[00:00:00] Jeff Sieh: Welcome to Social Media News Live I’m Jeff Sieh and you’re not.

[00:00:04] Grace Duffy: I’m Grace Duffy. And this is the show that keeps you up to date in the world of social media.

[00:00:10] Jeff Sieh: So what are the benefits of having a sense of humor? Let me tell you, humor builds relationships increases learning it resolves conflicts, relieve stress, improves productivity and prevents burnout. There are a ton of health benefits to humor and a link between humor and happiness. So one of the things we found that being funny on social.

[00:00:31] Can drive serious business and that’s from sprout social and they have the stats to approve that claim. But sometimes. When you have access to a whole world and the whole world of opinions has access to your Twitter account, your sense of humor can be a little bit tricky. So today we are going to be talking about humor, getting humor right online with our very funny guest, Ramon Ray, he’s not funny looking, he’s just playing funny.

[00:00:56] So Ramon, how are you doing today? My

[00:01:00] Ramon Ray: brother, Jeff and sister Grace, I am been fantatically well and blessed, and I love humor. Do you know Jeff? I hope you pick the right person. I don’t take myself too seriously at all, but the work I do is very serious, but I like to have fun. In fact, it’s in our core values, that smart hustle have fun and do the right thing.

[00:01:15] So yes, I’m doing great. And I’m well, glad to be here with you all.

[00:01:19] Jeff Sieh: Awesome. So if you don’t know who Ramon Ray is, he is a good friend and you really need to dive in. Oh, he’s got out on the socials. He is a global keynote speaker. He’s an event host a best-selling hot author and entrepreneur. He is the founder of smart hustle media and is an on demand commentator on marketing technology, mindset, startups, and much, much more.

[00:01:41] And in our opinion, he’s a pretty funny guy. If you’ve ever seen a remote on stage, he is one of the most high energy funny. Presenters speakers. I aspire to be like Ramon, so he is very cool remote. Thank you for again for being here.

[00:01:58] Ramon Ray: Those of us who don’t have a lot of this, I have to have something else.

[00:02:01] So yeah.

[00:02:03] Jeff Sieh: Be careful with, I just got it caught on my mic too. Is, did you hear it? Click on that? Sorry. Anyway, this is it’s it’s April fools. So we’re just going to go with it. By the way, somebody who is not who they have a sense of humor. And they’re awesome is our sponsor. Ecamm if you guys haven’t, that’s what we use to produce our show.

[00:02:21] They are amazing. You can find out more about them at socialmedianewslive.com/ecamm. And one of the things they have going on right now is they have just come out with this new simplified way for people to. Inside of the Ecamm ecosystem. So it’s the simplest way for beginners to get up and running quickly with Ecamm live.

[00:02:44] It’s hosted by Diana Gladney and we’ve had her on before. She’s amazing. And it’s a series of easy tutorial videos to take you through every aspect of the software from first run, just getting started to advanced techniques. Whether you’re live streaming, recording videos, creating a podcast, or just looking to improve your video quality.

[00:03:00] This series is for you. You can find out more about it at ecamm.tv/simple That’s ecamm.tv/simple And another thing that I’m actually going to be doing this month is #CEDA. Have you ever heard of this? It’s created every day in April. And so I’m going to actually start doing that.

[00:03:22] I’m going to do something I’m going to, I’m going to dive into Amazon live. But if you use the hashtag #CEDA, they’re going to be featuring that over on Ecamm in their channels and bringing them up on their shows and stuff. So you can be featured on there. So use the hashtag #CEDA, but try it.

[00:03:37] I’m going to come along with me and we’re going to try to create something every day in April. I think it’s going to be a lot of fun. But this right here, I’m counting this is it right here, buddy. Yeah. Yeah. But I’m going to do one tomorrow. Yeah.

[00:03:54] Grace Duffy: Tomorrow. Yeah. What are you going to create tomorrow?

[00:03:56] Jeff Sieh: I may do some carving online. I may do. I haven’t done that in a while. People really liked that. Love it. So we may do some of that. I may do some of that. So anyway, I digress, but let’s go ahead and get cracking on the show. Thanks again for Ecamm for sponsoring the show. So Grace, take us away with what we’ll be talking about.

[00:04:14] Grace Duffy: First of all, I want to say I’m very excited to have Ramon Ray here with us. He is a quite a funny guy and it takes real, it takes real timing, real smart hustle to know when to meme and when not to meme, which was the name of our first second. I tried to be funny with this. I don’t know if I need help or whatever.

[00:04:34] Anyway, so I wanted to kick off today’s show with the story that I found in ad week. It was from January. And if you want to fight. It’s called how to avoid corporate cringe on social media. That was from ad week. And it’s a story that’s published it there about a TikTok trend that came up that, that, that took off.

[00:04:52] I promise the is going somewhere. It was about a new York-based twenty-something named Caleb and he works for a furniture store. He, I guess he designs furniture for west Elm, the big furniture brand. These girls were talking about there, they’re sharing their dating stories about him. And apparently he just has a track record of showering these women with attention and then ghosting them.

[00:05:18] And it was just some spontaneous thing that just happened over on TikTok. There was an overwhelming consensus that all the other social media reactions from this. So a lot of brands picked up on this trend. I don’t, I didn’t even know this was happening and started like. Picky, started using it in their own social posts, it was just like, so it was like people like Hellmann’s re-double yes, helmets, the mayonnaise daily harvest, and other brands all chimed in about the self promotional, awkward overall cringe worthy event. And it’s exactly what my, a very salty seventh grader would call this cringe.

[00:05:57] And it was stuff like Hellman’s would post things like based on this trend of Hellman’s posted this tweet that said west Elm Caleb’s thinks Mayo is. Yeah. And then I think rubble or daily harvest was like west Elm, Kayla victims, sustainable farms treat their girls. Like they treat their soil zero toxic behavior.

[00:06:17] And then there was another one, it was like rugged bull where it’s we don’t make furniture, but we make rugs and we’re not going to ghost you. It was so awkward. And I get where they’re coming from. Like I get the, this is like a big story and it was getting a lot of traction, but as a brand. This is probably not the way to do it, but how, and when do you know when to ride the mean wave Ramon?

[00:06:40] Some brands obviously do it better than others and others look slimy and weird and get written about in ad week for being.

When Do You Ride The Meme Wave On Social?

[00:06:48] Ramon Ray: Listen, Grace, listen, when we were all seriousness, when we were at meme university and did our research and analysis of when to do things, it was me and Dr. . We were all there and here’s our research uncovered that one of the best memes in the planet was is it okay to dunk in the dark?

