I was never a fan of the cocktail party-variety networking scene. I will never be one to dart around a room shoving business cards into people's hands. I prefer meaningful conversations with people, getting to know them and vice versa.

But social media networking? That's something different altogether. Done right, it's never a hit-and-run. Rather, it consists of building relationships over months and even years by sharing information - both professional and personal - through posts, comments and responding to questions in various online communities.

What's the return on investment, the ROI, for putting that kind of time into social media? Actually, it's called the RON - the "return on networking."

And for me, it's huge.

I've been on Facebook for five years; I also have Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn accounts, among others. All totaled, I'm now approaching 100,000 friends, followers and connections. Those followers expose my name and message to their audiences every time they "like" one of my posts or share one of my links. Recently, someone re-tweeted something I'd shared on Twitter - he had 130,000 followers! That's a potential audience of 130,000 people I likely would have never reached otherwise.

Talk about exposure!

Who knows how many of those people may someday become my clients? Who cares? I'll still consider the exposure a good return on networking. Here's why.

The RON of social media isn't always tangible, not immediately, anyway. By establishing a continued presence online through regularly sharing content of use to my followers, I'm building my platform and my reputation as an expert. That grows in surprising ways - and it lives in surprising places.

A recent case in point: Late last year, I got a call from a prominent New York City hair stylist, the director of a salon in one of that city's premier department stores. He wanted to talk about some publicity needs and what my company could do to help him.

When I asked how he got my name, he explained he'd written some books over the years with a co-author, and she'd heard me at a speaking engagement.

Well, that made sense. Speaking at conferences is still a great way to get your name out while also building credibility.

But the next thing he said came as a complete surprise.

"So, then I contacted the corporate office (of the department store chain) and asked what PR agency they would recommend." And they recommended me and my company!

I don't know a soul in the corporate offices of that high-end retail chain. I can only guess they learned of me through social media.

Just being on Twitter or Google+ isn't enough, of course. You have to make a diligent effort to regularly post content that people find valuable, including links to informative articles, tips relevant to your topic, and/or informed insights on topics in the news.

You also have to "be a human," as our lead social media strategist, Jeni Hinojosa, likes to say. She and our other social media producers encourage clients to send photos when they go on vacation, celebrate milestones or engage in hobbies. Posting those photos with a comment adds a personal touch that allows followers to connect on a more emotional level.

Our social media producers also make sure clients' personalities shine in their posts, showing their sense of humor and letting followers in on the other things they care about, whether it's victims of a natural disaster or a favorite charity.

Interaction is equally important. Strive to respond to every comment or question posted on your networking sites. Interacting is engaging, and people who are engaged tend to be happy followers. The more you take part in conversations via comments and responses, the more lively and visible your presence becomes.

The RON includes increased traffic to your website; increased trust in your brand and what you're selling; and greater word of mouth than you could ever hope for by attending a cocktail party or even a speaking engagement.

About Marsha Friedman

Marsha Friedman is a 23-year veteran of the public relations industry. She is the CEO of EMSI Public Relations (www.emsincorporated.com), a national firm that provides PR strategy and publicity services to corporations, entertainers, authors and professional firms. Marsha is the author of Celebritize Yourself and she can also be heard weekly on her Blog Talk Radio Show, EMSI's PR Insider every Thursday at 3:00 PM EST. Follow her on Twitter: @marshafriedman.

Rehabbing right-hander Jake Westbrook tosses seven innings to pull Chiefs within one-half game of Quad Cities

PEORIA, Ill. (JUNE 9, 2013) - Right-hander Jake Westbrook pitched seven innings of one-run ball for the Peoria Chiefs, who also got the first two Midwest League home runs by first baseman Jeremy Schaffer in a 9-1 victory over the Quad Cities River Bandits Sunday night at Dozer Park.

Westbrook (1-0), the veteran on a rehab assignment for the St. Louis Cardinals, started by getting three groundouts on five pitches in the top of the first inning. The Chiefs then took the lead for good in the bottom of the inning. Shortstop Ildemaro Vargas reached first base when second baseman Brian Blasik bobbled a grounder, and second baseman Jacob Wilson and left fielder Jordan Walton followed with consecutive RBI doubles against right-hander Juan Minaya (0-1).

In his first Midwest League start, Minaya also allowed single runs in the third and fourth innings. Chiefs right fielder Breyvic Valera led off the third inning with a single, and after Wilson's second hit, Walton hit into a fielder's choice that brought home Valera. On Minaya's first pitch of the fourth inning, Schaffer launched a home run to the lawn beyond the left-center field fence for a 4-0 Peoria lead. It was the last of five hits against Minaya, who yielded three earned runs while striking out three batters in four innings.

Westbrook retired the first 14 batters and did not allow a ball to leave the infield until Blasik grounded a single through the hole between shortstop and third base with two outs in the fifth inning. River Bandits designated hitter Ariel Ovando followed with an opposite-field double over Walton in left field, scoring Blasik and extending Ovando's season-high hitting streak to seven games. But the Chiefs restored the lead to four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning against right-hander Jordan Jankowski. Wilson drew a two-out walk, Walton singled, and designated hitter Patrick Wisdom dropped a pop fly down the right field line to score Wilson and make it 5-1.

