Stop taking for granted that you already have a community, it starts at 1!
Gary Who
Gary Vaynerchuk has captured national attention as a businessman and Internet celebrity. Gary’s fame can be attributed to his pioneering, multi-faceted approach to personal branding and business building. more
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June 5th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
Word Gary.
June 5th, 2008 at 1:28 pm
Gary. You. Are. The. Man.
Florida, Let’s hang sir!
http://twitter.com/SIGEPJEDI
June 5th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
Thanks for that reminder Gary. Great concept. Vids are up from your Austin visit. Thanks for making the trip!
Peace
June 5th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
To embed Gary’s video, click MENU then EMBED and copy code.
June 5th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Awesome vid, Gary. Gets me pumped up and encouraged to do great things, as always. Thanks!
June 5th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
Good food for thought, but the myth of the need for a large community comes from the idea of the CPM. The same struggle is going on with advertising. It’s not how many people participate, it’s how valuable each of those people are to the conversation and community.
June 5th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
Your totally right, a lot of people including my self always tend to look at stats. I guess people tie it in with success, the more viewers/followers you have the more popularity you gain and with that comes success. But to stay true to your viewers / followers you must be by there side, even if its one person. Thats the person that counts most.
June 5th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
I’m a member of the GaryV community! Thanks, Gary.
June 5th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
Great point. This just really made my day! Seriously, I think we all get a little frustrated at times trying to build these great creative projects, and get so wrapped up in our google analytics and our view counts for our videos and such. You make a great point that we should all reach out to our audience no matter its size, and I have been trying to do that more and more.
Thanks again! Just what I needed today.
June 5th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
oh, and welcome to Houston! I’ll be at your book signing later, and am really looking forward to it.
June 5th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
Bravo! You’re right on about the conversation. Sometimes webcrack gets us away from the whole point of communal relationships. I’ll spread the meme. Ciao!
June 5th, 2008 at 2:03 pm
Great post. and great to hear from you, esp.
June 5th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
Thanks Gary. That is all I have. I am proud to be a member of the Gary V community.
June 5th, 2008 at 2:16 pm
Thanks for expanding on this message, Gary — I thought it was a really compelling idea when you talked about the same thing the other day at Grape Vine Market. It gives great guidance for those of us still at the lower end of the learning curve in community-building. Keep it up!
June 5th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
GARY! Awesome Video! I will see you Friday at Seed! I am looking for you pal, I need you to sign two books - one is for a giveaway on hellyeahdude.com
I got some free stuff for you too!
June 5th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
I got community, my dog will sit and listen to what ever I choose to spout out to him, and he loves it!
June 5th, 2008 at 2:25 pm
Very true Gary. Had a great time at Diggnation. Will pass this vid on. Keep rockin!
June 5th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
So true, Gary. I do my “MeTodays” for the fun of it and I know that a few people actually view them. Colin was responsible for my highest viewer count from a Pownce posting. Talking it up yourself and continuing to produce regular content is key to keeping people watching. I haven’t gotten to that part myself, but I know that everyone who produces video or writes a blog needs to understand that if you don’t post regularly, you lose your audience. No matter how good it is.
June 5th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
Very Well Said Gary.
June 5th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
Thanks.
Sometimes in this big rush to “monetize” I get so caught up in this notion of numbers.
I have to remember what you said. Just get the message out, listen to people, respond, more messages. Rinse and repeat.
You don’t know how much I needed that reminder.
June 5th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
Gary,
I think this is my favorite video so far on garyvaynercuk.com. Great job. I also feel that if you are doing something worthwhile someone is going to find it interesting, even if it’s just one person it feels good.
June 5th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
Neat. Too much folks these days have forgotten that if you’re running a community then you ARE SERVING your users, listeners, readers, etc.
No matter how much people you are serving to.
Nice to see at least someone who understands it.
June 5th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
Couldn’t agree more Gary! It’s starts with 1. Also if you can’t personally address and connect with the 10 or 15. How can you captivate 1000’s. It starts with 1.
Be real, be creative, and be humble.
-Adam, Wendy & Lola (Woof Woof)
twitter.com/pawluxury
twitter.com/Lola_Eco_Dog
June 5th, 2008 at 3:53 pm
Very well said. I find myself wanting to grow not only the company that I work for, but also my own sites. And I am far too concerned with getting a lot of people there NOW. Just need to listen to the old saying, if you build it they will come. Give people what they want, eventually more will find their way to you.
Loved this video, my first time to your personal site. I have only watched you on Wine Library up to this point.
June 5th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
Spot on, as always Gary! I am so with you on this one.