[00:07:05] As people may remember, as we go back to the anthropology. Archives. That was by the Oreo agency that kind of have that when the lights of some stadiums and Superbowl went down dunk in the dark. So my thinking me a Grace, I get what you’re saying. I understand the context, but I think these agencies, these brands, they know their audience, big story is relative.

[00:07:25] And they’re also looking for content. They’re looking for ways to engage with their community. So I would give them kind of an, a minus. Maybe even an, a plus for catching the news wave news. Hijacking is David Meerman Scott. I think the guy’s name is as he talks about that’s my 2 cents on that, but I’d be curious based on what I just said.

[00:07:44] What do you say back to me, Grace, but I do think based from the studies we have at meme university, because I’m the doctor of that. I think they, yeah, they may have meaned okay. In this country.

[00:07:55] Jeff Sieh: So Chris stone says to me, or not to mean that is the question he says, that’s the actual original line from Hamlet.

[00:08:01] And we should fact check him on that if to see and yes. Sabrina goes meme university. Yeah. In RA probably. Cause I know Sabrina now. Just kidding, but

[00:08:12] Ramon Ray: absolutely Sabrina you’re welcome. We have four openings left. University. So sign up while you can,

[00:08:17] Jeff Sieh: the price goes up. It’s yeah.

[00:08:20] So th so you said they’re doing a good job, but I wanna, I want to maybe push back a little bit, cause Grace talked about cringe-worthy nets. They also say, even, negative news is good marketing when you have that. So is it in that level, like it’s so bad, it gets you attention.

[00:08:39] But those are big brands. I think it could really backfire on smaller brands are solopreneurs or like you and me or grace did that people would there wouldn’t be like, oh, it’s just, it’s just, re-double again being stupid. It would be like Grace has a real problem or something like that.

[00:08:57] You know what I mean? That’s what I feel. Don’t you think it matters how big the brand is?

Does the Size of the Brand Matter?

[00:09:04] Ramon Ray: It matters what the brand is, but I think Jeff also what you’re meaning about. So in this case, let’s give him a pass, something innocuous, a guy ghosting ladies. It’s not cool, depending on how politically correct you want to be, but I’m guessing that the brands felt it was safe.

[00:09:18] For their audience, maybe younger people, hip a certain demographic of people that would get it and laugh with it. And if it was viral and TikTok, I didn’t hear you all reporting that it was anything, anybody got hurt. It was anything malicious per se. It seems like it did go if I had to pick a left or right.

[00:09:33] That it could go on the side of some sort of humor or, huh. That’s an interesting news story. That makes sense. But I think you’re right, Jeff, the overall point, you gotta be careful what you mean. You think it was ha and then you put it out there and realize that, somebody slammed you with. Ho, like not good.

[00:09:49] So I get your point.

[00:09:50] Jeff Sieh: So I’m not going to go with the ho-ho part because it was about this guy in the dating. But Ooh, I see,

[00:10:01] Grace Duffy: I know I got to keep this well, it was very much seen as punching down because it was it was like these women were talking about their experience about this guy, which was, I don’t know if he’s real or I think he is.

[00:10:11] By the way, I think he is a real person, but it was, they were just sharing this. But then it was largely seen as like these big brands punching down on this one guy, because he didn’t call someone back. So it was just like, I get what they’re doing. I totally understand it. As someone who tries to relate with their teenage children on a daily basis.

[00:10:29] I understand how you can end up doing awkward things.

[00:10:33] Jeff Sieh: So here’s some comments and Sabrina has a great point. Sometimes you simply do your own. And don’t mean. So I think that’s a good point because it, to me, I see those brands and I think that’s just for the amount of money you have in the amount of, I know, talent pool, you have those weren’t really creative.

[00:10:51] You were just trying to jump on the bandwagon. So I would give you a negative. Review in my book. And Kim has a great let’s. He goes, you gotta be careful what you meme. It’s a famous quote for Ramon. So Ramon, you need to put that on your website there. But, and Chad, so Chad, I wanna point out this, cause Chad’s here with us and he says, if you need a Jeff or a grace gift or Jeff slide into his DM.

[00:11:18] So Chad, his thing is he makes these, he goes to events. He makes these. And Jeff’s are gifts of people. And those are, but those could also be taken the wrong way. He could get somebody who thought, listen, dude, I was on stage. I was giving my all and you’re making fun of me, which was me and I that’s why I’m, I shouldn’t even acknowledge him cause he’s not, he’s dead to me.

[00:11:41] But no, but you have to be careful. And I think that’s the whole point of the show and we’re going to be talking about this stuff is. You have to know your audience and you have to be able to read the room, is what I’m saying. That’s

[00:11:56] Ramon Ray: right. And I think Jeff let’s remember, we all, we’re going to make mistakes.

[00:11:58] We’re all going to screw up to a degree. But I think the hope is that you don’t screw up too much. That’s colossal and you start having people demonstrate in front of your store, whatever it is. So I think, listen, we’re all in agreement, per se, we may be disliked disagreeing to disagree on the velocity or ferocity or whatever it was of what that particular meme was.

[00:12:16] But overall, yeah, you gotta be careful.

[00:12:19] Jeff Sieh: So remote let’s let’s remove your market. Entrepreneur hat for a moment. So how important is humor to you? Like when you’re looking at a, deciding on a brand or something to buy or a consultant or an agency, how important is that to you? It’s just like a person.

[00:12:39] Does that make a difference? Are you looking for numbers? Are you looking for, the lowest costs? What matters to you when you’re looking at, a brand.

Does Humor Make a Difference in Brand Choice?

[00:12:48] Jeff Sieh: Sure. Let me

[00:12:50] Ramon Ray: answer it two ways, Jeff, and feel free to riff with me here, but let me answer it two ways. I think that me as humor is an important part of me, that’s me.

[00:12:58] And so if I’m coming in, I working with you, me, you, Jeff, Grace, whatever it is. And someone doesn’t like it, that really stiff. You probably won’t like me. So I’m not answering the question directly yet, but I just want to put that out. My mojo. So yes, Jeff, I’m attracted to that and oftentimes my friends either like it or hate it.

[00:13:15] So I think as far as the brain itself, really, yes. As Jeff or the brand itself, not strongly important to me personally there, but I must say, especially when it gets down to the individual, let’s say I’m looking for a real estate attorney. I’m looking for a lawyer or whatever the case may be looking for a barber.

[00:13:33] I could pick it, Barbara looking for something else in my life and that case then Jeff, their humor, they laugh a bit and we’re on the opening. We’re at the consultation. Yeah. That will impact Ramon Ray. Absolutely. Now my pastor, the person sitting there. Yes, we can help you. Sure. We’ll reputable. Oh, he may like them, but me.

