DISQUS

martin beran · 1 year ago

great vid gary. You really nailed it on the head. Its the difference between broadcasting your brand to consumers and having conversations with consumers

Davide Di Cillo · 1 year ago

I totally agree with you.
sadly, working as a web designer, i still see clients thinking of internet in the same way they are thinking of print advertising.

they don't even imagine what they are missing.

Luke Irvin · 1 year ago

Gary! Love it! I've been battling for months now on an idea and it hit me like a train last night! I completely agree and understand everything here. Working the room is where it's at an what it's all about. What big changes do you think we will see soon? Like in the first quarter of 09?

Keep it up man!

Thanks so much for being a huge inspiration!

Luke

Zach Ramsay · 1 year ago

It feels like we are still a long way away from seeing the larger brands step into social interaction online. I liked your comment about caring. The smaller guys care more because they are fighting harder to get going.

Bloggeries · 1 year ago

Well said; life's a 2 way street. Is this the end of presentations? No but it's effectiveness is definitely on the way out. I don't even have a TV plugged in at my house but I do spend ~12 hours a day online.

Times are changing!

bill wrollcia · 1 year ago

yo gv,,,
these new companies are gonna work the room like Diddy and Jay Z on steroids... Look out older, lazy companies cause your gonna have to step up to the plate and take the bat off your shoulder and swing if you wanna hit the next walk off home run!!!!

KatieP · 1 year ago

I was arguing this point about reaching out to consumers on my blog a few days ago, but with one person, the argument was apparently to no avail! This 20-something seems to think it's beneath her to have wine brands promoting concerts. I'm trying, Gary!

http://tinyurl.com/6hjm3q

Sonny Gill · 1 year ago

Nice point Gary. Yet another aspect of how new media is changing the game and how execs have to change their traditional ways to reach out to consumers while opening themselves up. Either they open their eyes to it or an advocate within the company educates them and does it for them. Adhere to the evolution of business or go home.

Joshua · 1 year ago

Well done as usual! I have been hearing dopes in suits talk about "New Media" for about 8 years now, knowing FULL WELL not a single one of them understood it, even back then. And, this is what they get for not listening and for being apathetic to the world around them, they lose, we win.

David Ray · 1 year ago

Hey GV, great insights! I'm in sales myself and while my industry is quite different from yours in size and scope your message still holds true. Branding may start with that initial customer contact (meeting/presentation, printed ad, etc.) but it's what we do to help foster and grow that branding that truly separates the good from the great. You've given me some new things to think about for my 2009 sales planning!

Dana Fosburgh · 1 year ago

For those of us who are so fired up about social media/marketing...

Living and breathing it 247365...

We must keep in mind that there are those (suits included)...

Who don't know YouTube from testube...

A blog from a clog...

Twitter from tweezers...

Let alone what to do with it.

My point is thast it's easy to assume that...

Everybody is up to speed with all this stuff.

I'm sure you would agree that even though you

are all over it, it can be difficult to stay on top of the next...

"Thing".

Kudos to you for raising our awareness, throwing a lasso around us and dragging

us to the next level (whether we like it or not)!!!!

Tremendous job, Gary.

Michelle Evans · 1 year ago

Oh Gary, have I told you lately how much I love you?! It's verging on an unhealthy obsession lol... you continue to inspire me to follow what I know in my gut is right and good and best for the products and services I represent. If only I could speak to my execs like you speak to me... *sigh* If you are EVER in Vancouver, you have to let me know.

thinkerdog · 1 year ago

Gary - great video - thanks for the insights. Stretching your analogy just a bit - Cracker Jack and Nabisco (for example) are giving the presentation, and happy there's no untidy Q&A at the end - entirely unaware that the conversation has moved to the bar. The conversation about the presentation is *definitely* happening - they're just not participating... Funny - even though the "big" CEO's might not have time to participate in the conversation at the bar, a well-placed SM PR person or two could be their cool kids, with the ticket to the after-party. There are some big brands who get it - they're spending their online dollars wisely, and they're engaging agencies who get it.

Deano · 1 year ago

Yep Gary i completely agree...I love when a product or anything interacts back with the viewer or consumer.