June 5th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
Greetings! Thanks for sharing that, as well as your request to contact someone you haven’t been in touch with for a year.
Done! Community+1. Again.
June 5th, 2008 at 4:28 pm
Beautiful!
Every blogger should adopt this philosophy.
June 5th, 2008 at 4:40 pm
I work in radio, I’m a traditional, old school broadcaster on a Top 40 radio station. A medium, and format that has taken it’s community for granted for too long.
I’m also a blogger, vlogger, twitterer and trying to build out my own personal brand.
Thanks for reminding me about the importance of the little things, Gary.
See ya in Seattle on the 28th.
June 5th, 2008 at 4:57 pm
Thanks Gary,
Awesome message! You always inspire me Gary
June 5th, 2008 at 5:00 pm
YES YES YES YES YES!
Spot on Gary. As more and more people look at new media as a money making opportunity, the more the corporate culture of numbers keeps creeping into things. Numbers do not equal success.
The kicker is that even your small, close-knit, ENGAGED community at the beginning was more valuable than 1,000 inactive participants.
June 5th, 2008 at 6:42 pm
Hi Gary,
I am in the process of opening a wine bar in Spring Texas
(outskirts of Houston). Watching you was really helped me feel less…overwhelmed . Thanks for the constant tutelage.
Your Friend
Kyle Schindler
http://thegrapeandbean.net
June 5th, 2008 at 9:03 pm
Great message and true to the core.
June 5th, 2008 at 11:42 pm
Gary I have spent a lot of time thinking about why I need followers when I have nothing to sell. Why would anyone care about what I have to say or what I feel is interesting out there on the web and in the analog world.
This video really makes me feel like I continue to do the right thing in having fun with linking to sites on my tumblr account, posting a funny comment on twitter and letting everyone see what a silly good time I had over the last weekend on sites like filckr.
I had an ex tell me that the only thing you have to show the world is your brand and I should watch what I put out there for people to see. I beleave that if your not doing anything wrong and your loving what your doing let the would see what you have to say and set an example, yes?
Ps looking forward to meeting you in person at your Des Moines book signing.
KW
June 5th, 2008 at 11:46 pm
[...] Gary Vaynerchuk during SXSW this spring, I can’t get enough of the guy. From his takes on social media and networking, to his passion for wine and the web - this is a guy worth sticking up on a pedestal and [...]
June 6th, 2008 at 2:28 am
[...] in a short, 2 minute video post, titled, “When do you know you have a community?”. Go watch it NOW, it’s only 2 minutes. The point is this, though: community is about communication - not [...]
June 6th, 2008 at 3:05 am
[...] When do you know you have a community? When you’re a startup, I know it’s easy to get a video-game mentality, tracking stats and high scores. I thought this reminder for Gary Vaynerchuk might be worthwhile. It also serves as a segue to remind you that Gary will be in town July 2. [...]
June 6th, 2008 at 8:15 am
Respect.
I’ve been saying this for years, but it has much more clout when someone like you says it. =)
Thanks for posting this Gary. It made my Friday morning. And thank you for letting me be part of your community.
June 6th, 2008 at 8:56 am
So what you’re saying is that I don’t need to cry myself to sleep when I don’t get many responses to a post? And maybe it would be ok if I dismantled the 10 foot ticker that is in my front room and has my stats flashing across above my tv on a second by second basis? Ok, it’s certainly a left field theory that’s so crazy it might just work, I’ll do it!
I only found this blog/community a month or so ago but I love what you have to say my man.
June 6th, 2008 at 9:50 am
Great message. When are you coming to Cleveland?
June 6th, 2008 at 11:25 am
Right on GV — I plugged this point (and linked you up) in a recent post on my website called “Social Marketing 101″.
Quality of community is WAY above numbers. I think this fits right in with your “Why can’t I please everyone?” post. Today the marketing is about the customer again, and not just about flashy advertising. And if you don’t honestly care about the customer, you’re going to lose out. The potential connectedness enabled between everybody - through the internet, e-mail, blogs, twitter, IM, social networks, etc. - means that word-of-mouth will be around in minutes calling the dude out who is a fake who and only trying to sell product.
Keep up the good posts!
June 6th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
Thanks for the gut check, Gary. Katherine (Linux Journal) sent me a link, and you really hit home. The fact that anyone watches my videos on linuxjournal.com is awesome. And on my personal site, I have folks remind me to take my blood pressure medicine every day. How amazing is that?!?! We’re blessed, and should indeed relish the group we do have.
Thanks again, sorry I missed you in Houston.