Westbrook allowed two more hits in the seventh inning, as first baseman Jesse Wierzbicki hit a leadoff single but was picked off at first base by Westbrook during the next batter. Quad Cities third baseman Rio Ruiz doubled to the right-field corner but was stranded at third base when Blasik grounded out to end the inning. Westbrook allowed four hits and no walks while striking out five batters. He got 14 groundouts and one foul popup to an infielder for the rest his outs.

Chiefs right-hander Thomas Lee allowed one hit and struck out three batters in two shutout innings, while the home team added four runs in the eighth inning against right-hander Richard Rodriguez, who allowed a home run by Schaffer and a two-run triple by Valera, who scored on a throwing error by Blasik to complete the four-run frame with a 9-1 Peoria lead.

Quad Cities is now three games behind second-place Beloit, which won both games of a doubleheader in Burlington Sunday. First-place Cedar Rapids is four games ahead of the River Bandits. After dropping a second straight game to seal its first road series loss in its last six, Quad Cities will try to avoid being swept on the road for the first time this season when they play at 7 p.m. Monday in Peoria. River Bandits right-hander Jamaine Cotton (1-2) is scheduled to face Chiefs and former River Bandits left-hander Hector Hernandez (2-2).

Quad Cities drops 1.5 games behind second-place Beloit but remains just three back of first-place Cedar Rapids

PEORIA, Ill. (JUNE 8, 2013) - The first pitch of an intended ninth-inning intentional walk by Quad Cities River Bandits right-hander Gera Sanchez got past catcher Roberto Pena and allowed Peoria Chiefs second baseman Jacob Wilson to score the only run of a 1-0 victory by the home team at Dozer Park Saturday night.

After Quad Cities (34-26) left the bases loaded in both the eighth and ninth innings against right-hander Joe Donofrio, Sanchez started the ninth inning in a scoreless tie by walking Wilson. Left fielder Jordan Walton then pushed a bunt to the third-base side of the pitcher's mound, and third baseman Rio Ruiz overran the ball, allowing Wilson to reach second and Walton to reach first with the Chiefs' sixth hit of the game. Third baseman Patrick Wisdom put down a successful sacrifice to move both runners. After a visit to the mound by manager Omar Lopez, Sanchez and Pena prepared to walk first baseman Jeremy Schaffer and load the bases. But Sanchez's first throw came closer to the plate than Pena expected, brushing the catcher's glove on the way to the backstop. Wilson raced home for the game's only run and first in 17 innings against Quad Cities pitchers.

River Bandits right-hander Mike Hauschild and Chiefs right-hander Joe Cuda matched scoreless frames for the first five innings, with Hauschild extending his personal scoreless streak to a team season-high 16 shutout innings. Cuda struck out eight batters, allowed just two hits and a hit batter, and prevented any runners from reaching second base through the first seven innings.

The eighth inning opened the bullpen for the Chiefs, as right-hander Sam Tuivailala allowed a one-out single by right fielder Ariel Ovando, who extended his season-high hitting streak to six games. Jordan Scott later drew a two-out walk, and second baseman Austin Elkins loaded the bases with an infield single. Right-hander Joe Donofrio (3-0) came in to face shortstop Carlos Correa and struck him out swinging to escape the jam. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Quad Cities left-hander Colton Cain faced a jam when catcher Gerwuins Velazco walked and Elkins threw high to first base on a grounder by right fielder Breyvic Valera. But Cain got center fielder Nick Martini to pop up a bunt before an inning-ending double play.

Quad Cities knocked on the door against Donofrio in the ninth inning, as first baseman Jesse Wierzbicki singled, and third baseman Rio Ruiz reached on an error by shortstop Ildemaro Vargas. A two-out walk by left fielder Ruben Sosa loaded the bases before Donofrio's inning-ending strikeout of center fielder Teoscar Hernandez. Quad Cities had six of its eight runners left on come in the final two innings.

With a win by the Beloit Snappers at Burlington Saturday night, the River Bandits dropped 1 ½ games behind second place in the Midwest League Western Division with nine games remaining in the first half. First-place Cedar Rapids lost to Kane County, keeping Quad Cities three games behind the division leaders. The River Bandits continue the series in Peoria at 5:00 p.m. Sunday at Dozer Park. Quad Cities is scheduled to see its first opposing major league rehab pitcher, with St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Jake Westbrook taking the mound for Peoria.

UP NEXT: Reservations can be made from now until June 10 for the River Bandits Father's Day Cookout and pre-game catch scheduled for Sunday, June 16. Check out www.riverbandits.com for details or call 563-324-3000. Single-game tickets are on sale at the River Bandits box office at Modern Woodmen Park, by phone at 563-324-3000 and online at www.riverbandits.com. Season ticket and mini-plan packages start at just seven games and begin at less than $50. Call a River Bandits account representative today to choose your seats and get the details of our various mini-plan packages.