[00:13:50] You’re laughing. You’re telling jokes. You could be an ax murderer probably. And I’ll still hire you if you’re funny enough.

[00:13:56] Jeff Sieh: So I want to, before we move on to the next question, I want to ask you because. I think this will be interesting to find out when people are hiring Ramon Ray as a speaker, they want you to come to your event.

[00:14:08] They want you to MC whatever. Do you think it’s more important that you give uplifting inspirational stories or that you are funny and are entertaining?

What Matters Most for Raymon Ray’s Brand?

[00:14:18] Ramon Ray: Yeah, I, from what I’ve learned after the 20 years, Jeff of me doing this, I believe that when people come to the table, they know exactly what they’re getting.

[00:14:25] One of my biggest client, a big German based company. I’ll never forget what they told me. And I’m going to say the accent, even though it was an email. And here’s how it felt to me, Jeff hormone, we know you like butter, pancakes, and bacon. We need you to hold that. Bad accident, bad mimicry after I say honor them.

[00:14:42] But Jeff taints your question. If you get what I mean, they came to the table after watching my YouTube videos, watching things like this, they know who they’re getting. So I think at some level companies do their due diligence and they know what they’re getting assignments, cynic. Great guy. I’m not saying anything negative.

[00:14:54] I’m saying a good right. A little more serious. Start with why they know if they’re getting a proverbial TJ, cause you got to bring it in God or they know if they’re getting something different. So I think at the highest levels where educating people do a little bit of research, know who you’re getting, because the last thing you want to do, Jeff is get the talent you’re hiring and saying, listen, can you change who you are?

[00:15:13] Don’t do this. The only time I think that ever works is when you know Gary and they hire him once in a while and say, don’t curse. Oh he hasn’t done that. I’ll leave it like that. But did that answer the question, Jeff, when I go way off the reservation,

[00:15:27] Jeff Sieh: it did, but what I want to know for you, what do you think that your big selling point is?

[00:15:31] Is that because,

[00:15:33] Ramon Ray: okay. Engagement. Okay. Nope, no question about it. And again, Jeff, you and I are friends. We know each other grace, and I’ve worked together. I’m not really trying to be Jeff. I’m a silly guy in my home and my church slash prankster. That’s just me. That’s just how I’m built. I didn’t have to be careful sometimes.

[00:15:49] It’s a funeral. They said the mother just died. Let me, I gotta, I can’t. Cause I even joke about that as those things in my own life. My wife had to tell me to leave the delivery room. Cause I was like tromping on cookies. I’m sitting there and she’s can you leave? Because you’re annoying me.

[00:16:04] So that’s just me, Jeff.

[00:16:09] Grace Duffy: I got, we got to take a moment here. Justin south said, Jeff, you needing me to commit to a gift pronunciation team. Soft G join us. Okay. So what we’ve learned today is you could either get a Jeff, or a grace gift. Okay. We are divided. And by the way, I to say that. Chad here said that I’m absolutely the most giftable person, probably because I walk into a room like this.

[00:16:33] Jeff Sieh: That’s right. She does the hustle

[00:16:36] Grace Duffy: and I leave the room, but I have, I want to bring in Ian’s question here, Jeff, I’ll give you a moment to find it, but I will read it while you are bringing it, I’m looking for it up on screen. Aren’t there a lot of different types of sense of humor between personalities, cultures, countries, et cetera.

[00:16:55] That can be difficult sometimes. And it made me your comment about your German client. Made me think of this question. So I think it’s perfect to interject that here. It is hard. A global brand or a global company, or trying to be, and you’ve got different personalities or cultures. And we’re going to talk about this a little bit further down about how there was an incident in the news this week and I woke up to every reaction under the sun, but let’s talk about you because you do work with clients all over the world.

[00:17:30] Ramon Ray: Oh, sorry about that. Great. So I was just so humorous after. I wasn’t sure if I should comment on the unspoken news, the item I was on the gift for Jeff, I was like, I was in the flow though, but the

[00:17:42] Jeff Sieh: flow like. Deep. Because I know you speak, you crossed the world Ramon, and I’m really interested in this because I have noticed it too.

[00:17:50] And just my limited, a couple of times overseas and here speaking is that even the different parts of country, humor hits differently, some work different, you get a big laugh down south and you get like crickets up north. So you talk about that.

How Do You Navigate Humor in Different Cultures?

[00:18:07] Ramon Ray: Yep. Got it. Good. Thank you, grace. Grace. And you’ve got it now.

[00:18:10] Yeah. So here’s my 2 cents on this. I’ll give it a little story. I forgot how long the show is. So I’ll try to keep the story under 30 minutes. But bottom line is this. I used to work at United nation. I was joke and nothing that a nation’s part me keeping it under 30 minutes. I used to work at the nations and I was greeting this a young lady.

[00:18:26] She’s from Japan, a thin petite, young, just setting the stage. And I greeted her Jeff and Grace kind of an American typical way. Hey, how are you? My name is Ramon Ray. How are you? What’s your name? She was horrified. She was like, oh, because that’s not in Japan. In that context, in a professional setting, I should have been much more reserved, respectful what I’m trying to get at grace.

[00:18:45] You’re exactly right. And I’ve had to learn that I’ve traveled the world. I’m going to be me, but I must help to know where I’m. Who I’m with and at least what are the red lights? Did I need to stay away from certain places? Sure. I won’t bring up any jokes, whatever about meat. For example, if that’s really the third rail, but I think overall, both people, no pun intended have to give each other grace because I’m going to be me, but yet it’s only respectable that I do back up a bit.

[00:19:14] I was giving, I was at an event, Jeff and Grace. It was a. Jewish event. I see. And again, I say this all respectfully and honorably giving the context of long beards, hats and sideburns, things like that. What’s the Orthodox trends. I think it was a way to call and there I was. But I was respectful.

[00:19:32] Jeff and Grace, where I was ladies were on one side, men was on the other side, if so I was aware of the reverence or the religious institution I was at, but I was still remote. And guess what? The biggest compliment I got, they were all standing up cheering saying Ramon, you’re one of us, as I said, some comments to them.

[00:19:50] So I’ll end it there. But the point is, yes, Grace. You’re right.

[00:19:54] Jeff Sieh: Very cool. So great. You have a quote that I want you to read because I thought this was really interesting and I want to get remote Ramon to take on this. So I’ll let you go ahead and do that.

[00:20:03] Grace Duffy: This was the, in that story, that ad week story about west MK.

[00:20:08] West Elm Caleb, I’ll say it right eventually it’s it was in today’s social media. Landscape brands are desperate to outdo each other with quirkiness. And to finally went over this generation of socially conscious consumers that are often at war with big corporations. I’ll leave that out there because I don’t know necessarily know that’s true or not, but what it goes on to say, but when brands participate in fleeting trends to which they have no connection or overly reliant on humor as a social strategy, many experts believe that they do.

