“You can read a book on push ups or you can do pushups.” Gary Vaynerchuk
Gary Vee Cares
“The best marketing strategy ever? Care.” Gary Vaynerchuk
NOTE: This post was originally published February 28, 2013 as is still relevant AF.
Gary Vee is a business bad ass, author of Crush It and The Thank You Economy and now his newest piece of awesome Jab Jab Jab Right Hook: How To Tell Your Story In A Noisy Social World.
He started selling lemonade and baseball cards at the age of 8 to running his family liquor business to creating WineLibraryTV and now Vaynermedia, which works with personal and consumer brands to build unique and efficient online brand strategies. Gary is also one of the most passionate thought leaders in the new economy, or what I love to call, thanks to Gary, the “thank you” economy.
On February 28,2013 I had the honor of interviewing Gary as part of his #1aDayQandA. This was WAY before the awesome #AskGaryVee Show. An insane commitment he made to his fans to engage and bring value to his community. Why did he do it? He cares.
We talked why social, why caring matters more than ever for both big and small business, why storytelling is a gotta do, online and off, about passion, the power of Twitter, context, content and much more.
So grab your Starbucks and press play. You are in for quite a treat from one of the best, most passionate and caring biz leaders I know today. (and yes, I was freaking out which you will hear!)
Here are some of the highlights from my time with Gary…
- Passion is the gas the drives the engine. True story.
- All businesses began as a small business. Google at one point was just two dudes. Money is no excuse not to engage.
- Business is about supply and demand. Caring is in short supply. But always in demand.
- Business is all about storytelling and sharing those stories where our clients live. And that includes online.
- We are all in the content business, well, only if we want to be a relevant, growing business.
- Conversations about beauty are happening all day, every day on the web, especially Twitter, the clients are there, it’s your choice to join the conversation, or not.
- How do you find time to engage on the social web? You make a decision. The End.
A big shout out of LOVE and GRATITUDE to Gary for being so generous with his time. And for being awesomeness squared.
What did you think of my interview with Gary? Share your thoughts in the comments below or directly with me. I’m listening.
(shared with LOVE from Nina)
The Power of Social: Lady Gaga
“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.” Mother Teresa
NOTE: This post was originally shared on April 1, 2012 which is significant as it was nearly 5 years ago yet it is as relevant today as it was then.
(via YouTube)
Lady Gaga builds one of the world’s largest fan bases by using the web to talk directly and openly to her community. This film celebrates Lady Gaga’s special and unmediated relationship with her fans, the Little Monsters. The making of this film is a demonstration of the power of the web in its own right. The entire project, beginning with Lady Gaga’s shoot in NYC on May 8th 2011, to shipping materials to the television networks for air, took 10 days.
Within hours of the release of her new single “Edge of Glory” on May 9th, fans began uploading videos on YouTube, making the song their own by dancing to it, singing it and playing it on all kinds of instruments. Lady Gaga then posted a message on her website asking for more videos to be used in the film project. Fans responded within minutes and uploaded hundreds more videos. Back in the editing room, in real time as fan videos streamed in, editors were putting them into the film.
The film was completed on May 18th in time to air during Lady Gaga’s performance on the season finale of Saturday Night Live, and to also live on the web and turned into a commercial for the launch of Google Chrome. Wow.
We love Lady Gaga; we love the social web; we love you and hope that you will take this video as a lesson from Gaga on the power to use the web to transform your relationships with your own “little monsters’ in a way that will propel your business, brand, career (and life) forward!
Love + Awesomeness-
Nina xo
Give Me A Reason To Believe
Stories are attempts to share our values and beliefs. Story telling is only worthwhile when it tells what we stand for, not what we do. Simon Sinek
(This post was originally published on April 8, 2013. Over three years later, it remains as relevant as the day I wrote it.)
When you hear the word “marketing”, what is the first thing that comes to your mind? For some, it may be fuzzy, for some, you may think about the services and products you sell, maybe some of you are thinking about promotions, brochures or advertising. Or maybe some of you are saying, I have no clue, but it’s not my job. I am here to tell you if you are trying to sell something, it is your job. Your job as a brand owner is to give me a reason to believe.
I Feel Stories
When I hear the word marketing, I see, hear and feel a story. I always have. And now more than ever, both online and off, people want stories. They are looking for meaningful relationships with businesses. They are looking for your why. Your purpose, promise, and passion.
You see, there are so many products and programs and so many platforms to scream about them, about how awesome they are, and how they are so much better than everyone else’s. But guess what, the consumer is smarter than ever, and with all the noise in the marketplace, products get lost, but compelling stories stand out.
I Know You Cut Hair, But Why Should I Care
I never received a formal education in marketing. Yet I was responsible for marketing one of the biggest global brands of professional hair care in the world. And I was good at it. Why?
Because I did not see products as products, I saw them as solutions, as part of a bigger story and worked tirelessly to bring meaning and value to each and every thing I marketed. The same idea goes for your biz. Why should I come to you to get my haircut? There are a gazillion other options I have. Why you?
Creating A Relevant Story
When it comes to marketing something and creating a compelling story, I ask myself these simple questions:
1. Why am I creating this program, product or service?
2. What problem am I solving?
3. What is the brand purpose WHY) and promise (HOW)?
4. Who am I creating this for?
5. Why will they want my product, service, program or business?
Give Me A Reason To Believe, Please
So what’s your story? Your why? Your purpose, promise and passion? I want to know before I choose to engage with your business. And here is a hint. If it’s hype and BS, I will see right through it. If you promise me the world, I will doubt you. I want the truth. And I want you to give me a reason to believe.
Are You Ready to Create Awesome?
Are you an owner or independent entrepreneur and want to learn more about marketing your biz and creating compelling stories that connect with the ideal client you would love to serve? My A School for Owners online coaching program may be a good fit for you.
Check it out and as always, if you have any questions or just want to say hi, I’m listening.
Love + Awesomeness- Nina
PS: Our stories now live on multiples platforms, both online and off. To learn how to get your story onto your social pages, you may like this weeks Passionista Biz Tip About The About Section. Enjoy.