Pinterest for Men? Meet Gentlemint

I guess some men were feeling a little left out on Pinterest. With a demographic of 80% women and 20% men, it is definitely female dominated. Now there is a boys club social photo sharing platform on the scene called Gentlemint, created by Glen Stansberry & Brian McKinney. Their slogan... "Gentlemint is a mint of manly things" and I already feel more manly just from going to their website lol, just kidding :)

But I have just signed up for an invite and will have an updated story when they approve me. Also, see my post on Pinterest & Social Media.

Pinterest & Social Media

As many of you have heard, Pinterest is moving fast on the social media scene. It is a simple, photo social sharing website. Companies such as Flickr, Picasa and Photobucket are most likely grinding their teeth, wondering how this creative picture platform appeared out of nowhere and zoomed right by them in popularity and web traffic.

I remember the first time I heard of Pinterest from Betsy of Frock Boutique. She told me face to face (in-person social media) how much she was hooked on it and how much fun it was. I told her I am going to check into it and put in on my schedule. Now, I find myself scheduling time on it daily, and I am currently building it into several social media strategies for companies I am working with.

The curating factor is big in the social world! I jump on Pinterest and have a bunch of my personally chosen topics to view, with hundreds and thousands of photos and info from all around the world. I can also type in any topic I wish to view in the search box and BAM - all of the posts from a worldwide community show up in seconds. Scoop.it, another one of my favorite curation and social sharing sites, does something similar with press releases, articles and blog posts.

My main business, information and education topics that I am building on Pinterest are Social Media & Technology; but you can also see my collection of Sayings, For the Home, Art, Fashion and several more. The social part of this is allowing others to see the great compilations that you have pinned, put together and shared. Then they can Pin what you posted or repinned, and like & comment on your pin. They can also repost/repin and share it on Twitter or Facebook at the same time if they choose to. One of the great features I am using is the "Pin It" button that I have added to my Chrome browser. I can be on any web page anywhere, click it, and Pin up the photo that is on that page. So I am not just allowed to Pin and Share my own content; but anyone else's as well.

The Infographic world has definitely gotten a boost with Pinterest! My social media board is FULL of great information using educational graphics/infographics.

After you have some fun, using it for business is the next step. Maybe making a photo board of the folks at the office making crazy faces and adding it to your Humor board. Travel photos can also be great. For example: a photo of me at The Bund in Shanghai China can be tagged "Gary from G Social Media goes to China," link to my site, and add it to my Travel board. How about using a baby and taking a photo of them with your company hat on, and adding it to your Cute board? What about coupon sites taking their coupons, making them a little more interesting with Photoshop, and posting for others to see, share and save money? How about a picture of an incredible dish your restaurant makes, adding a recipe with it, and posting it to your Foodie board? Photography creativity and sharing has definitely taken a BIG step up!

I have a reciprocal habit of going to the profile page of anyone who follows me on Pinterest, checking out what boards they have, and following the ones that I am interested in. You should too. Check me out and follow my boards if they interest you at all: G Social Media on Pinterest.com. Thanks!

G Social Media References

If you know anything about increasing your media, you will take the great things people say about you and your business and create a blog post or web page such as this. Some of my anti-fan club are asking right now "How does he get all of these great references?" For one, I work my ass off doing successful social media for my clients. Next, I ask people for recommendations on LinkedIn. Lastly, I use them here to market who I am and what I do. Now go ahead, stop hating, and get some of your own. Be fruitful and multiply. Haha, I feel great! Listen to what folks are saying about me. It's pretty good...

“I can't think of anyone I enjoy writing a recommendation for more than Gary Charles. I first worked with G Social Media in 2010. Gary is Mr. Social Media.to me and you He lives, breathes, and eats it. He has deep technical understanding of the different channels available to promote a product or service, and how each will impact a campaign.

But plenty of people can execute a good social media campiagn. What Gary brings to the situation is a business person's drive and determination. Gary is a business professional and understands that it takes constant improvement to be the best. He was always on top of every detail and prompt to answer questions and deliver solutions. He is a business man's social media Guru, and I would work with him again in a minute. In fact, I am at this very moment working on a new campaign. I have no doubt the results will be fantastic.”  -Kirk Adcock, ConnectMe QR


“Gary's results speak for themselves. He knows what he's doing and delivers the goods! thanks for the great work Gary. Would hire him again in a heartbeat.”  -Jennifer Losch, Red Dog Digital


“Gary has been a HUGE help to us in getting our social media marketing program off the ground. His expertise coupled with his well established connections and his askasheville.com site are a huge reason to work with Gary. He will jump start your marketing program. On top of that, he is a great guy and a pleasure to work with. Highly Recommended!”  -Chip Murison, WNC Insider