[00:20:38] They do more good for their, oh, they do more harm. Sorry, then good to their image. So they w when you’re, so basically if you’re reliant on copying on the next meme, train or hopping on this joke, or commenting on everything that flashes through your newsfeed, it does more harm than good. Do you agree or disagree?

The Importance of Knowing Your Audience

[00:20:56] Ramon Ray: I think it can, but grace here’s what I think is really cool is I think brands who are good, they know their audience. Let’s take two different memes. Black rifle coffee probably has no clue what welst west Elm is. They probably take a saw and cut doors and that’s their coffee table. I sit jokingly, Reverend Lido, black rifle, coffee, hard and military ex-military and all this.

[00:21:20] It knows its audience. So Grace you’re right. You can do more harm than good. Absolutely. But I think that again, the way to be safe is do you really know your audience? And I think the best brands they live, who they are, where I think Grace and Jeff brands get in trouble is those brands who try to serve everybody, try to please everybody and try to offend no one.

[00:21:41] You can’t do that. And so one example, I’ll give again, bike rifle, as an example, they know their customer and they don’t say screw it, but meaning I’m a manager. Here’s our demo. Here’s our customer. We’re serving them, screw everybody else. That’s the way to make money. But brands were like, oh, we want the green people like this, the red people like this, the pink people like this, the north people like this, you’re going to get dizzy.

[00:22:02] You can’t even, you can’t do anything. And that’s what you screw up.

[00:22:05] Jeff Sieh: So I think what I’m hearing you say is it’s to know your audience.

[00:22:12] Ramon Ray: No, Jeff, what I’m trying to say is know your audience. That’s what I’m, that’s what I’m, that’s what I’m trying to convey is to know your audience

[00:22:17] Grace Duffy: and listening and listen to your audience.

[00:22:19] Right? Listen, those listening

[00:22:21] Ramon Ray: skills are important. Okay. I’d say it like, listen, that’s what I’d say, grace. I’d say listen.

[00:22:27] Jeff Sieh: So Jonathan P Paris over on LinkedIn says humor is like rocket fuel to learning empathy and building rapport. And I would totally agree. And I’ll look at that. Is that.

[00:22:40] Ramon Ray: Now, this is a Gino Wickman who you guys have to have in the show one day, but rocket fuel, I just pulled it out. Thought it

[00:22:44] Jeff Sieh: was a little bit. Yeah. And Sabrina goes, yes. My husband always says, look at this. You might think it’s funny. And she never does. So he needs to learn his audience from Sabrina. I think that’s, that is the men are from Mars.

[00:22:58] Women are from Venus. That’s the story of generations. Can I squeeze in one

[00:23:02] Ramon Ray: more thing, please be careful though. So you’re hiring as well. I just wanted to add that, this is a Social Media show, right? So as you’re hiring people to write in your voice for you as you grow, I have team members of my team who do some social media for me.

[00:23:14] And again, you want to find people that can eventually get your voice. I just wanted to add that could be a whole nother show because you find somebody, they’re a green people and you’re, purple brain. That’s not going to mix, they’re going to be talking in their own language if you get what I mean.

[00:23:28] So you want to find people’s you hire agencies and content creators that at least take the time to get how Jeff is, how grace is, and they have to have the humility to write in the voice of you. Cause.

[00:23:40] Jeff Sieh: That’s a great point. Great

[00:23:41] Grace Duffy: point. So you’re hiring remote. How do you test for that? Like how do you, vet for that, as you’re hiring people, because you put your job out there, you get all these applications and, you get like what, five seconds to make that assessment before you’re late. And then you go into the interview and you can find out more, but what is your filter for that for finding.

Hiring the Right People for Your Tone of Voice

[00:24:00] Ramon Ray: Yeah.

[00:24:00] It’s not easy Grace, but I think two things may have helped that. I think I’ve done this over time relatively. I think one, even it’s been time with the person, even just a little bit, just little clues. Do they laugh with you? Are they sitting here? Like that. Really that, that could be a clue, but, or they’re an expert they can modify in two things.

[00:24:20] Grace, I’ll just share an example of myself and smart hustle. I hired a social media manager. His name is Costa team. He’s from Tanzania. It’s taken a few weeks and he started out doing well, but over time and his beautiful accent. And so I did it because I heard you a podcast and I know you. I asked for the smiler before you asked for a 10.

[00:24:39] I’m putting that in the memes too, so it’s just great. I’m like my man. That’s exactly what I would say. So if that makes sense, that silly example, but I hope you get what the spirit I’m saying. It, he got Ramon, he took the time to listen outside of. So I hope that was helpful.

[00:24:55] Grace Duffy: That was helpful. And I’m glad the story went that way because when you said he started off doing well, I was like, oh gosh, is this kid going to get fired on our show

[00:25:02] Jeff Sieh: by the way you’re fired.

[00:25:04] Yeah. So he’s yeah, like

[00:25:06] Grace Duffy: second to zoom firing, right? Like I was on this show when I

[00:25:10] Ramon Ray: fired you.

[00:25:12] Jeff Sieh: So Dustin says, listen to your audience, not some journalists who doesn’t like brands using humor trends. So that is a great point. And Chad goes, he loves that the breasts, the best brands live, who they are there.

[00:25:25] That’s so important. I hate seeing people who are just a persona when they do business, but completely different in real life. And I agree chat. And I think that we’ve talked, it’s such a buzz word being authentic, but that is true. Like Ramon was saying, when you see Ramon in real life and you see him on a zoom call and you see him on stage dancing, that’s how he is.

[00:25:47] And he seems to be paused right now.

[00:25:50] Ramon Ray: Yeah, I can’t hear you, but that is a great, and I refresh or leave it refreshed. We’ll bring you back.

[00:26:00] Jeff Sieh: We’ll bring them back. Yes, because I liked that, that if we can have him on that, the whole show, he looks like he’s really listening to us right now. Oh, he’s going to have to come back in

[00:26:09] and

[00:26:09] Grace Duffy: I’ll bring him in.

[00:26:10] We’ll bring them back. We’ll bring them back when he comes

[00:26:12] Jeff Sieh: back. So this next section, we’re going to be talking here. It comes. Let me just let him in here. That was so good. That was a GIF or Jif right there. So if

[00:26:23] Ramon Ray: moment

[00:26:24] Grace Duffy: that was a gift moment,

[00:26:25] Ramon Ray: a gift. See, I

[00:26:26] Jeff Sieh: don’t, I’m going to go both ways.

