Love Your Customers First and Your Customers will Reciprocate

I am a HUGE advocate of finding ways to leverage viral marketing and social media to extend your brand and grow your business. By definition, that which is viral is also organic, meaning you shouldn’t over think the process of growing your brand virally.

The engine that powers your viral messages is the value you provide to those who share your message with others causing it to spread online. But you are the spark that ignites the process and for that you simply need to develop the mindset of giving to others first.

In their latest books, Gary Vaynerchuk (Thank You Economy), Guy Kawasaki (Enchantment), and Russell Simmons (Do You) among other thought leaders have stated… the companies and brands that will thrive now and into the future are those that empower people to fulfill their purpose by engaging with a company or brand. The trend is for customers and communities to engage with companies whose brand values include putting people first and creating exceptional experiences in the delivery of their products and services.

In this short video we are treated to rare dual interview from two of the most forward thinking entrepreneurs on the scene today. Gary Vaynerchuk and Guy Kawasaki take turns highlighting the core message of their books.

This Short Video Contains Several Gold Nuggets to Help You Thrive

Gary Vaynerchuk Audio Interview 

 I encourage you to read both Gary and Guy’s books in addition to the book referenced above by Russell Simmons. By being authentic, transparent, and operating with integrity, you will successfully engage your market and a build community of raving fans who will spread your message virally in your market.

I would also love to read your comments on this video. If you have discovered other books on this topic that you feel add value, please feel free to add the authors and titles in your comments  below.

I am here to help you succeed by helping you prepare to launch into 2012 with focus and momentum.

Have a blessed day!

(c) Copyright 2008-2011 James A. Holmes. All Rights Reserved.

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James Holmes, Global Team Builder, Coach and Trainer, combining online and offline techniques to help you grow your business. To request a free 30 minute consultation contact James by phone at 303-523-9503 or email at james@AskJamesHolmes.com

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Note: If you’d like to reprint this article on your blog or in your newsletter you have permission to do so as long as the copyright information and the resource box above remains with the article.

Gary Vanerchuck on Social Media

Gary Vaynerchuk is a true force in Web 2.0 marketing leveraging the power of social media. I have previously posted videos of Gary on my blog and I have personally interviewed him for my Internet Business Blueprint podcast and closely follow his business model and marketing principles. I came across this video today and wanted to share it with you.

Here are a few basic principles on how to use social media effectively:

1. Content is King!

2. Just do it … don’t wait for someone to tell you “how to use social media – be authentic.

3. Invite others to the conversation and don’t just focus on yourself.

4. Recognize that your customers and followers control the message, so care about your followers and listen.

5. Live in the communities that care about what you love and talk about it – everyday!

In this CNN video Gary Vaynerchuk drives these points home in his usual entertaining way with clear and actionable advice. Gary also share a little insight into one of his greatest personal objectives, which just might surprise you or maybe not.

As always, I invite you to post your comments on Gary Vee and the social media revolution. I also would love to know what your greatest challenge has been with social media and your personal success stories. Thank you for visiting my blog.

I am here to help you succeed in building your business and creating an Internet lifestyle of your design.

P.S. Grab My Free Guide to Getting Started with Social Media:

http://maximumimpactsocialmedia.com

(c) Copyright 2008-2011 James A. Holmes. All Rights Reserved.

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James Holmes, Global Team Builder, Coach and Trainer, combining online and offline techniques to help you grow your business. To request a free 30 minute consultation contact James by phone at 303-523-9503 or email at james@AskJamesHolmes.com

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Note: If you’d like to reprint this article on your blog or in your newsletter you have permission to do so as long as the copyright information and the resource box above remains with the article.

What is the return on investment from Social Media? This is a question that has been debated consistently over the past few months by a variety of thought leaders across the web. Erik Qualman, Gary Vaynerchuk , Guy Kawasaki, Seth Godin have written books that address the topic of Social Media ROI

The value of social media for business has been debated by early adopters and those slow to commitment to Facebook, Twitter, You Tube, Stumble Upon and other social platforms as an import part of their overall marketing and client relations strategy. The debate rages on, but what is undeniable is the impact that social media has had on small businesses and multi-national corporations alike.

I want to share a short video today that makes a powerful statement. The ROI on social media has been huge for many companies and transformational for others. New industries have emerged and old business models have been given new life as the world has become a much smaller place. I encourage you to invest a few minutes watching this powerful video and reading the associated blog post from across the social web.

Socialnomics Presents Social Media ROI

Who is Erik Qualman?

