Photo of Gary Vaynerchuk via NPR

By doing exactly what they were doing before: giving that personal attention mom-and-pop shops are known for—except online.

When storeowner Gary Vaynerchuk created winelibrary.com and Wine Library TV, and began using Facebook and Twitter, he understood that he would have to do more than just have a social media presence.  He decided to provide real value to customers by building truly meaningful connections which he says, “is hard to do if you’re pushing too hard.” Especially because (as he puts it) his customers’ BS radars are good and getting better.

So how did he find the balance?

Check out his interview with NPR to find out.

-Bianca Abate

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Social media yahta-yahta-yahta. I think the last time that the business world was overtaken so completely by one innovation was when computers started appearing on desktops a couple of decades ago. Social media is just as revolutionary and takes just as much planning to make it work for you. But it’s critical because it’s where brand communities are built. And it’s overwhelming.

Most of us don’t have the resources to pull off intricately orchestrated marketing campaigns like Coca-Cola’s Expedition 206 or for a full-time engager like Lee Aase, Mayo Clinic Social Media Manager .

I say, so what! You can do some Internet research on your own to see what’s going on in your market space and what (if anything) is being said about you. You can start a Facebook page and build it up over time. You can join the throngs on Twitter and tweet when there’s something relevant to say. Start with a goal, create a plan and then stick to it. Be realistic about how much resource you can devote—even if it’s only 2 hours a week.

Why now? Because the world isn’t going to come rushing to your door the minute you get engaged. Just like any new friendship, it’s built in phases. First you meet, then you go out for coffee. If there’s chemistry and they find you interesting enough, your new friend might invite you to meet some of their friends…and so it goes. Brand community-building is the same. One-by-one steps that deepen the relationship.

If you don’t get out there now, your competitors will be out there tempting your customers to have coffee with THEM. You’ll have to dive in at some point—so why wait?

Your friend, Beth Woolley

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The brand that’s made me the happiest this year is Wolfgang’s Vault. I go there on a regular basis, often on Friday afternoons when I’m finishing up administrative tasks and need some ear candy. The more I listen, the more often I return. I’ve heard concerts by artists I wish I’d gone to and concerts from the same tours I saw “back in the day” by artists that hadn’t made it big yet. I started going to the site a couple of years ago to relive some great musical moments in my life—but now I’m getting much more.

I love that the Vault has branched out to newer artists and more recent concerts. Their A to Z list of performers is huge and inclusive, so I can experiment. There are artist interviews as well as concerts. There are lots of free downloads as well as ones you have to pay for. Plus concert listings in my area.

The website has improved steadily. It’s become increasingly easy to use and what Wolfgang’s Vault is adding, I’m enjoying. I must be in their target demographic—they’re hitting me in my soft spot and I love it!

What’s the brand lesson? Do one thing really well and build from there. Innovate around what you know and give your customers and fans an easy path to follow as you lead the way. If the substance is there and you demonstrate that you’re listening, you’ll keep your die-hards and win new ones.

Have a great 2010!

Beth Woolley

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While reading our blog series this month you might be tempted to ask—what’s the big deal with social media anyway? Isn’t it just another portal? After you’ve read this online testimonial from Group Health patient Bill you might able to more easily answer this question. Bill had what can only be described as an excellent experience as a first time patient of Group Health, and he took the time yesterday to blog about it.

This is a great example of what happens when an organization delivers on its brand promise—the customer is likely to share that experience. In the case of Bill, he shared it with more than one friend over lunch, he broadcasted it in the most public way one consumer can, through his blog. While we don’t know what Bill’s daily readership is, we can assume that as people search for information about Group Health this will be one of the pieces of information available. And it doesn’t get much better than that.

Kudos to our client Group Health for asking “what’s next for our customers’ health?” and then making it happen.

–Briana

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Thought leadership—where you use your intellectual approach to a problem or a challenge as the way to get people to pay attention to your company—is a great strategy for marketing—but it requires two things:

1) the discipline not to pitch your products/services while you’re thought leading, and
2) actual thought leadership .

If you meet those two requirements, then it’s time to bring it to the web. Online thought leadership is necessary today, because that’s where people get their information. These days, online means much more than a blog. Your brand promise now extends to how you show up in Twitter, email, Facebook, ebooks, Linked In, website, blog, podcasts, webinars, vlogs, wikis and wherever your target audiences are.

Overwhelming, right?

So start with an online strategy. Map out where your audience gets its information. Figure out where your brand will suffer if you don’t do it—and which social media or online distribution channels can best convey your message. And start with your own website—looking at how your thought leadership is represented there and how you can beef it up.

Once you have your strategy, create content once and repurpose it. Then, refresh it regularly. Think deeply and lead wisely.

-Lynn Parker

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