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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There’s exciting stuff going on with my Vitamin Water.

Allow me to set the scene: Seattle’s annual Capitol Hill Block Party showcases over 60 indie bands. It’s a summer weekend that turns a downtown neighborhood into a huge party with 3 stages of music, big crowds, and lots of sun.

Vitamin Water went to the CHBP, but they didn’t pass out free samples from the back of a van as expected.  Instead they rented a hip loft space and set up fans, bean bag chairs and a dance floor. A DJ spun tunes as cute bartenders served Vitamin Water cocktails. And of course…refrigerators were filled with as much free Vitamin Water as one could handle.

My friends and I had such a good time, we spent over 2 hours dancing, meeting people and taking glam shots in their photo booth—that’s us above cocktails in hand.  I appreciate that they created a distinct experience for us music fans by making sure everyone had a good time as a good party host should.

This is social branding at its best.  This company went to where their customers hang out and contributed what’s important to them. And this kind of understanding is the magic that creates a special camaraderie and drives more meaningful relationships with people.

Needless to say, we all went home with purses full of Vitamin Water excited for their next dance party.

- Bianca Abate

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Social networking has just about hit its peak. What I mean by that is, we have reached a point of maximum density for social networks such that new ones popping up are bound to fail. The winners have emerged–Facebook for personal, LinkedIn for business, and Twitter for marketing–and now the focus is turning to how to make every online experience social (wherever you are on the web). It’s placeless social networking or the social web.

Companies need to be thinking about how they engage with users beyond the traditional website to establish and build an ongoing social relationship wherever a user happens to be. The days of brochure-ware have been over for awhile. It’s time to think about what it means to be social–then, build a company-wide strategy that extends beyond having a website, a Facebook page and a LinkedIn profile to how you strategically use human resources, marketing, sales and the web to build social relationships.

–Jen Travis

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What sparks your curiosity or motivates you to take action? Interests obviously vary from person to person, but there’s one consistent factor that significantly impacts our ability to draw others in: simplicity.

People gravitate toward concepts that are easy to understand in a few words yet still poke at the imagination.  The goal of a message should be: when people hear about it, they ask questions.

Spanx is a great example. If I told you that Spanx are “body shapers” would you be interested in finding out more? How would your impression change if I called them Power Panties? A girdle?

Body shaper is a gender-neutral description that’s easy to understand—it’s obviously slimming. And their sub-brand Power Panties works really well in targeting women while fighting the stigma of control-top undergarments.  Most importantly, upon hearing it you probably have questions. What do they look like? How do they work? Who wears them? And so on. It’s clear yet thought provoking.

Capturing that special element to compel people to action is less about wordsmithing and more about figuring out the key concepts you want to focus on. And those drilled-down concepts form your brand’s foundation. Examples:

1. Home Depot- Home improvement center for the do-it-yourselfer
2. The Simpsons- Dysfunctional family cartoon sitcom
3. Staples- Office supply ordering made easy
4. Levi’s- Classic American jeans

Ultimately, it’s this over-arching concept that helps you answer the fundamental “why?” question for your customers. Leverage your first impression by giving an easy-to-digest tidbit that hints at that “why,” and their curiosity will bring them to you with an appetite for more.

- 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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I’m middle-aged and I’m very attached to my privacy. I started on Facebook when two things happened simultaneously: a client “friended” me and an old friend made it clear that FB was the best way to keep up with her. Within a few months, I’d connected with a high school friend (among others) and was posting pictures of my “girls’ weekend.” I’m still restrictive with my privacy settings but I’m a fan of people, organizations and causes, I occasionally tweet and I’m connected to all kinds of online communities, running the gamut from information providers to purveyors of fun.

Have I purchased anything I wouldn’t have because of social media? Not yet. But my purchase decisions have been influenced by it. I’ve hired services recommended through Angie’s List and I just signed up—via a social media site—to receive notices on discounts for local services, including restaurants. And that’s hitting me where I live—if I’m going to make an impulse purchase, it’ll be for a cocktail and a snack (but I digress).

I’m interacting with complete strangers about things I care about. I’m donating more. I’ve become more attached to brands that make the effort to connect with me and that’s changing what and where I purchase.

Even though I don’t spend more than an hour or two with social media each week, if you don’t provide a place for me to connect with you, I’ll find someone else who does (or they’ll find me). I know I’m not everybody’s demographic—but I’m somebody’s.

Is anyone else surprised by their own relationship with social media?

Beth Woolley wants to know…

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Levi’s is teaming up with Pandora.com  to sponsor an annual interactive poster contest  to support youth music education for a cash prize.

They’ve got: co-branding, social media, and a philanthropic cause… the perfect recipe for community engagement.

http://pandora.votigo.com/poster/

-Bianca Abate

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