Korey Bachelder · 1 year ago

I love that...their cost is just their time.

Daniel Kemp · 1 year ago

@Korey Bachelder: Well you got to pay someone to go on the twitter to interact with customers, so there are more costs than just time.

Josh · 1 year ago

Branding MUST MUST MUST!!!! equal personal relationships! A brand is nothing without consumers and consumers are not largely won on a graphic design or simple newspaper ad alone. There must be some sort of personal connection between the brand and the consumer!

Melanie Jordan@SunLoverPublish · 1 year ago

Most big companies don't get it yet, but they generally are always slow to adopt innovation unless they are in a quick moving industry like the tech industry or biotech.

It's easier for them to throw big budgets around and justify having 5000 VPs, than to roll up their sleeves and do it right. Or they offload the role (since it's not that important, right--just kidding) to some intern or low-paid person.

It's okay, that attitude makes it better for nimble marketers who do like me :)

Erik Boles · 1 year ago

This is spot on. If you are paying attention you are starting to see a HUGE shift in what consumers are going after, and how those consumers are the ones dictating the trends, not the marketing folks.

Life is changing all around you my friends, take advantage of it. It is simpler than you think it is.

Erik

howlr5 · 1 year ago

I love that Thunder Cuvee was front and center with all the other brands.

Derek F. · 1 year ago

Just LOVE it, if you want to sell you have to love and care about what you are selling.

Mike · 1 year ago

The concept of working the room is just brilliant Gary. It makes sop much sense. Thanks for sharing.
My motto is Blogging means Business

suikagirl1 · 1 year ago

Loved the message, Gary. What you've been talking about is RELATIONSHIPS. There is so much 'stuff' out in the world right now that its over-whelming and people can feel lost. What you're talking about is making that connection with people... and that's where businesses will flourish. People go where they feel connected...

zach even - esh · 1 year ago

oh shiizaa bruddah, very cool video!

keeps reminding me that i'm on the right track - u da man bruddah,

kill it,

--z--

Kiel Holliday · 1 year ago

I agree Gary. At the moment I am in a branding effort for myself and learning more about the subject of personal branding. I am going to like it.

Andy · 1 year ago

Sorry mate, But I don't agree with you in some points. brands can't symply change a product from night to morning. when they develop a product they do test with real people. even the boxed and the colors are test with a group of people to test reactiation, recommendation,etc (I used to work in company that design boxes for cereals and we used to test the diferent proposals of boxes Designs with even hundred of childrens) . Big companies normally recieve feedbak from costumers daily they just apply those changes when a lot o people react in a way. YES for small companies is a diferent history and tecnology can help and save a lot of money to small business

Justin Roberts · 1 year ago

Working the room like a pro!

nico · 1 year ago

great video gary, you tell the truth. As zach said, it also tells me we're on the right track here - conversation, customer engagment, brand content...

Rob · 1 year ago

Great vid GV. You're spot on about about using social media as tools. Dropping crumbs all over the place leaves a much bigger mess (i.e. area of influence) than just making a big spill in one spot.

Mike · 1 year ago

What I really loved about that video, besides the fact that it was articulate and insightful, was that there are so many different perspectives you can look at where those observations ring true.
For example, literally working the room versus giving a presentation. Having a two way conversation with a real person just invests that person so much more.
I also think, however, that there is something of a dilemma that comes out of this. Even though giving a presentation is strictly one way, there is no danger of backlash from customers. In engaging the user, there is a great risk of companies being attacked and customers being turned off through user engagement, e.g. negative reviews.
However, the potential rewards far outweigh the risks of having disgruntled customers engage with the company. Giving people the feeling that they are being spoken to directly, and that they are therefore special, is incredibly powerful.

@element3media · 1 year ago

@Korey Bachelder - Why can't they just do it them selves? The point is not to have some "Intern" talking to your customers, the point is to have the heads of the company talking to their customers.

Jake Matthews · 1 year ago

GREAT video Gary - you are spot-on. It's all about being available, having the dialogue, reaching out, networking and working the room; as you say.

Thanks for sharing!

Ryan Graves · 1 year ago

AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME.

It's very similar to flirting with a girl. Small, focused, and intimate attention will work. Being the boisterous guy screaming to a crown...no game.