[00:26:27] I, you’re going to hack somebody off, so I’m going to, I’m going to run the fan.

[00:26:31] Ramon Ray: I’m not

[00:26:31] Grace Duffy: going to commit, make me happy.

[00:26:35] Ramon Ray: Jeff, make grace happy.

[00:26:37] Jeff Sieh: That is my goal in life. So just, so this is true. So Dustin, I get this a lot. It’s hello. Welcome to our interview. Make me laugh.

[00:26:45] That’s. Then when you have to be funny on cue, that’s really hard. I get what you’re saying. So we’re going to be talking about this next section is finding your funny bone. I know Ramon, you probably get this a lot is like you have inspiring speakers or people who want to, they see you on stage. And they like, I really, I want to be more like Ramon, what do you tell them?

[00:27:06] If you, if they say Ramon, teach me to be funny. What are you telling me?

Can You Learn How to Be Funny?

[00:27:11] Ramon Ray: I think there’s a few things or maybe it could be one thing. We’ll see what happens. And I think I learned this from Les brown, not directly answering the question, but the principle will apply everyone. Jeff and Grace can tell a story.

[00:27:22] We all have stories, just journey from where he was to where he is today. Grace journey, where she was from, where she is today, things that happened in her life with the kids or family, whatever. Everyone has a story that we can all learn to do better to connect the dots that Seth Goden has taught me and others.

[00:27:38] So we all can do that well, but I think one thing, and second thing, we can all learn improv to be a little lighter, to be a little chiller. But Jeff, the third thing, I think it’s hard to be funny. I don’t know if that can be taught, but storytelling can be taught. Being more loose, can be taught, but being funny.

[00:27:55] I think that’s something God just gives you or doesn’t give you.

[00:27:59] Jeff Sieh: Yeah, I think, learning how to tell a story and finding and you were on his podcast and I love it. I highly recommend it. It’s Jay bears, I can’t remember the it’s about speakers.

[00:28:09] Ramon Ray: Okay. Oh yeah. Stage or a crushed the stage ovation, ovulation, something like that.

[00:28:15] I’ve forgotten.

[00:28:16] Jeff Sieh: And it’s not standing ovulation standing ovation. Yes. It’s really good, but it talks about people having their signature story and some of those people on there are incredible. Ted talk level speakers, but they have a signature story. So I would suggest that is a really good one to listen to.

[00:28:34] If you want to find how to tell a story or become a more entertaining speaker. Another book is is do you talk funny by Nikhil? I believe his name. He’s a comedian. Very good. It helped me a lot. And then Ken Davis, have you ever heard Ken Davis speak? He is like in. Speaker who is amazing.

[00:28:54] He’s got some great books on speaking. I think he wrote one with Michael Hyatt. So those are just off the top of my head.

[00:29:00] Ramon Ray: Yeah. Oh no. That was saying her rugs speaker. That’s another guy, but, and Jeff, let me edit that. Just want to say also, as we’re talking about this, I think it’s showing Jeff, let me know if you agree that.

[00:29:08] EV everybody doesn’t have to be funny. Ha funny. I think that’s a natural God-given talent and whatever degree you have it, but I think everybody can learn. And when I say that’s why I said improv, let your hair down to just be a little humorous. If you get what I mean, I think there’s, everybody can learn that.

[00:29:24] Come on. There’s only one, Steve Harvey, Chris rock, whatever it may

[00:29:27] Jeff Sieh: be. See, I don’t say I’m a standup comedian by any means, but I think I can tell humorous stories. So there’s a difference. Yeah. Because the standup community is a whole other boat. I have done improv. I think learning improv is even doing live video improv helps because you’d never know.

[00:29:45] On screen and you have to do stuff. Yeah, it’s one of the things that could happen though. Very rarely. It’s usually somebody who’s, it’s usually lower quality speakers that don’t have a good connection, but, yeah.

[00:29:55] Grace Duffy: It’s live video. That’s what it is. It’s live video with this happens.

[00:30:02] Jeff Sieh: So let’s talk a little bit more about this finding your fun, funny bottom line, but it’s because. We talked about this west Elm Caleb story. We talked about at the beginning of the show because everybody was going after it, everybody was piling on, it seems so there’s two facts in that story.

[00:30:18] There’s a, been a big push for brands to act less like corporations and more like people on social media. We talked about that a little bit, but in a, enforcing a humorous centric image that doesn’t align with the central brand. Their purpose can leave consumers feeling like the brand is trying too hard about touch.

[00:30:33] And Dustin talked about that a little bit. Brands need to foster who they are as opposed to going after who they want to like them, which is cool. You can, we just talked about, knowing your audience and how important that is. So speaking of piling on, so let’s talk about. The slap that was heard around the world, the will Smith, Chris rock thing.

[00:30:54] And I know you did some posts on it. There’s, there’s so many different opinions smacking you in the face. Grace wrote that, so I ha that’s really good. Great. So just you’re just trying to be your online or your personal brand. So how do handle whatever side you land on? Okay.

[00:31:15] Let’s say you’re speaking and somebody comes up or you have some outbursts in the audience. How can you be funny in those situations? But you’re not sure. And to be honest, I thought. Chris getting why he, what he said before or whatever, but how he handled himself afterward looking at it through the speaker’s eyes and a presenter’s eyes.

[00:31:34] He did a good job because he did, he just went on with the show and did a great job. So how would you handle something like that? If somebody came, if you said something and I just got up and smell. But I have to run. What, whoa, Jeff did it,

[00:31:49] Ramon Ray: did he just say, he means if Jeff did it, if I came up, like if you were speaking after the show, for example,

[00:31:57] Jeff Sieh: If something happened like that, I guess you don’t know until it actually happens, but what I do know, actually,

Dealing With the Unexpected

[00:32:04] Ramon Ray: Jeff it’s happened.

[00:32:05] It’s not exactly, but I have a story cause it’s happened. Something like that to me. So we all know Steve Harvey, one of the most funniest men in America, right? His guy and his entourage his, one of his comedian guys. Was coasting Jeff Grace any then with me. So I’m like one degree away from Steve Harvey.

[00:32:23] The comedian started making fun of me, little different case, but I’m getting to a point here started making fun of me in a good way. Meaning, just in my shoes or my suit fill in time and stuff. That’s what this job does. Kind of what Chris rock was trying to do. I had what half a second, Jeff and Grace, 0.1 second, to decide what to do.

[00:32:40] Am I going to fire back and try to diss him too? Or just shut my mouth? So first Grace Jeff and Grace, if you don’t mind, I’d love your audience participation. What do you think I did. Jeff. Grace. What’s your vote? What do you think I did you think I stood there and took it? Or do you think I fired back and I hit him back with a joke too.