“It is a joy working with Gary - he does great work, is wonderful to work with, he's super nice, and he's a social media marketing guru!”  -Linda Titus, Net Site Marketing


“Gary Charles is a valued business partner to RelyLocal Asheville. His enterprises, G Social Media & Ask Asheville, have been integral parts of our strategic growth. Through assistance in developing our Social Media platforms and providing additional platforms to distribute our message, Gary continues to bring value to the table as we work together to grow our respective businesses.”  -Choya Harden, Rely Local Asheville


“Gary and I recently both spoke at a marketing communications class at UNCA. He is incredibly knowledgeable about social media and using it as a tool to market businesses. I look forward to doing more teaching events with him in the future and will certainly be recommending him to my clients. Social media and email marketing can go hand in hand so well...especially when you have a professional like Gary to help you do it the right way.”  -Kelly Denson, Lush Life Today


“Gary is THE guy for social media marketing and growing your business online. He's passionate and truly wants to help people in new and innovative ways. Embrace the future of marketing and networking with help and direction from G Social Media and Gary!”  -Gabe Fore, New Restaurant Logic


“After reading the many recommendations for Gary, all I can say is "all true, and then some"  -Bill Hodges, Expressions in Design


“Gary Charles is taking the lead in Asheville for connecting businesses to the world of social media. Nobody in town knows the business like Gary does. Not only that, he has an enormous amount of support from the community already, thus creating an air of credibility for others to see from you once hiring Gary. Any hesitations? Don't bother with them--just trust your gut instinct. I did, and found my business in a much better position because of it.”  -Sonia Hendrix, Push Asheville Fashion


“Gary is a highly motivated, social network guru who works tirelessly for his clients. Gary gets real results for the multiple small businesses he works for. His business is innovative, as well as a real step forward towards the future of social media.”  -Chris Hart, The Garage at Biltmore


“Gary is so passionate about what he does! He loves connecting with people and helping people. I would highly recommend Gary. I've seen the results of what he does for companies. No one will regret working with Gary if they want results and want their company to flourish. I have taken numerous classes with Gary. He has great examples and real life stories that people can relate to. We even asked him to help us teach a series of classes for the PWB and he did so willingly. Gary is genuine and personable and has personal qualities that are so valuable in his line of work.”  -Maria Aponte, Salon Blue Ridge


“Gary of GSocial Media is an expert social media networking advice and services in the Asheville, NC area, I highly recommend his service. Gary is very personable, easy to communicate with and truly enjoys what he does. He is very skilled and and creative. Very reliable, practical, attentive.”  -Chris Hanson, A Good Plumber

Social Media - the proof is in the pudding

Being a social media consultant has it's good and bad times. When a company calls me in and asks me to evaluate their current online media, I have to keep several things in mind. First, are they looking to get rich overnight with sm? If I sense this at all, I am quick to bring people back to reality and let them now that this is a growth process. Next, are they looking to save their business which is 90 days away from shutting down? Social media may help, but seeing last minute results right before your doors close will only leave you with a "could've, should've, would've" attitude and that is not healthy for anyone. Yes, you should act now, not later.

Then I have to find out who was "supposedly" doing their social media, or better yet, who was experimenting on them. Sometimes it is a family member that works for the business and other times it is an employee who thinks they are going to show off their technology skills by creating a Twitter account, Facebook business page, or blog. Oh, it could also be a friend trying to help, or a bad referral based off of a "friendship" deal. The owner of a business is usually temporarily satisfied by these efforts with their contentment built off of misinformation. I know when this happens, it is just a matter of time before business is lost, eyes are opened, people get fired, friendships are gone; and they finally come to me asking for help. I come in, educate, sometimes tear down the rickety social media they have built, and I begin building again; but this time with good constructive materials... the skills and knowledge I bring to the table. We are now ready to win!

The end result? A comprehensive, successful social media package that works day and night for businesses anywhere. A consistent, targeted, effective online campaign that is quickly proven within 90 days of starting. Like I said "The proof is in the Pudding."

Read some recommendations for G Social Media

Read more recommendations for G Social Media

Oh, and I do love good pudding too :)

QR Codes bring social media to the next level

A QR Code is a specific barcode that is two-dimensional and readable by a QR barcode readers and camera phones. The code consists of black modules arranged in a square pattern on a white background. The information coded can written, a website URL and/or other many other forms of data. The QR Code was created in Japan in 1994. QR is simply an abbreviation for Quick Response, intended for high speed information.


