Advise you can rely on for how to use social media can be a very hit and miss affair. There are relatively few people out there that provide information based on experience, due to the fact the platforms are so young. Even more of a problem are flash looking agencies that promise all the rewards, but fail to deliver as they don’t understand the channel that well themselves.

Even fewer agencies actually use it!

Any of you that know me will know I have been a fan of Gary Vaynerchuks for sometime. Actually many of my posts feature some of his work on social media, including one last week looking at businesses coming in late to Twitter.

The reason I rate Gary so highly is that he has implemented social media to drive multi-million pounds worth of sales. Not only for his own wine business, but also now for others through Vayner Media, a social media company set up to support forward thinking Fortune 500 companies.

Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook

He is doing the rounds currently due to the release of his latest book, and the other night he did a Ask Me Anything on Reddit.

Having the opportunity to pick Gary’s brain doesn’t come along often. So I have compiled some of the best questions and answers from a total of 495 he got asked. See here for the full Reddit AMA.

Ask Gary Vaynerchuk

robmerki Who are your role models? 

GV: My parents – Period!

delzakiya How did you get your first client for VaynerMedia? 

GV: The NY JETS came to sell me a SkyBox to Wine Library a few weeks before AJ and I started VM and by the time the meeting was over in an Hour, they were VM’s 1st client 🙂 BOOM!

AttackforceX Hi Gary, thanks for doing AMA. Out of all the Social Media Platforms, who would you say is the weakest and why? 

GV: I would say Google+ but only because people try to use it as a social network when I think it really is a social API. People haven’t figured out how to create native content for Google+ just yet.

CEOGavin How would you sell ‘social media management’ (managing their social media platforms) to small businesses? 

GV: By articulating what the value of it is and than more importantly if I noticed they didn’t get it, I would move on instead of forcing the issue.

weplaytechno Let’s say I am starting a new company and just starting to get social on all of those platforms (FB Twitter, Pinterest, G+). No followers, no one knows me. What would be your Number 1 suggestion to make it work and to get loads of followers and fans on Social networks?

GV: Twitter.com/search searching the topics and keywords that your potential customers would be talking about and listening. Then start providing value to those people by throwing “jabs” – that in turn will let you use that right hook.
Listen first and provide value.

ZacCoffman What are 3 companies we should be looking out for going into 2014 (let’s spoil some Gary V’s 2014 predictions!)

GV: Upworthy, Coin and Medium

Daveyboy07 Currently reading JJJRH after seeing you in London on Thursday. What advice do you have for connecting B2B over social instead of B2C ?

GV: Linkedin Facebook targeting using Twitter to find the decision maker at a B2B ( because behind every B is a C ).

slewp Gary, how do you keep your energy level up? How do you avoid feeling burn out?

GV: Gratitude

JoelAlainDotCom Hi Gary, what social media do you think is still much under the radar and will have the highest/fastest growth in 2014? Thanks!

GV: SnapChat. I truly think people are underestimating it.

unorigionalscreename What, in your opinion, is the greatest challenge facing marketers today? 

GV: The enormous amount of noise and trying to break through that to reach who you want.

TakiToney Reading your book this winter! Best advice for new startup?

GV: Solve a problem.

I believe this highlights the simplicity of social media that we often over look. The hard bit is actually doing well, and consistently.

What would you ask Gary if you had the chance?

[Photo Credit: Silicon Prairie News]