Often called the Digital Dale Carnegie, Erik Qualman is the author of Socialnomics: How social media transforms the way we live and do business. Socialnomics made Amazon’s #1 Best Selling List for the US, UK, Canada and Germany.

Here are 15 Fast Facts Related to Return on Investment and Social Media:

1. By 2010 Gen Y will outnumber Baby Boomers….96% of them have joined a social network
2. Social Media has overtaken porn as the #1 activity on the Web
3. Years to Reach 50 millions Users:  Radio (38 Years), TV (13 Years), Internet (4 Years), iPod (3 Years)…Facebook added 100 million users in less than 9 months…iPhone applications hit 1 billion in 9 months.
4. % of companies using LinkedIn as a primary tool to find employees….80%
5. The fastest growing segment on Facebook is 55-65 year-old females
6. There are over 200,000,000 Blogs
7. Because of the speed in which social media enables communication, word of mouth now becomes world of mouth
8. 25% of search results for the World’s Top 20 largest brands are links to user-generated content
9. 34% of bloggers post opinions about products & brands
10. 78% of consumers trust peer recommendations
11. Only 14% trust advertisements
12. Only 18% of traditional TV campaigns generate a positive ROI
13. In the near future we will no longer search for  products and services they will find us via social media
14. Successful companies in social media act more like Dale Carnegie and less like David Ogilvy Listening first, selling second
15. Successful companies in social media act more like party planners, aggregators, and content providers than traditional advertiser

Source: Socialnomics

Here are a few blog post from influential publishers on this topic:

1. Mashable Social Media ROI Cycle

2. Tech CrunchHow Social Media Drives New Business Six Case Studies

3. Gary Vaynerchuk ROI on Social Media

Regardless if you chose to engage with your market with social media or chose to ignore it, I would encourage you to actually decide, make a conscious decision either way. Social media is not a fad, it is not trivial, and it is not going away – it is actually just in its infancy. If you invest the time required to craft a thoughtful social media strategy your results will be transformational for you and your brand.

I would love to read your thoughts and comments on social media. I invite you to post a comment below and share how social media is impacting your business and niche market.

I am here to help you succeed!

New to Social Media? Grab a free download of my guide: Maximum Impact Social Media

(c) Copyright 2008-2011 James A. Holmes. All Rights Reserved.

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James Holmes, Global Team Builder, Coach and Trainer, combining online and offline techniques to help you grow your business. To request a free 30 minute consultation contact James by phone at 303-523-9503 or email at james@AskJamesHolmes.com

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Note: If you’d like to reprint this article on your blog or in your newsletter you have permission to do so as long as the copyright information and the resource box above remains with the article.

Gary Vaynerchuk is a phenomenon and he has a lot to say about the success of your business – are you listening? In this video Gary Vee talks about social media and your prospects for success in the new economy, the thank you economy. This video was recorded by Fora TV on November  5, 2010 at the second annual Innovation Forum at the Morgan Library in New York City.

Watching this video will be the best 10:31 you can spend today because your investment of time will repay you consistently and in many unexpected ways.

The content in this video should cause you to stop and think about how you are using social media to build your brand and grow your business. If it doesn’t inspire serious thought on your part, beware, you may be on your way out of business in the new economy.

• Here are a few bullet points:
• We are witnessing the “humanization of business”
• We are massively stuck in “talking too much”
• It is time to start listening
• More content is created in every 48 hour period than was created from the dawn of time through 2003
• You must have a serious mobile strategy on 2011
• We are grossly underestimating how young the Internet really is!

Who is Gary Vaynerchuk?

Gary Vaynerchuk the creator of Wine Library TV and author of “Crush It” delivers a raw and very real action plan for branding yourself on the social web. The Wine Library enjoys an audience of 100,000 viewers every day that watch Gary’s 30 minute program highlighting wines. Gary Vee as he is known on Twitter is one of the true thought leaders on the topic of social media and business. Gary’s latest book is “The Thank You Economy” and is a must read for 2011!

Please be sure to post a comment here and let me know your thoughts on this video and the future of social media. Also, if you have read either of Gary’s books, I would love to hear how they have impacted the way you look at your business.

I am here to help you succeed!

P.S. Visit my fan page and if you gain value from the page “Like It”

http://www.facebook.com/AskJamesHolmes

P.S.S. To learn more about using Social Media, grab a copy of my ebook for free:

http://maximumimpactsocialmedia.com

(c) Copyright 2008-2011 James A. Holmes. All Rights Reserved.