The Western part of the World has been extremely slow at adapting this new form of technology, but now with the launch of ConnectMe QR, folks are looking at QR Codes in a different light. ConnectMe QR is an Asheville based company that is digging into the vast potential of the QR Code. With their new app launch for the iPhone, Droid and iPad; the worldwide popularity is going to rise extremely fast. With a quick scan of a custom Connect Me QR Code, a person can find see direct portfolio information including their website link, Twitter icon link, Facebook icon link, YouTube video link, address, phone number, email and so much more. This is the connectivity dream!


Click here to get your own custom QR Code from ConnectMe QR. Customize it for you and/or your company, add it to your website, blog and print materials, and watch the doors of social media open up even wider. Thank you again Technology.

Yes, you are losing business by NOT using Twitter

It is amusing sometimes when businesses take the attitude that they do not need the power of technology on their side. They have that type of attitude like they've got it like that and nobody is going to take it away. I have talked to many people who think like this. Oh yes, they want to talk to me; but with a skeptical and critical perspective toward new media. I have to convince them not to lose new and existing business, lol.

Losing business is not good. Losing business because you have not simply connected with folks on Twitter is even worse. Having people avoid your business because of your lack of sociable media is horrendous.

Let me tell you a few quick stories:

1) I was planning on meeting some of my clients the other day. We texted back and forth a few times and decided we were all hungry and needed some food. So we went through our list of options and I finally announced where I wanted to go. As soon as I mentioned this business, the other party of 3 said "oh no, we are not going going to spend our money at a place that wont even follow us back on Twitter." I thought immediately that this local business is about to lose $150 in 1 hour because they are not properly maintaining their social media. I did not argue (as I am the social media man lol) and we went with the next choice, which happened to be following all of us on Twitter. Who ever thought that a simple follow back on Twitter would represent a virtual handshake and connection which leads to business? But it does.

2) I was walking around downtown with some friends and we were looking for someplace to eat. One person said "well which one of these places are on Twitter?" I of course responded with several options, another person yelled out "But they only talk to 3 people and they are rude on Twitter!" We laughed and then made our decision on another place.

3) I have shopped at many stores, eaten at many restaurants and became a part of many events all because of social media. I have a pool of great friends who I connect with on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Blogs, and more. We share, We show, We tell and We do. We influence each other. This is social media.

We are all partial. We have our social influences that we allow into our lives, and we listen to them. Being able to make a simple friendly connection with others online is vital. Not becoming a part of social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook can prove deadly to your business.

While I was in Florida recently, I was using my Foursquare social media app on my Blackberry. For those of you who do not know what Foursquare is, it is a social network where you base your communications off of where you are. So I can "Check In" to a business or add that business and Check In if it is not listed, make comments, add tips, etc. The thing I use mostly when on vacation is the "Places" button. I click on that, my smartphone is located, and it tells me a bunch of places and venues close to where I am. Then I make my destination decision based on that.

I know, you are just waiting for social media to TAKE OFF before you "Believe" in it and really put your heart into it. It already has. There is such a thing as "Too Late" and nobody likes to play catch-up for the rest of their business lives. Other businesses are getting in on the action, building and growing. The longer you wait, the more time it is going to take you to grow. Your competitors will win.

Yes, you are losing business by NOT using Twitter

Introduction to Social Networking and Media - Raleigh NC presentation

Here is a recent beginners introduction to social media that I used at a presentation in Raleigh North Carolina. This was a private presentation and not open to the public. Some of your definitions or prices may vary in comparison to the ones I have below. Not a problem at all. Just take note. I am a real life sociable human being that uses social networking and media to express my person and my business. What better way to get your name and brand in the mix of things, in this new world media era? It is the modern day version of "writing your name in the wet concrete." Make your mark, establish your brand, build your network, be sociable, build your business, service your clients, make friends. BAM!

1. What is social networking? It is a social act, function or club where you can get together and connect with other people, possibly leading to friendships and/or business relationships.

2. What is social media? It is using your people skills to reach out to others, connect, share your personal and business media, and build relationships. The methods of communication has changed with the Internet; but the most important part is to be sociable, or at least make your business seem so and learn how to.

3. Who invented social media? It was an evolution of human behavior and communications. It was a fad until our current President used it to win the world over during his campaign. Then people started paying big attention.

4. Why is social media needed?

• Forms (mail to fb me) and places (outside to online) of communication have changed.
• People used to use telephones, now use text and/or Skype for free video calls.
• People used to spend time with neighbors, now spend time with Facebook friends.
• People attend public social functions sometimes, but connected online all of the time.
• This is where you will find your new friends, clients and future. (this is where they live)
• Friends do business with friends. Facebook friends hold more weight than a stranger.
• I trust my social circle more than I trust Google search results, SEO, or an algorithm.
• It is the best way to make the most, and most valuable connections in minimal time.
• You can search sites like Twitter & get crowd sourced information from a huge network, and up to the second, no more stale search information.