[00:32:55] What do you think I may have done? Yes,

[00:32:57] Jeff Sieh: I know the answer but

[00:32:59] Grace Duffy: I don’t know the answer. I would imagine knowing you, you probably smiled and made a joke about it. You made a joke back about it and not taking yourself too seriously. And just understanding the situation. I think you probably made a joke back about it.

[00:33:12] I don’t think. But you tell me what happened

[00:33:15] Ramon Ray: in your half. Great. So the point being, yes, this slap back would have been, I was tempted to make fun of him and go back, but I didn’t Grace. I just laughed, chuckled and absorbed all of his good insults towards me. Point being, I did what Chris rock did. I didn’t fire back.

[00:33:29] And the reason I didn’t in that case, he’s a professional comedian as Jeff and I underlined there. This guy is a trained comedian. I would have lost the battle. He would have this. So the point being though going back to what to do in those situations, Jeff, I think exactly what you did in the show search seriously, when it froze the best of us, you roll with it.

[00:33:47] Never go negative. Don’t try to be too much. Just keep going with what’s going. And I think that’s the best course you’ll be because all it is Jeff let’s face it. Jeff and grace, it’s our pride. It’s our arrogance. Somebody said something to me. I now need to top them. So I hope that’s helpful. But I think in hindsight, I’d like to.

[00:34:04] I wouldn’t dramatize it. I would go, I would leave it at that. And one thing I’ll add also it depends on the client too. One thing I’ve done as a host, Jeff, as you and I speak and Gratiot property to speak and host events. My job as the host is to absorb. So if anything goes wrong, I do it. Adam Sandler, didn’t in the movie that many of you may have seen when the little boy pees, I take all the limelight off of his embarrassment and IP too.

[00:34:27] That’s what I do is.

[00:34:30] Jeff Sieh: So I really hope somebody comes in when you’re speaking. So diamond starts peeing because I would love to see that you can take that away. I, now that you have said that out there and it’s out in the universe, it’s going to happen. So I want to talk about real quick because we’ve touched, we’ve danced around it a little bit, but we’ve talked about, and I think Grace mentioned it like punching down versus punching up.

[00:34:52] And I think that is really key. And I think a lot of brands. Because it’s, I don’t know if it’s cause it’s a big organization or whatever. But I was always taught to never punch down at somebody like as a speaker, you never go. And you don’t, unless you’re doing a roast of somebody or, somebody in the audience and you know how they’re going to there’s like it’s a pre-planned plan or something.

[00:35:15] You never make fun of. Else you can punch up to something like a bigger organization or yourself on stage, but you never punched down and make fun of somebody at the audience. Don Rickles, amazing guy, he would go after anybody. We’re not Don Rickles. And that was his gig. That was his thing.

[00:35:33] That’s what he did. But I’ve seen people. Especially in the Social Media space, make that mistake and think it’s funny because they’re making fun of somebody else and it just, to me, it never works. So talk about that a little bit punching up versus punching down Ramon.

Punching Up vs Punching Down

[00:35:49] Ramon Ray: Yeah, no, I agree. A hundred percent.

[00:35:50] I think Jeff and Grace, the only way that works is an example, right? We’re all Social Media people, marketers agencies, and all that. If McDonald’s and burger king that’s one example. Details exactly right. But you get a sense. There’s a friendly rivalry. They make fun of each other, dis each other, Hey, here’s a burger king coupon.

[00:36:05] Take that to McDonald’s. So as agency and brand to brand, they know what they’re doing and that’s what their audience expects. But I think you’re totally right. Jeff. You’d never know. Punch down at someone, make fun of something, anything like that, because all it will do is come back to bite. You I’ve been at events.

[00:36:18] Jeff, I can remember this, and this is a real case. I’m not offending anybody. I hope what I say as well, but I was in a case and I told the audience, I like to drink milk and cereal. There was a lady, Jeff and Grace that came up to me and she was angry because I’ve mentioned whole milk to her. I fended her greatly because I mentioned cow’s milk.

[00:36:33] And I think this is a big deal with the gun or whatever, the, whatever, whoever the people maybe. I had a choice, Jeff Sieh, as you’re saying it, I like to be funny and all this, but I said, ma’am, that’s where I got serious. I said, ma’am thank you for sharing that. And I appreciate your point of view.

[00:36:48] Thank you so much. You’re amazing. And that I went on, so you’re totally right, because it’s tempting to say whatever I wanted to say, but I caught myself and said no, let me receive that. Uplift her afterwards. She came up and oh, can I have your book and all those kinds of things. And so gave me a tongue lashing, but we left.

[00:37:08] Jeff Sieh: So you handled it probably. So I would’ve been doing something like, Jim Gaffigan had somebody come up and talking, he was like, she was a vegan and she goes, do you know what they do to those chickens? And he goes, I don’t know, but it’s delicious. That would have been, I would have taken it a different way, but you’re a nobody, but that’s why your Ramon Ray.

[00:37:29] Yeah. So I just offended every vegan who was listening to the podcast now. And in the audience, I apologize for a moment. But Dustin says he’s been in similar situations on stage. He went up the person making fun of me because nobody will make fun of me better than myself. That’s great. Yeah,

[00:37:48] Ramon Ray: that’s very Dustin.

[00:37:49] That is perfect. There’s no way better to quote someone making fun of you, Dustin, then you making fun of yourself worse than they did that. There’s nothing. It goes back to the Adam Sandler thing. Maybe a silly example, but Dustin’s right. That’s you said already, Jeff, you either uplift whatever, or you just scorch yourself, that.

[00:38:07] Who else is going to say anything. Jeff calls from one idiot and I’m like no. I’m not an idiot. I failed high school. I failed junior high and I feel kindergarten. Get it right, Jeff done.

[00:38:19] Jeff Sieh: Okay, great. So you have a question before we we go to our next.

[00:38:24] Grace Duffy: Yeah. I think my next question was about finding, so the topic here is finding that your brand’s funny bone. And so how would you define your brand voice? You’re a personal branding expert, you’re a branding expert in general.

[00:38:37] And like when it comes to defining that sense of humor for your brand, what are some of the things. Businesses should keep in mind when creating funny content. Are there any filters to keep in mind? We just talked about punching up versus punching down. That’s sometimes it’s hard to know, like when you’re at a brand level.

[00:38:53] Are there any, is there anything else that we should be keeping in mind as we’re cultivating that sense of humor as a brand? Yeah.

How to Cultivate a Sense of Humor as a Brand

[00:39:00] Ramon Ray: No, I think so. I think, look at audit the last six months of your events, your webinars your attendees, your customer base, and how your executive speak. Grace. I think that says it all.