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James Holmes, Global Team Builder, Coach and Trainer, combining online and offline techniques to help you grow your business. To request a free 30 minute consultation contact James by phone at 303-523-9503 or email at james@AskJamesHolmes.com

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Note: If you’d like to reprint this article on your blog or in your newsletter you have permission to do so as long as the copyright information and the resource box above remains with the article.

Gary Vaynerchuk the creator of Wine Library TV and author of “Crush It” delivers a raw and very real action plan for branding yourself on the social web. If you have been engaged in social media in 2008, you witnessed the emergence of a special media icon and one heck of a marketer. I check back in with Gary Vee (as he is known in the social space.) to see where we are heading … seriously, he had a knack for knowing where the social space is heading and how to be relevant upon arrival.

This video was recorded in 2008 and is still relevant today. This presentation was given in front of a live audience at Web 2.0 Expo held in New York City. I watched this again for the third or fourth time and wanted to share it with you.

Gary Vaynerchuk Web 2.0 Expo New York

Please be sure to post your comments after watching this video and let me know what lessons you take away, I will be curious to see if they are similar to mine. Then take action upon what you learn and let me know if I can help you in anyway. If you have not yet read Gary Vaynerchuk’s book “Crush It” … that would be your next step.

I am here to help you succeed!

(c) Copyright 2008-2011 James A. Holmes. All Rights Reserved.

*************************

James Holmes, Global Team Builder, Coach and Trainer, combining online and offline techniques to help you grow your business. To request a free 30 minute consultation contact James by phone at 303-523-9503 or email at james@AskJamesHolmes.com

*************************

Note: If you’d like to reprint this article on your blog or in your newsletter you have permission to do so as long as the copyright information and the resource box above remains with the article.

Gary Vaynerchuk Live and Unplugged!

It was a typical Sunday morning, I like to settle in with a hot cup of coffee and the Sunday newspapers and a passive monitoring of Twitter from my hand held device; suddenly everything changed in a moment of opportunity which is great for you and me. Social media guru and owner of The Wine Library Gary Vaynerchuk was stuck in an airport, no lap top with six hours to kill.

Gary sent out this simple tweet; “laptop broke (no audio can’t tape a vid) no flip left it in NJ, so cant tape, so no taping I guess I can do some interviews, any1 want me?”

I saw the power in that moment and sent Gary an immediate reply asking if he would be up for an impromptu interview and Q&A session on my podcast channel. Gary said; “let’s do it!” Thirty minutes later we were on the air with dozens of people tweeting about the call and joining the conversation with great questions for Gary, who provided tremendous value for everyone listening. There is a lesson here for anyone interested in leveraging social media to deliver a message or to reach a large group of people in a short period of time.

As you invest time in social media look for opportunities to engage at a deeper level and take action when an opportunity reveals itself.  Among the many golden nuggets shared on the podcast two come to mind and I want to share these principles with you.

1. Patience is a lost art and needed in social media: Get engaged and be consistent, the result will follow given enough time and activity.

2. Social Media = Business in 2009

Who is GaryVaynerchuk?

Gary Vaynerchuk has captured attention with his pioneering, multi-faceted approach to personal branding and business. After primarily utilizing traditional advertising techniques to build his family’s local wine business into a national industry leader, Gary rapidly leveraged social media tools such as Twitter and Facebook to promote Wine Library TV, his video blog about wine. As his viewership swelled to over 80,000 a day, doors opened to a book deal, several national TV appearances, and a flurry of speaking engagements around the world. Gary’s dual identity as both business guru and wine guy has made him the “Social Media Sommelier.”

Here is a video sampling of Gary Vee

Here is the Interview:

As always, I invite you to post your comments on Gary Vee and the social media revolution. I also would love to know what your greatest challenge has been with social media and your personal success stories. Thank you for visiting my blog.

I am here to help you succeed in building your business and creating an Internet lifestyle of your design.

P.S. To hear the other podcast interviews visit: http://www.BlogTalkRadio.com/AskJamesHolmes

(c) Copyright 2008-2011 James A. Holmes. All Rights Reserved.

*************************

James Holmes, Global Team Builder, Coach and Trainer, combining online and offline techniques to help you grow your business. To request a free 30 minute consultation contact James by phone at 303-523-9503 or email at james@AskJamesHolmes.com

*************************

Note: If you’d like to reprint this article on your blog or in your newsletter you have permission to do so as long as the copyright information and the resource box above remains with the article.