5. What about my website?

• If you have one, great. If not, we could have one built for you or use a blog site.
• Your main website is not included with a social media package unless requested.
• Main company websites could run anywhere from $1500 to $50k+
• Wordpress websites could run anywhere from $500 to $2k+
• A website is your headquarters. Social media is your arms, legs, mouth, feet.

6. What online platforms should I get with a “social media package?”

• Email - this is with Googles email, called Gmail. This is only an admin email.
• Blog Article Site - supplement to a website, sometimes used as a main online presence.
• RSS Feed Site - worldwide feed article distribution service.
• Photo Album Site - allows you to upload photo into online albums, add captions, etc.
• YouTube Video Channel Site - allows you to upload videos online, add info, links, etc.
• Twitter Updater Site -  used for quick daily updating and connecting.
• Twitpic Photo Updater Site - used for quick daily photo updating.
• Information Bin Site - used for compiling your media and distributing on Twitter.
• Social Network Site - usually a Facebook business page where people “Like” it.
• Tracking Site - gives you statistics on how may people are clicking to your content.
• SM Management Site - allows you to easily manage your social media in one place.

7. How do I get started with social media? This is where I am supposed to say "Contact Me" - but I will skip that part and say something like "Just Do It!"

8. How much time will it take me per day? After proper social media building and training, if you put an average of 10 minutes a day into making and growing connections, you will do great.

Email Newsletter Marketing and Social Media

Today I met with my friend Kelly Denson. She works for My Newsletter Builder, a local AVL company that competes strongly with some brands such as Constant Contact, Mail Chimp, and Vertical Response. She was headed to UNC Asheville today to do a presentation on email newsletter marketing and I was very excited for her. I regularly speak there and currently have 3 interns from UNCA that are working with me. Kelly mentioned that maybe I could talk about social media for a few minutes and I said "I will be there!"

We met at Rise N Shine Cafe on Merrimon Ave to eat a great breakfast and throw around some media ideas before heading up to UNCA. We arrived at the school and met with Professor Jeff Foreman. We walked into the class and started getting ready for the presentation. Kelly took the lead, introduced herself, and gave an awesome presentation about email marketing using newsletters. I learned a new perspective and some nice tips. "The Sexy Subject Line" branded me. Thank you Kel! I jumped up after and talked about the importance of email and how it is part of my "sales process" when using social media. I said... "I communicate on Twitter, Facebook, Text and then evolve it to Email once we are ready to get more serious." Then I discussed the many SM platforms that I use, and showed the class some examples from the icons on the AskAsheville website.

Since the class just a few hours ago, I have received a LinkedIn connection, some conversation on Twitter, and a great email from the Professor thanking us for coming! Great day in the social networking and media world.

If you are interested in having an Email Newsletter Marketing and Social Media combo class, we would be glad to do a nice presentation for your company or group.

From Twitter, to Foursquare, to SCVNGR

The evolution of social media is taking place all of the time. New ways to reach out and communicate with others are being created daily. The revolution is past and we are here.

The great rave is Twitter and how we can share a simple sentence or two, be a part of a growing online community, and get amazing results. The same way we do in speaking. We break paragraphs into bullets and get straight to the point. Well... I know that some people do not try to consolidate the conversation and could use 5 minutes to tell you what they could have said in 12 seconds, but that is not "green" communication. Why waste a word when we do not need it. Why type a few extra characters that end up being useless to the convo? Tweets make us keep it simple.

Then Foursquare was the hot item on the social media market. Location Based Social Networking. We could base our interactions on where we actually were. So when I am at restaurant, I could check-in, let others know where I am, and make a comment whether good or bad about the place or experience. Facebook even copied success and created "Places" into their social network site. Fun fun for everyone.

Now the bonus comes, and SCVNGR is the key. They took the location based social networking to the next level where they give you simple challenges that sometimes force you to interact, but add bonus rewards for doing so. I call AWESOME!!! Anyway... I am currently working with the Asheville North Carolina team managed by Brett, and bridges are being built! People are stepping into the game and offering great incentives for playing at "their place" of business. Now, we finally get a bonus for this type of social media networking. Your return on investment (ROI) is already in place!

Game On!!!

Social Media & Twitter Tips

Here is an outline I used recently at a social media class presentation at UNC Asheville. I am thankful for the opportunity to share what I know and help the current generation learn and the next generation grow in their new media efforts.