[00:39:12] How you are. Let’s look at brands. And again, I haven’t done an audit of them, but just imagining brands like Starbucks, there’s not too much humor in there. It’s a relatively, not serious, but Hey, we’re all about making sure you have a great day, have a coffee at Starbucks, right? It’s that type of energy you have.

[00:39:29] We know what it is. It’s all sarcasm to the core you have. I think it’s all state. It’s not funny, but it’s, that may have guide a little kind of funny as they put it, but mayhem. So if that’s helpful, Grace and Jeff, that’s how I see it. Look at what your brand is already doing, because the one thing that will go very bad is you trying to interject funny, trying to interject humor, and you haven’t been that way for 57 years and all of a sudden.

[00:39:52] Jeff Sieh: By the way this next is brought to you by our our volley channel because our friend Gary Stockton was in there and he, if you want to do the same thing for shows next week, and just chat, go to Social Media News, Live dot com slash chat. This is where you can join our volley channel, where you can leave messages and talk to us and have further conversations.

[00:40:18] It’s really awesome. So I’m going to play Gary’s question that he left in there and Ramon, we’ll talk about it and. How are you Ramon? It’s Gary Stockton. And I’ve got a quick question for you. I’m glad you’re the guest today. It’s April fool’s day. There’s a lot going on in the world. What would your advice be to people working in social media for large brands?

[00:40:39] We’re not going to be posting any jokes or anything humorous today because of everything that’s going on in the world. We wouldn’t want to get slapped with any Ill will from our customers or clients, but what would your advice be on striking a balance? Them being humorous without being too serious, the humorous.

How a Big Brand Should Use Humor on Social Media

[00:41:03] Ramon Ray: Yeah, Gary, thank you for the question. I appreciate that. I was like he said my name and everything else. I was like, oh, this is so cool. So Gary, I think you’re right. And you said one keyword there very large brands for just a brand. That’s your average regional brand country brand. Everybody in the world is we’re listening to this as not going through war and turmoil and sad things that are happening to some of our fellow humans and other parts of the world.

[00:41:27] But for somebody who has a company in Texas as a company, Indiana, they’re in. Th that may be fine, but Gary’s exactly right. A large global brand is I have clients. You gotta be cautious because you, the last thing you want is a national global advertising campaign. Everybody’s laid back laughing and fun.

[00:41:43] And you know that, one quarter of your audience is under. So I think Gary’s right. And I think for very large brands, they have to be overly sensitive to the point of caution me, Jeff and Grace, we can get away or we do something stupid. Okay. Sorry guys. We’ll slap on a risk, but a global brand that can land you in the front cover of the nearest newspaper or the front cover of the story, Social Media News for that matter.

[00:42:05] And you don’t want that to happen to that.

[00:42:08] Jeff Sieh: Yeah, I think that’s a good point. So let’s talk about timing because this, we’ve had even some, this thing happened, the Oscars, what was Wednesday? When was it? I don’t even know, but but memes were like at hour and there are still going. They’re still over.

[00:42:24] And it was really interesting. I saw that my friend Mike Alton posted over on LinkedIn, he was asking, he was saying that. A lot of brands that he’s seen, aren’t going to be doing, April fool’s day type, post this year because of that. And you mentioned, the kind of the war and the struggle that’s going on right now.

[00:42:43] And I know restream with, Grace’s company pause stuff for a certain time. Because they wanted to be sensitive of the issue because it had a lot of them people over there that they knew and employees and all sorts of things. So how do you know the correct timing? Because a lot of times on online, it’s the, the trend was to hop really soon after something, it’s a kind of same thing with thoughts and prayers, when is it too soon?

[00:43:11] When is it too late? Nobody, I guess there isn’t a really good. Barometer of this, but when do you know when you’re too late and the trend has passed and you should let it go?

When to Stop Hopping on a Trend?

[00:43:24] Ramon Ray: Sure. And I’ll give an example. I’ll just call it out. And Jeff and Grace feel free to give me your feedback on this.

[00:43:28] Cause I could be wrong, but let’s call out. I wasn’t sure if I didn’t want to date my comments, but I’ll do it now. Ukraine and the Chris rock slab and Wilson Smith. I’ll just call them both out. Sensitive. There’s no humor. There’s no joking and applaud to restream to the companies that want to show solidarity.

[00:43:45] Isn’t going to be forever. They’re going to do that. No life goes on for all of us in the moments we’re at, but many companies want to show solidarity and want to put in historical context, we showed our solidarity for this big humid event. That’s one. So there’s the time for that? Not saying it’s never over, but at some point you want to show that at least then determine how long later on now, Chris rockin example, here’s the thing.

[00:44:07] If it was a puppy or something that was funny or good happened, meaning, and we all agreed with it. That’s when you can run with it right then. But I think companies were right. Jeff, because in this sensitive world, you may have seen I’ll call it out. What I posted on social media, some of us at all.

[00:44:21] Yeah, it was good. He did a defendant, his wife, but I must say it looked like a lot of people were saying, no, it’s violent. Hitting is never acceptable. So in that case, Ramones a small brand, I’m an influencer. I can massage my words, but a large company. If you had come out on the wrong side and said that now you have 10 billion.

[00:44:38] Saying what you promote violence and that’s not good. So I don’t know if you see if it’s helpful, how I differentiate that something that’s on the edge. You may want to wait 24 to 48 hours because in that case, yeah. Smaller brands can use it in names. I don’t think there’s any big thing with that, but they gotta be careful, but the larger brand.

[00:44:54] Yeah. If they would have done some dunk in the dark type thing you would have seen Monday to Monday and Tuesday, Your customers would have been livid because you just promoted violence and I’m just calling out what’s real. What most people seem to be saying, even on our backs, even though in our, behind the scenes, oh, he defended his wife and all that shore, but the overall theme was, it was violence.

[00:45:14] And if you’re a brand that’s tied to that, now you just got dinged.

[00:45:21] Grace Duffy: We have a funny joke happening in our comments, by the way, Jim, a fusion marketing says, when will we stop making fun of Karen? His lovely wife is named Karen and that’s. And I do know Karen’s in my life. So I do avoid saying, calling anyone to Karen,

[00:45:33] you can’t

[00:45:34] Jeff Sieh: have it. If you’re on the internet, you can’t have a name Karen, and you can’t be Bruno because he can’t talk about,

[00:45:40] Grace Duffy: so soft and came in with, when she stops asking to speak to the manager,

[00:45:48] Ramon Ray: See, we’re continuing the jokes about Karen we

[00:45:52] Jeff Sieh: stuff.

[00:45:52] Yeah. Okay. Let’s say what comes after the punchline? So here’s an example. Our friend Molly Mahoney, who she was on a couple of weeks ago, she had a a real that went viral and it was not adding to their business. It really was like something happened in her bathtub and there was bugs and all this stuff, it went to millions of viewers.

