms,” Oliver wrote via text message. “These posts serve as invitations to followers and include hyperlinks for easy event registration.
Suppose you are looking to draw more people to your in-person events. In that case, Oliver believes it is essential to show up beyond online activity for others, “By getting involved in your community, you’ll show them that you’re more than your social media posts and that you practice what you preach in person, that makes all of the difference.”
While the tools are cutting edge, Gen Zers and Millennials understand the power of good old fashioned strategic hustle to get ahead.