Everyone needs to establish their brand in these online communities:

1. Gmail - email account - The King of Emails!
2. Blogger (Wordpress, Typepad, Squarespace) - blog website - this allows you to easily update information about your business while keeping your main website focused.
3. Feedburner - really simple syndication - rss feed
4. Picasa (Flickr, Photobucket) - online photo album - perfect for showcasing products, events, staff, etc.
5. YouTube (Vimeo) - video channel - a video presence allows you to reach a whole new community and share your vision.
6. Twitter - status updater - simple updates about your business, life or both
7. Twitpic - photo updater - picture updates - great to use to upload a pic from your smartphone
8. Friendfeed - social media compliation platform - post to Twitter tool is awesome, it allows you to add your other social media sites and then auto updates out to Twitter when you post something new.
9. Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace - social networking communities are the new "social clubs" as we knew in previous years, but these are online
10. Foursquare - location sharing social network - tells connections what venue you are at and allows you to post to Twitter, add tips, etc.
11. Su.pr (bit.ly, ow.ly, ht.ly) - link shortener / tracker - shortening your urls will allow you to have more writing room in your Tweets!



Twitter Tips -

1. Make an account
2. Go to “Settings” and fill out all of the information for your profile etc.
3. Send out a sample tweet like “Hello, good morning”
4. Find people to follow searching and by looking at other’s lists.
5. Check the people that are following you - and follow them back if they are not spam or porn. If you want to focus on a certain group of people, make a list and check that list frequently.
6. Use a social media management tool like Hootsuite to ultra manage your Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.
7. Watch your “At Replies / @Replies” - that is where people are talking to you, with you, or about you publicly. Reading these and giving a response is your 1st priority!
8. Check your “Direct Messages / DMs” - these are your private messages. This is where people usually thank you for following them and send a link to their website.
9. A tweet a day is great practice, no matter how unimportant it may seem. Share something.
10. If you are promoting a business, a minimum of 25% of your tweets should be sociable, personal, humorous, quotes, etc. Just tweeting about your business is unsociable.
11. Check the people you are following and if they do not reciprocate and “follow back” - cut them off and unfollow them. (Maybe put them on a list if you need to track them, but do not let them stop you from growing your followers, network, audience)
12. Do not become a Twitter police officer - people from many different niche groups are on Twitter. Some of them may be selling something that you do not like. Do not waste your time chasing them down. Live and let live; Tweet and let tweet.

GSocialMedia

Social Media Case Study # 4 - Skyland Distributing Company

Situation:
Skyland Distributing Company is one of the largest beverage distributors in North Carolina serving 24 western counties. Since the company is a wholesale distributor and only sells to other businesses; cultivating the general public as followers through social media was never a strategy that seemed worthwhile. Indeed, most companies with that type of business model don’t embrace the communication platform as necessary; but not Skyland Distributing. When G Social Media came on the scene they had no social media strategy in place. 


Problem/Target 
Skyland Distributing Company, being a wholesale distributor, had no need to build brand identity with the end consumer but wanted to use its regional muscle to promote the brands it sells to its vendors and at the same time promote their vendors. They wanted to create a win/win situation for everyone and at the same time drive sales of its products indirectly through their vendors. They needed to target beverage consumers in Western North Carolina.

Solution: 
Skyland had no social media strategy when they brought in G Social Media but they did have an idea. The idea was to create different online personalities among their staff and sales team to then promote their bands and customers’ businesses. They also wanted let people know they weren’t some old stogy company stuck in the 20th century. Instead, Skyland wanted be seen as a company open to community and new ideas; a company that supports its customers and wants to work with and connect with people. G Social Media set up everything including their corporate Facebook page and then the Twitter accounts for their staff and sales team.  


Results to Date: 
Skyland’s Facebook fan page is now at 1,000. Skyland’s whole sales team and staff can make instant updates concerning events and promotions in support of their brands and vendors. They’re created immeasurable good will in the community and proved that an old distributor can learn new tricks. Skyland Distributing Company is on the cutting edge and utilizing new communications platforms in support of their core business in ways not imagined before.

Social Media Case Study # 2 - AskAsheville

Situation/Problem: There was no overall website that freely distributed business profiles and information through social media about the city of Asheville, N.C. in a way that was neutral and non-competitive. Anyone looking for general information would eventually wind up in the traditional marketing spin or on a site that promoted someone’s product or service. Almost any web site that mentioned the city was in support of one brand or another. For example: there was a real need for independent restaurant reviews, club reviews, and event reviews that didn’t involve the owners’ touting their own products or services. *Note: There are several great resources in the Asheville area, but AskAsheville took an open networking approach to media distribution by giving businesses a complimentary platform and visitors a free resource. For example: AskAsheville freely advertised thousands of local businesses through their custom search engine and Quicklinks when the site was originally launched.


Target/Solution:
When AskAsheville.com was created by the owner’s of G Social Media it was intended to be a neutral source of information for anything that involved the city of Asheville, N.C. and serve as a showcase example of how successful social media can be if done right. The site specifically targets social media users and the sites main platform is social media and how the site is promoted. The target was anyone who might have a question about Asheville but didn’t want a specific sales pitch.


