I’m normally not one to talk about business forums, conferences, or other events, but this year has been a little different. After attending numerous marketing conferences and TEDx Talks at the advice of an influencer, I am now officially hooked.
One event that I was hoping to make, but won’t be able to due to a scheduling conflict is Synergy Global Forum in New York City. Scheduled for October 27 and 28 this year, speakers include the likes of Gary Vaynerchuk, Simon Sinek, and Sir Richard Branson, to name a few. I highly doubt I will get to see them all in the same room again in the near future.
Each of these influencers has had a meaningful impact on me running my business. So, while I won’t be in attendance this year, I thought I’d make a list of what each person has taught me and how I have been able to apply it to my own business experience.
Gary Vaynerchuk: Never sugarcoat your opinion
People seem to hang on every word that Gary Vee says. Even Brian Sutter from AllBusiness has him number 1 on the list of the 50 Most Influential People in Small Business Marketing. While he does have a lot of great advice, it is more about how he delivers it that has helped me through the years. Here is what I mean.
Vaynerchuk is not shy to say what needs to be said. In fact, some get offended by him as he doesn’t sugarcoat his opinions. This is one reason why he is so popular and people love to hear him speak. People want the truth, no matter what it is.
I used to think the best way to retain a customer was to tell them what they wanted to hear. That was a huge mistake, one that often comes back to bite people in the rear end. That’s why I learned to tell people the truth, no matter the consequences.
If I am unable to help someone, I tell them so. There is no “trying” for customers in the marketing business. You either do it or you don’t, and letting people know if I can or not has helped me retain many customers and earn a ton of referrals.
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Simon Sinek: You can’t always do things on your own
Simon Sinek is probably best known for his book Start With Why, but it happens to be his TEDx Talk based on the book that has helped me through my career. In fact, the talk has become one of the most watched TED Talks of all time, gaining more than 27 million views.
The one piece of advice that has resonated with me about this talk is that you cannot always do things on your own. When I started my marketing business, I was on my own. Things were easy for me as I didn’t have a ton of clients or projects that needed managing.
Over the years, though, demand for my services grew, and I tried to scale my business without any outside help. Unfortunately, Sinek was correct in that you cannot always do things on your own. Not only did I fail to scale, but I actually harmed myself by neglecting some of my good clients while attempting to do so.