Jim Storer
Sr. Director, Social Media Strategy
Return on Community

Jim Storer : Return on Community

SXSW Views: Gary V from Wine Library TV I met Gary Vaynerchuk at an impromptu wine party he threw in an overflowing breakfast room at the Residence Inn in downtown Austin during South By Southwest. It seemed completely unscripted, like Gary and his team decided this was a good spot for a party so they dropped the wine and set up shop. Cardboard cases of wine sat on tables, people drank $20 bottles of wine from styrofoam cups and we couldn't find a corkscrew when we needed one... complete mayhem. It was a fitting scene for the man (and company) that "seeks to break down the barriers, stereotypes, and misperceptions that otherwise prevent people from exploring and enjoying the exciting and rewarding world of wine." Gary is passionate about community... specifically his community and he understands that they're essential to his success. His passion for wine and everyone who follows him is palpable. I was fortunate to find a recording of a conference session he did at the Future of Web Apps conference earlier this year. In it he talks about "The Future of Community." His passion flows throughout the presentation and he takes time at the end to record a high energy episode of Wine Library TV (WLTV). If you're thinking about building community for your customers (or have one already), you owe it to yourself to listen to this podcast. Download the podcast or stream it below. What's your #1 takeaway from this session? Just added: Gary was called up on stage by Kathy Sierra during her keynote at SXSW to talk about how he creates passionate users. Someone just sent me a link to the video. It's worth six minutes of your time. Mon, Mar 17 2008

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