Results to Date:
www.AskAsheville.com has become one of leading sources of independent information about the city of Asheville, N.C. The site serves as an example of how social media can create a business from nothing more than an idea and proper use of the platform as a marketing vehicle. Because of its success the web site is now connected to the Asheville Citizen-Times, the largest daily in western North Carolina. Today the website has 1,300 Facebook fans, and more than 10,000 followers on Twitter out of a population of just (70k) for the city of Asheville. The site also has the biggest YouTube channel in western North Carolina with over 413,000 combined views, 352 subscribers, and over 450 different videos showing the many different angles of life in Asheville, N.C.

Why marketers should love G Social Media

I do social media. I have been in this field for years. I practice this lifestyle in person and online. I do it for myself and I work it for my clients. I love to make connections. In my industry, and among a lot of my local peeps, there is a consistent sense of unwarranted competition. There need not be. I compliment business in general. I do not "steal" clients and I am supportive of the work of others. Here is why Marketers should love me:

1. I do balanced and correct social media, for my clients, your clients, and/or by being a ghost marketer.. where I do the work for your clients, for you, behind the scenes, never disclosing myself if necessary.

2. I do not compete - Loyalty is big part of what I do. Some marketers already have their clients in place and it would be unethical to solicit them directly. Sometimes marketing experts want me to be in direct contact with the clients, sometime they don't. Either way my commitment to my clients, your clients, and project as a whole is the same.

3. I love to train and empower - Sometimes marketers and PR experts do not want to give away "marketing secrets" to their clients, and put the power in their hands; but if you want me to set up your social media and then you take it from there, it is fine with me. I can show you have to maintain or you can source it out to me. The choice is yours.

4. I am a freelance agent, not looking for a job - Job security is important, especially in these tough economic times. When I come on the scene and their is already a marketer or marketing team in place; their job is never in jeopardy. Everyone likes to tell their client they "can do everything" so it is hard for marketers to reach out and source out for help when needed sometimes. I come in, reinforce, rebuild, and train you how to be more effective doing your job... not taking your job.

5. I will make you look good - Social networking and media is no longer a pastime game. If you are going to use it; use it right. Make it fun and profitable for you, your business and your clients. I can help greatly in this area. I love teamwork and would welcome being a part of your team. I can be your social media man!

6. Your company will do better - Everyone wants results. I can make it happen for the company in need. Social media is the way to initiate and build connections; leading to business. If used properly, all of us will do great.

7. We will all win -  And we will all live happily ever after. Doesn't everybody love a happy ending? I know I do.

G Social Media Recommendations - Thank You!

KC Hart - Marketing Director of the Asheville Home Builders Association: "I would highly recommend Gary Charles with G Social Media as an excellent marketing consultant specializing in Social Media. He has worked within our organization- the Asheville Home Builders Association, particularly with the Professional Women in Building Council, to establish a basic foundation for conceptual social media, then taking the next step in building a social network for our members and their businesses. His vast knowledge and patient approach has enabled many of our members to learn from his experiences. He is truly an expert on the subject of social interaction and the marketing benefit that can come to businesses in the homebuilding industry when applying these techniques."

Ryan Izon - Owner of Mother and Son Bistro: "Gary is a top notch Social Media expert and has several great systems in place for the education and training for me and my employees to not only get started in all aspects of social media for my business, but also has given us the tools to continue of and to find new and exciting ways to help promote awareness of our restaurant in a small city with hundred of other businesses like ours. Gary has shown us how to stand out from the rest."

Julie Atallah - Owner of Bruisin Ales: "Gary's done a great job organization Asheville with the hub @AskAsheville website and Twitter. His unending energy and support of the Asheville community is reflected in his work on a daily basis. At Bruisin' Ales, we're happy to call him a colleague." 

Cathy Rodgers - Owner of Seven Waves Marketing: "Gary is one of the most enthusiastic and pro small business people I have met! His social media expertise have been the success of many professorships in the Asheville area. We met on Twitter and ended up working on a project together. You should Hire @gsocialmedia."

Felicia Carter - Editor-in-Chief of Go Graham Go: "Gary provides a wealth of knowledge on all things social media. Not only is he an encouraging person to be around, but he has plenty of energy to do the job!"

Deborah Potter - PR Manager at the Grove Park Inn: "Gary is an expert at social media and making it work for your company. If there's an important event, you can count on Gary to be there. He does a great job."

Jan Rogers - Owner of The Garage at Biltmore: "Gary is a doer -- an energetic, creative, passionate force committed to making a difference that matters in the Asheville community. He engages people in their own contributions, shares their aspirations, helps them get better, and embraces the joint impact of the actions. Highly recommend working with Gary and always appreciate the opportunity.