June 6th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
So true. I know what you mean about preferring a smaller community. I don’t think mine is as huge as yours, but the first 3-4 months when it was really small, I loved emailing people who commented and asking them how they came across my blog and what they liked or what they didn’t. Now it’s a scramble just to reply to all the comments!
June 6th, 2008 at 5:06 pm
You’re absolutely right. I certainly knew I was part of a community before
this happened, but when one of your readers tracks down your phone number and pranks you while you’re live-blogging a pizza delivery…well, that more than clinches it.
June 6th, 2008 at 9:36 pm
LIFE IS GOOD. EXPRESS HONOR. MAINTAIN PERSPECTIVE. STAY THE COURSE. BELIEVE.
June 7th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
Hey Gary,
You’re so right — I’m definitely linking your video to my blog.
Have fun @ the SEED conference and take care!
Sincerely,
Allan.
June 7th, 2008 at 8:30 pm
Gary, love the video. I agree that it’s a wonderful thing to have a small, tight knit community, just as it is to have a large one. If you continue to pay attention to every one of your followers and keeping doing something unique, that ‘community’ will become too large to respond to everyone, as you mentioned. Keep it up!
Oh, Celtics or Lakers, Gary?
June 8th, 2008 at 8:32 am
WOW! I never knew. I just thought it odd people would want to listen to (follow/friend/flockd) me. I’ve felt the opposite. I’m interested in what they’re doing or have to say.
Thanks Gary.
June 9th, 2008 at 12:58 am
[...] ya. I just came across this site through my friend’s blog and apparently, I have a community! Sweet. I hope the population [...]
June 9th, 2008 at 8:29 am
[...] I got directed by Katherine Druckman (who I found out only recently is the wife of fellow Plurker and Twitterer Gary Druckman) to this great video of Gary Vaynerchuck on the topic of community. [...]
June 9th, 2008 at 8:38 am
[...] This week’s show is extree long as we discuss Plurk-the new Twitter, The conspiracy to kill Net Neutrality, gmail’s new features, and Apple’s upcoming World Wide Developer’s Conference 2008 (which should be live by the time you read this!) The Drill Down 044 [108:38m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download Show Links Plurk.com 2012: The Year The Internet Ends 40GB for $55 per month: Time Warner bandwidth caps arrive Ah, the irony! Microsoft says Safari isn’t safe on Windows Exclusive Sneak Preview: Gmail Gets 13 Experimental New Features How I hacked Digg iPhone 2 Rumor Round-up Line Camping Tips and Gadgets For the 3G iPhone Launch gary vaynerchuk » When do you know you have a community? [...]
June 9th, 2008 at 4:46 pm
[...] week, Gary Vaynerchuck posted a great video on what makes a community. He answers the question, “How many people do you need to have to have a community?” [...]
June 10th, 2008 at 11:52 am
Great point Gary! So true! Stop whining and get out there! I have felt like this, but I am more determined to spread my message now. Getting comments to your blog posts and videos are icing on the cake, but stay true and it will all work out.
June 11th, 2008 at 11:01 pm
Gary, thank you for posting this link on Twitter so that I could watch. I could not agree with you more. I think you will and perhaps have already noticed, that because you are not pushing for the numbers, they are steadily growing anyway. AND, as your community grows, I sincerely believe, you will have a much higher quality of community members because of it.
Hillary
June 12th, 2008 at 11:26 pm
u da man baby! One thing I wonder if you ever encountered was what do you do when one person puts down what you do and calls you out as doing something negative, when you truly are not.
No matter how many praise and love me, it always strikes a chord when someone disses me.
What’s your thoughts GV?
Thanks in advance bruddah!
–z–
June 13th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
Er, what happens to comments in this community? I feel like the guy at the bar who sees everybody getting served before him as I sit here in ‘awaiting moderation hell for days on end’
June 14th, 2008 at 2:15 pm
Speaking of small communities that are doing great things, check out the best of South Jersey Wine (which is often underrated) at HERITAGE VINEYARDS of RICHWOOD, NJ. This summer we’re featuring our fruit wines, the most popular being Blueberry and Peach, made from real jersey fresh fruit. For a complete wine list and events update check out our website: heritagestationwine.com
June 16th, 2008 at 10:27 pm
That’s encouraging, positive, and useful advice, thanks!
September 27th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
[...] gary vaynerchuk » When do you know you have a community? - my 2 minute take on life [...]
November 19th, 2008 at 5:08 pm
[...] They are in touch with their audience. How can you lead without knowing and responding to your followers? For the answer to this I defer to Gary Vaynerchuk of Winelibrary.tv for an emapssioned explanation: “You have a community when one person listens to you.” Watch the video here. [...]