Putting in the “Work” in Network

Working in alternative finance goes beyond sitting at a desk, making phone calls, and closing deals. Social media, networking, and staying up to date on industry current events are just as necessary, if not crucial as a financial professional.

Social Media

While some may doubt social media’s importance when it comes to finance, it holds more value than one may give it credit for. LinkedIn was recently ranked as the #1 platform for financial services followed by Twitter, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram & Facebook. A business social media presence allows potential clients to see the success and growth of a company, remain updated on exciting news, and be constantly reminded of their existence.

“Us keeping our content up and our exposure up is vitally important in social media,” said David Kirk, National Sales Manager at ACH Works. “And not just LinkedIn, but also the blogs and the forums on the different channels.”

“I think the importance of being able to market on social media and being able to show other companies about yourself is huge,” said Josh Feinberg, President at Everlasting Capital. “And the reason why I think it’s huge is because it shows that you’re a real company with real goals, real values, and it shows the outside world you’re a real company.”

Feinberg added that businesses should use social media to support other people and businesses as well and not just talk about themselves all the time.

“I definitely think as an industry as a whole you have to work together and be able to shout out other companies and being able to show support because being able to get to the next level isn’t just a single-handed thing,” said Feinberg. “It definitely takes a team and sometimes that includes other people outside of your own company and really helping other companies grow alongside with you.”

Industry Events

Networking with other colleagues is an essential part of being an active member in the finance community. Forming genuine connections with people around the country can result in partnerships, a broader clientele, or just another ally in the field.

“As far as networking goes, I think it’s the most important thing you can do. You need to know what’s going on in the industry, around the industry, not only for yourself but also for your clients to be able to deliver a better product to the end user,” said Tony Cimino, Director of Partnerships at ROK Financial, during a brief interview at this past Broker Fair. “And that’s what we’re all here for anyways is to actually get deals done.”

“We do a lot of emails and phone calls but when it comes to that face-to-face interaction, it’s a totally different story,” said Brooke Brown, ISO Manager at Lendini, during Broker Fair. “It changes the game, and it just adds a completely different feel to the relationship, so I really look forward to these types of events.”

And one can’t forget the news itself to stay updated either.

“I go to AltFinance,” said Kirk of ACH Works. “I go to the Third Party Payment Processors Association, I get their newsletter, I regularly go to Daily Funder.”