Mary Dotson - Power Realty: “I have known Gary for 3 years. His knowledge of all Social Media platforms is amazing. He is the most knowledgeable person I have met in this area. In addition to knowing about Social Media, Gary has extensive experience in weaving all the different Social and Web technology together for each individual person or business. I love to work with Gary and look forward to working with him again. Gary has conducted several Social Media classes that I found extremely valuable. He demonstrated a high degree of expertise and his presentation was clear and immediately actionable. He was sensitive to others that did not have the on-line visual. In addition, his style was open and inviting to questions (and expressed appreciation for them) and willingly gave his time to responding to questions thoroughly. Gary is extremely enthusiastic about his work which is infectious. I certainly would recommend him for any of your Web or Social Media needs."

Amanda Ballew - More Space Place: “Gary is the "go-to guy" for Social Media in the Asheville Area. He is eager to help businesses learn Social Media and has taught classes for the community for free, including a series of classes for my Professional Women in Building Council. Gary can break Social Media down into an easy to understand and manageable set of platforms that almost anyone can understand. His strategy plans for business Social Media marketing are quite impressive. I would recommend that if you want to learn Social Media for yourself or if you need a master plan for your company that you contact Gary.”

Austin Hume - Grove Park Inn: “Gary has been a valuable teacher of Social Media Marketing this past year. His knowledge on Social Media Marketing is impressive. He has been active in connecting people/business in Asheville on a local and national level. He has been holding free online marketing classes, teaching people how to be highly effective in online marketing and the value of staying connected. His teaching style is non-abrasive and patient, and the material he has written clearly and effectively guides the way for beginners to use online marketing to increase their exposure.”

Lindsay Fields - Owner of Hot Yoga: “Gary is extremely knowledgeable, truly an expert in his field with his finger on the Social Media pulse! I continue to refer to him with any questions I have. He is passionate, dedicated and a straight up guy. If you are committed to building meaningful relationships and growing your business or brand, definitely contact G Social Media

Angela Shelton speaks on Social Media and Movie Making

As AskAsheville, G Social Media interviewed Angela Shelton at The Hotel Indigo in Asheville North Carolina. I just loved how connected she was when it came to new media and new thinking. We took a tour of the beautiful condo and then did this interview in the lobby area. Angela recently spoke at the 140 Twitter / Social Media Conference in New York City and also the one in Los Angeles. Her future plans include making 3 movies in the Asheville NC area.

5 People you shouldn’t hire for Social Media

In this economy, businesses are struggling and social media is new. Everyone “knows” it is the fastest greenest form of making connections and building your network. When business owners do not know much about new media, someone who knows just a little more may seem like an expert. With this in mind, many groups are selling an “experimental” form of social media to their clients. This goes against all business morale. People need social media that works, not learn to simply dabble in it and make some friends. So where do you start? There are many places to get comprehensive social media, but here are some people and places you should not be looking:

1. Web Designers – Companies that build websites are not social media professionals. They may know how to make a Facebook Fan Page or start a Twitter account, but their main focus is web development. I have dealt with several people recently that have told me that their web designer is handling their social media for the past several months and it proves my point exactly. There is not really much to show. On the other hand, a web designer may even pass the social media work to a “friend” who thinks they know what they are doing, do their client a great injustice, and hurt the cause of the business. Also, web designers may be struggling, so they put the social media hat on to make a few extra bucks, and get little done. Finally, they may be worried about losing their clients to a company that does social media, so they rather limit their knowledge and not point them in the right direction. Some web designers go against the tide and give their clients the best social media specialist options available.

2. Social Media Interns – An intern is someone who works in a temporary position with an emphasis on on-the-job training. This means that you have someone practicing on you and trying to learn it at the same time. With something as vital as social media marketing, your business deserves a little more commitment than being an experimental test dummy.

3. SEO Experts – Being a search engine optimization expert is not a resume for social media. I have several friends in this area and they will gladly agree. Just because you know how to keyword correctly and customize meta-tags, does not mean that you know new media. Yes, common sense SEO is good to know, but that does not qualify you for social media at all. This also goes for other traditional marketers. A doctor does not do everything. I do not want my dentist doctor performing brain surgery on me. Get your roles correct and clarity what they do best.

4. Unsociable People – Having no personality and flexibility in person will make a bad showing online. I understand that some have an “alter-ego” where they are a recluse in person, and then a superstar online, but that is the exception. As the rule, your sociable skills that you currently have end up being the same attitude you have online. This is where you could really use someone that knows how to communicate and socially integrate you online. I tell people all of the time that the 1st rule of social media is to BE SOCIABLE. Without it, you miss the whole point.

