I have been following Gary Vaynerchuck since the start of his YouTube channel. So when I saw that Gary Vee was not only launching a book but having a Q&A session at SXSW, I knew I had to attend. As I was waiting in the line outside he approached and started to engage with those in line. I had never seen a panelist do that before, so it struck me by surprise. A good kind of surprise. He wanted to get to know us.
As many people know, Gary is known for his social media engagement, Vayner Media and transforming his fathers business from $3 Million to $60 Million business in just about five years. Before Snapchat became a hit he invested in it. He realized that it was the ONLY platform that was not the normal feed. He saw a potential given that a 21 year old snapchat user is still likely to use it in their late 20s and even 30s. Something the other platforms strive away from due to the limited target market. From personal experiences and knowledge he is able to foresee what is coming next.
This being my first SXSW panel I was beyond pumped and eager to learn more about social media marketing in Q&A form. Gary did an excellent job on being himself and sharing first hand knowledge in ways the audience can relate to.
“I believe in everything I sell,” Gary said.
He shared with all of us that effective public speakers must have energy and a passion for what they are talking about. In a sense that it will bring value to the audience and engage them in the topic at hand.
“Many public speakers when they talk it is like a press release for their company,” said Gary.
This is something that I had not previously thought about. But when I attended other panels I came to the conclusion that this was somewhat true. The reason is that many individuals do not value the audience to the point that they will adapt their message and interaction to meet the needs of them. Those individuals can also be very greedy when wanting to market their product and ideas. Ultimately, they forget about those sitting before them: the audience. This is one of the many reasons that Gary does his panels and speeches in Q&A format; so he can interact with the audience and help them help themselves.
In the Q&A, Gary had a tough love approach with his answers. He works for his employees and wants them to succeed. Companies should really be built on the ‘good’.
“The reason I have a tough love approach is that I love you guys and I want your ideas and businesses to succeed,” Gary said.
Gary mentions that peoples lack of patience and the need for things kills them. STOP complaining and take the bull by the horn; adjust your angle and re approach the scenario.
Some tips I learned:
- Do not dwell on your losses. Move on. Do not even give them the time of day.
- Empathy with others can make or break your business
- Kindness and patience is IMPORTANT
- Be your own person
- There is no such thing as millennials. Each person is uniquely different.
- “HAPPINESS DRIVES EVERYTHING, ” Gary said.
P.S. Thanks for the book signing Gary!