Good work Gary...you're ActionsTalk episode is hitting the presses early next week.

Matt · 1 year ago

Gary -

I spent the past four years helping to educate content publishers and brand (and carriers) on why mobile advertising needed to be a necessary weapon in their respective arsenals. I realized that the key with any emerging type media "sell" is to properly set context and expectations. Said differently, it is better received when presented as another means to build your brand or reach new users etc. instead of as something that will do away with the way things current work. I think your "educate first" approach is right on.

I look forward to your continued success.

Matt

Bobby Bo · 1 year ago

The real question is how do you sell ketchup with social media. How do you elicit conversation about ketchup? The big brands are big (in big food industry anyway) because the can dominate logistically, providing cheaper products, in packaging that catches the eye. The real revolution IS with the little guy using social media, the Un-ketchup. Maybe a crazy flavored sauce that is small batch produced and hard to find. No big deals with supermarket chains, or high production demands that result in an inferior product, just the craftsman selling "out of his trunk" on the web. The last thing we need is big industry garbage grabbing up the airwaves. Do you think anyone at Kraft is really passionate about their cheese?

José Eduardo · 1 year ago

I agree with ya Gary! But one question - what happens when the room is no longer doing it for fun and to help but just to get a buck? We move onto web 2.5 or 3.0?

Just a thought.

Cheers from Portugal.

Annie · 1 year ago

What I am wondering is how do you make your client's CEOs & CMOs (who want to give presentations and see results) to understand that it is more important to work the room?

Lee Garverick · 1 year ago

Cool. Time, I have...

David Dadekian · 1 year ago

Every day I try to use more. I'm a little slow sometimes to get so involved in a particular product because I've been working this online world for almost 15 years now and I know there will be some triage over which products/networks survive. But I hear what your saying about working it, very important. Thanks.

Matt Trevors · 1 year ago

Hey Gary, nice placement of the Thunder Cuvee :)... I might just have to break open a bottle tonight...

Sam With Traffic Is King · 1 year ago

It will be awhile before they catch on. These companies are slow to adopt and the CEO's are resistant to change. I don't see it happening in the future. However like you said, it will take some some nimble company to take advantage of social media and "work the room". When that happens and the bigger companies find themselves losing brand equity to a smaller company, maybe then they'll realize the important of social media.

Andy · 1 year ago

Loser

Dugdale · 1 year ago

I liked how you knocked over the bottle of Heinz as if to say they are totally doing it wrong.

Susan · 1 year ago

Gary, I am SOOOO glad you "get it" when others don't...........thanks again for the SUPER advice!!!! ONCE again you are right!!!!!!!!!!! :)

Milos · 1 year ago

God bless the internet! :) Basically, when it comes down to, the internet, whose purpose is to connect us from all over the world is what made it possible to reach a much larger audience at a faster pace. Extensions or complements to the internet are all these great (some not so great) social media sites and services which make it easy to share our ideas, opinions and market our brands, products and services in a blink of an eye.

As always, great video Gary!

Dhairya Mistry (DM) · 1 year ago

Another great video. I am very impressed with your content. I do see personal branding being MUST to be successful in this global economy. Great work...

rob murray · 1 year ago

Great points about the cost and the upside. I work for one of the brands you mentioned and I used to work for another both on the marketing side. I will make an impact on my brand and start the conversation.

Ian S · 1 year ago

Your absolutely right, as far as you went. However the problem is scalability; you've talked in the past about wanting to answer all your own correspondence which is fine for a while but as it grows it becomes impossible.

That's the problem a big brand faces. Sure it could employ people to answer emails, but a canned reply is very different to a two-way conversation. Engaging with 100,000 consumers just isn't possible today. If Nabisco (other brands are available!!) could produce a customized product for every consumer to ensure loyalty, whilst maintaining margin, I'm sure they would.

Perhaps the future is smaller companies that can build a sustainably small community around them, by small I'm thinking no more than 5000-10,000 people. But that's a boutique brand, which by definition (lacking ecconomy of scale) is going to be more expensive.

Would I pay 1 UKP or 1 dollar more per packet of breakfast cereal, if I was "involved" in the product... ?