5. Your Teens and College Kids – Just because you have a son in college that has a MySpace page, it does not mean that they know anything about business social media. They know how to connect and network online, just like my 6 year old (maybe a little more). Social media, internet networking and marketing for your company is very important. In the hands of a child, it could be dangerous.

Of course, if you have enough time on your hands, anyone can initiate and build their social media network. This could take years. I did a comparison on a company that told me “we are doing our own social media” about 6 months ago, and a social media package where I built it and trained the client just a mere 30 days ago; and the proof is in the pudding. What am I saying? Do your research and make sure you are getting a comprehensive social media package that works constantly for you and your business. This is neither the time nor place to play.

How My Social Media Can Help Your Business

Social media is a new form of communication. We used to write letters and talk on the phone, but those days are just about gone. If it is not in our email box, or Facebook mailbox, or in our Twitter at replies or direct messages; it is not really that important or urgent.

I have completed dozens of fully comprehensive social media packages for individuals and businesses all across Asheville, WNC and around the Country. I do social media. I do not do web design and "also social media," making it of secondary importance. This is the priority when it comes to me and my work. Originally I was doing Internet marketing and social networking as a "ghost" marketer for several private companies, but have since offered my services to anyone and everyone who needs help.

Social media is not something that we play with when it comes to business. Just because you or someone you know sets up a Twitter account or Facebook fan page for you, does not mean it will be a successful platform. Some of these new marketers only know about 10% of social media info, and to you they may seem to know everything. NOT! Many times people who do not know anything about social media get solicited and led by someone who knows just a little bit more than they do, waste their money, do not see any results, pass the hype, and eventually get discouraged by what they were taught. Don't let a novice teach you something as important as social media! Your business life and future may be hinging on making the right moves. If you are serious about your company, you need to let these shallow social media consultants practice on someone else, not you. This is business!

What I do for my clients is create a comprehensive social media and networking package that reaches the main platforms where your potential clients will be. I set up a blog, which is an article site where you can add information to regularly, giving the search engines more and more content about your business. Then I set up a update site where you can post updates about your business, things you do, links to your site, and also personal comments of sorts. I add a photo update site with a bunch of photos that have great descriptions and tags. Then I create a video channel for your company. I take and make videos or slideshows and upload them online giving them the proper descriptions and tags to make sure the search engines find them. I then make a photo album site where you have online photo albums filled with pictures of your business etc. I attach an rss feed to your blog and grab some of the bling gadgets they provide for you to reach more readers. I use a feed bin site to compile all of your social media into one place and also feed it to your update site.  Finally, I choose a social network site that best fits your business and create fans or connections for you. I am also attaching the location based social networking site called Foursquare to many of the businesses I work for. All of these social media sites are your property when I build them and they point directly to you and your website.

On top of that, I show most businesses how they can easily maintain their social media in about 5 - 10 minutes per day. This is not a burdensome activity. I set it up so you see people coming to your website and get real life results. Yes, you will have fun and you will get business if you do it right. I am here to help you and make sure that happens.

Social Media School Class #2 – Thank you Asheville

We had a great time the other evening at the Free Social Media School in Asheville North Carolina. First I took the group through setting up an email and a Twitter account. Then Justin from Social Village spoke on “Everyone has a story to tell” and how social media is the conduit for expression. Next up was social media and networking giant Trey Pennington from Greenville South Carolina to talk about relationships and how social media increases your effectiveness.


Special Thanks to the Garage at Biltmore for hosting the event and making sure everything was venue perfect. Jan and Chris, the owners, were more than accommodating and very hospitable to everyone. We had a little problem because Preferred Pump decided not to share their parking lot, but The Slosman Corporation in Asheville quickly responded and came to the rescue providing us with the use of their parking lot across the street.

Local Guys Moving in Asheville NC were there to make sure we had the chairs set up and were available to do anything that we needed completed. The chairs were lent to us by Cornerstone Church in downtown Asheville on South French Broad Avenue. Rev Pictures was there to take the video clips of this social media event and did a great job. PSAV provided the projector and screen for this event and assisted with getting everything hooked up right for a great presentation. AVL Custom Closet took care of the printing needs of the evening and was on-call to assist in any possible way. Man Cave Grilling came to the Asheville social media school and brought some great grilled food into the mix.

Sugar Momma's Cookies, Rolf Experience, and Man Cave Grilling all donated great prizes for this event. Thank you so so much!!

Awesome meeting! The next event is planned for April 23 from 5pm - 7:30pm at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville NC with a social time after. See the Facebook Event page or email me to RSVP. Try to plan to stay out with us until about 10pm if you are available. Free Social Media School in AVL! Thank you from G Social Media!