Q&A: One Post Produces a $1 Million Client

Mary Strickland

Think a $1 million lead from LinkedIn is impossible? Not to Mary Strickland, a financial advisor and vice president with Robert W. Baird in Madison, WI.

Strickland closed a $1 million account from a LinkedIn post, and has two $1 million-dollar clients following her on Twitter. Here's Strickland's take on how to tweet, post and comment to build an online presence — at any point in your career.

“I think the base line is that [social media] raises awareness of your personal brand and gets you out there very visibly. And second? You get clients calling you. Oh yes 'I've seen her on Twitter or LinkedIn and seen her posts.' It's another way of knowing you.

The $1 million dollar account came from a tweet that went on to LinkedIn. I use both and set it up so posts get approved automatically, and then go to each at the same time. I try to post more out of the box information and not what just happened on the Dow. 

I do a lot of retweeting on articles such as women wanting equal career paths. I just tweeted about my presenting a seminar on socially responsibly investors. Because my target areas are women and socially responsible investing and so I try to post material relevant to those two markets. There’s a ton that’s out there, but I think you have to post something that's unique and valuable to get noticed.

Obviously a financial advisor starting out in the 30s will embrace this. But I’m 57, and embracing it because I understand the importance of maintaining my visibility.”