BamaTrojan · 1 year ago

Agreed - the opportunity is enormous for new brands to be built. The established brands will struggle to create valid and interesting conversations. They will look at it as one more outlet for their messaging and, while it is, it is not for the traditional messaging that they are used to.

Howard Chapman · 1 year ago

The thing I like about Gary is that I can aurally excercise at the same time as I'm being informed. He has helped me lift my listening speed to 20,000 wpm.

shannon · 1 year ago

I am a huge advocate of what you are saying too. Unfortunaelty tons of people say they get it around me but don't understand the time that is needed what-so-ever.

It takes time to massage and committ every single day within the social sphere. Those people I am talking about, just think they can open up an account, broadcast and watch the traffic come in - they are fricken nuts! Nothing comes easy and genuine interaction is needed and no hard sell stuff - please people!

You are so right Gary - those people and companies will be left in the dusk when others grasp and take the time to interact.

Awesome case study from my own experience: Two weeks ago, I asked another tweet how was her experience with Zappos, and sure another the CEO followed me. I twittered him and asked if he is using tweetbeep for alerts and he responded yes - WOW - so impressive that the CEO is at ground level talking to people. He is very quick to respond and is married to twitter and realizes the power! Sure enough, if I needed to buy shoes online or wanted to - where would I go- hmmn probably Zappos!

Andrew McMillen · 1 year ago

Thanks for this Gary. Food for thought..

mlewis106 · 1 year ago

Man, that's the trick too! In this Tivo and Ad Block age, we have to put our product out there and grab attention fast, real fast. It can be done though!

Freddie Taylor · 1 year ago

Gary, I am slapping everyone that has known about you, this site, even your wine site for keeping it from me for so long. That is just wrong, so don't try to hold me back.

As I work the room, some will be getting slapped, so don't be alarmed.

Good stuff and I love the branding conversation!

Jeremy · 1 year ago

Well said... Great site, I will be featuring it on thepushforward.com very soon

Companies are soon going to have to change the direction they were heading and step out of the "Traditional mindset" A lot of the "higher ups" have a very "traditional" way of thinking as well...

Who will when in the years to come?

Yan Pritzker · 1 year ago

Great video Gary. There's a reciprocal side to this, which is the more customers get used to the idea of social media and being able to talk to brands, the more they start getting frustrated with brands that don't get it. Take for example comcast on twitter - they're doing a great job embracing conversation and actually doing something to solve people's problems. However, a company like AT&T still has no clue. So when I'm already used to the fact that when I have a comcast issue I just go to twitter and talk to Frank, when I have an AT&T problem I get extremely frustrated because no one is out there listening to things I have to say about the brand.

So not only will small brands rise up, but the adaptation of customers to a world where they expect brands to listen will increase the damage done to large brands that don't get how to listen.

Hans Eich · 1 year ago

Oh Gary,

you are so right on this one. I actually realized that for myself with my teeny tiny little start up (Ukoonto.com). My job is to go out an educate people on a personal level, one on one, about our product (wooden building blocks, kids toys :-) in this case). It costs me absolutely silch, but I'm starting a large avalanche with mini stones right now, and all it costs me is time.

I've been so burnt out on large sponsorships that did absolutely nothing for my brand.

There is one exception that you have on the table though: Red Bull!!! Have you ever heard of the book "Brand Hijack" by Wipperfürth? It is absolutely amazing what they did to come into the market (10 years ago). So I'm pretty sure they are one step ahead, just like you are.

Cheers, Hans

Ash · 1 year ago

Nice video, brand managers should stand up and take notice. This is the new way of branding, especially when you have something which is cool and sexy.

Craig Reid · 1 year ago

Very good, just make sure you're in the right room.

lewishowes · 1 year ago

Networking (and social networking) seem to be the same as "working the room"... and this is really the key to success.

Clintus · 1 year ago

Solid message.

Martin Thorborg · 1 year ago

Fun show :-)
But Gary, why do you preach that you should interact with your audience, when you don't. Your show is no better than Cracker Jack.. You have 70 comments with questions, and you don't answer any of them.
You your self is a old brand... ;-)

Cheers

Martin Thorborg