Gary Vaynerchuk is no stranger to social media. In the span of a decade, he has transformed himself into one of the premier social media masters of our generation. He is sought after by startups, Fortune 500 companies, and celebrities, alike, for his unique take on the uses of social media and conservations surrounding it.
He has his own perspective on how to use social media the right way which has even helped our business grow over the last couple years as we continue to expand our network and foster engaging relationships online. You know we had to get him to bless our community with some of this knowledge and #BossUP too!
Here are some of my favorite takeaways from our talk with Gary Vee:
“I make no distinction between my online and offline life.”
Gary Vee is cut from a different cloth when it comes to social media.
He has built a tremendous following by sticking to one simple principle: he lives his online life exactly the same way as his offline life. When you go back and look through his old YouTube videos ranting and raving about a particular wine (expletives included), that’s the exact same person you will meet in real life. He makes no distinction between the two.
Of course, it will be tough for some of you to operate on this level. Many of us are still stuck in the corporate wheel and might not be able to afford to tell the same jokes on Twitter as in the office. However, the point here is to stay as authentic as possible in all areas of your life.
Have you met someone in real life who was a totally different person on twitter or instagram? I have and I’m sure you have also. It’s mostly comical but that person usually comes off as untrustworthy. Social media has become an extension of our daily lives, and it’s important that they should match up, at least as closely as possible.
It’s also important for your business or startup’s social profile. I find it funny when I see huge corporate companies with very dull business outlook try to spruce up their twitter feeds by saying new slang words like “on fleek” or “turnt.” Nothing could be further from their core business philosophy. Make sure your company’s social media game is in tune with its values as well!
“The ask is your leverage.”
Whoever asks first is in second place.
We live in a world where we are more connected now than we ever were. Gary Vaynerchuk believes that whoever asks first loses the leverage in a relationship. The few times where it happens in his world, Gary goes above and beyond to over deliver because he feels the leverage is lost
This point holds a ton of merit. In business, we must remember the game is long. For every overnight billion dollar app you hear about, there are 100 other successful companies that have grinded it out over the years to reach their current place.
For this reason, Gary advises to be patient for the long haul because the game is played a lot longer than we actually recognize. We are going to be entrepreneurs and professionals for the rest of our lives. And since it’s a long game, there is no reason to give up your leverage by asking for a favor immediately after connecting with someone.
There are tons of ways to offer a value, online and offline. Think about how you can offer value to someone else before you ask them for something. It’s a social media variation of the golden rule, and works it magic.
TIP: A lot of people want to be “connectors” today and just match up different individuals (poorly) for the sake of providing value when in actual fact they are doing it for themselves. Do not do this. Only provide value when and where you deem it to be beneficial for the other parties and necessary. It’s very easy to tell when someone is pretending to provide value somewhere with only their best interest at heart.
“Intent deeply matters.”
Gary makes an awesome point in our talk when discussing intent. Our intentions are almost as clear as our body language; they’re difficult to hide. We are all programmed with BS radars. When it comes to business, it’s really easy to tell whose intentions do not line up with their words, as our BS signals start flying off the radar.
We can feel intentions; it’s the fundamental nature of all human beings. As entrepreneurs and business owners, it is imperative that we keep our intentions pure. Gary expands on this point by clarifying why he gives so much value.
His reason for giving so much is because he wants the opportunity to ask.
The intention when you give or ask for something is always clear. You might think you are being slick by trying to offer a partner free tickets to that concert, but your intentions are clear as day.
It is often overlooked, but we must remember that intention is one of the most important aspects of being a great communicator and, in turn, a great entrepreneur.
Do not be afraid to give. It’s important to provide value, and that creates an opportunity for leverage, so make sure your intentions are 100% in line with those actions and words.
Jahde is a Founding Partner and the Director of Business Development at The Phat Startup. Holla at him @jahde
Image Credit: CC by Affiliate Summit