[00:46:17] She made $20,000 because she was on the roof rails bonus program. So anyway, went crazy. So what happens, let’s say you’re online. And you have all these thousands of followers, retreats and reactions. So now what now, what do you do with all that? And I’ll give Molly what she did after that, after you talked about it, but how do you lead them through the sales funnel?

[00:46:39] Once you’ve gotten, you’ve had something go viral or something happened really funny. Even some of these TikTok people who have these really funny things, they’re not doing anything with it. They’re just letting it, oh, I’ve got all these followers, but that doesn’t matter for business.

[00:46:54] What do you do when you have something like, for some of the things that you’ve done, Ramon, that taken off, how do you move them into your list? Or what’s. Sure. I’ll

How Do I Move Followers to Customers?

[00:47:02] Ramon Ray: give it two different answers, Jeff, for do different people. But again, I’d love your input on this as well. So I think in the case of TikTok and other creators, as they call ourselves, I’m one but creator.

[00:47:12] I don’t title myself that, but I get it as creators. It’s hard to make money with the customer from it. Cause that seems like many of them Jeffrey, just doing. To be funny because they can, and if they’re not in a program, YouTube TikTok, somebody’s paying them. There’s very little money to be made. You’re a dentist and you’re making videos about how you make pancakes.

[00:47:31] There’s not some connection in my opinion, maybe I’m a Debbie downer, but y’all do this for a living. You have the show. So you tell me what I’m done here, if I’m wrong or right. But I just think there’s not a, there’s a disconnect. People are laughing at your dad’s snoring, but yet you’re a contractor.

[00:47:43] Most of the people they’re not hiring you to build their house. They just found through the AI. Let’s be real people unless you’re making money as a creator, from the publisher. Now, if you are a contractor, good example, and you’re doing tons of videos, Jeff and Grace, all about contracting, building houses.

[00:48:03] That means I would bet most of your audience is following you because they want tips on how to build houses. Now be funny now use humor and you’re solidifying. Stickiness with your brand, then draw them into your funnel. Hey, click here to get our guide to how to use this blah, blah, blah, things that most of your audience knows.

[00:48:21] So does that make sense? What I’m trying to say, Jeff, the two different types of audiences, one is I’m a creator. I went viral, but there’s probably little you can do with it because it’s not even on brain. You didn’t even do it for brand. You just made a dumb fart joke. But if you’re a business, you’re doing it with a goal.

[00:48:37] Maybe you’re an anti fighting company do fart jokes that came out so wrong. Jeff saved

[00:48:41] Jeff Sieh: me. Please help me. We don’t allow the,

[00:48:45] Grace Duffy: I will save you. I’ll save you. I’m going to give you another example. This is something like.

[00:48:52] Ramon Ray: Does that make sense to grace? That makes sense a little bit to the two different people.

[00:48:55] It

[00:48:55] Grace Duffy: does it. Absolutely. I think for an individual and individual contractor, like you’re saying if you’re a contractor and you make this joke or do this real about your dad’s snoring, that this isn’t really connection, but there was an interesting story that came out yesterday and it was like this Boba and dumpling place in St.

[00:49:13] Louis. And it was like Winnie sun. I forgot the name of the company where it’s posted about it and shared it, but it was on Instagram. And basically it was the story that this influencer had, asked for a discount or something. And then the company just said, no, I don’t think it’s a fit because he was representing a different city.

[00:49:30] And then he went any bashed, like the brand and it was really transparent. So they shared it. And as a way of saying Hey, it was all about it’s okay to stand up for yourself. It’s okay to say no to things like, don’t be afraid of this. I think people went after the influencer, which I don’t think is right at all.

[00:49:47] It was like what he did was wrong, but not to the level that people are attacking him, but the brand got a lot of love out of it and they weren’t there to like, they didn’t even call out the guy. They did share his picture and everything, but and so they did have this, but it was like, but it would, the whole topic of it was just like, Hey, you’re a small business.

[00:50:04] You don’t have a lot of resources you can pick and choose, and it’s, don’t feel bullied by this whole world. But anyway, so this place in St. Louis ended up getting a lot of attention, getting a lot of praise, like people are coming in I’m going to show, I’m going to showcase your food. And oh, I love that place at whatever.

[00:50:22] And so this was all related to their brand and their product, but now they have all these followers, all these fans. Now what, like they’re going to continue making dumplings of Boba of course, but no one, but

[00:50:33] Ramon Ray: that’s the perfect example grease that is a perfect example. I love what you said that they probably didn’t mean to do it, but now Grace, I wonder if they want, can they keep doing things like this?

[00:50:42] Hey, it’s Friday. You know what time it is? We’re giving $10 dumplings to a random, that’s within brands. So I just want to echo what you said that happened accidentally, but now they can use that. Ha maybe we should do, dumpling day randomly give a $500 order of dumplings to someone who comes in.

[00:50:57] Randomly on Tuesdays. That’s the kind of thing that’s perfect with brand. Now you’re aligned with it, but you don’t want just a manager to do something weird. That’s totally off brand. So yeah, I love that example, Grace.

[00:51:07] Jeff Sieh: So I’m going to wrap all this up in a bow because I want to give two examples of, you mentioned a contractor, somebody, that would be hard.

[00:51:14] I’ll tell you somebody who’s doing it really well. And is a friend of Grayson is Roger. The plumber out of Dallas, he is amazing YouTube channel. And he is funny. He is informative. He wraps up everything. If I would in a perfect way that he brands his company, he does look what I found.

[00:51:32] And it’s this weird plumbing issue that he’s oh my gosh. He’s amazing how he does that. But then he also builds up the trades, but he, and he also teaches people how to get into plumbing. He is doing it really well. So if you want to look for an example of like Raymond was talking, Ramon was talking about the the contractor look at Roger because he’s amazing.

[00:51:53] Cause YouTube is huge back to Molly, because she had this really wasn’t had anything to do. Company per se or what she’s teaching, but she funneled people in, she made $20,000 off that real, but she also made another, I think it was like, what was it? Grace, $50,000. I was like a total, 120, $150,000 people who came through that channel, saw her stuff and bought her.

[00:52:16] So she could, but that is a, I haven’t seen that example before, but Molly is super smart. That’s why we have her on our show. The way she did that and had those systems set up in place instead of trying to scramble and make something. And now she’s actually, she’s using that example and it started a course on that, which is genius, I think.

[00:52:36] So there are ways to do that. If you are smart and get. Quickly. So just wanted to give a couple of those examples. I want to comment a little bit about what Sabrina said about there are this whole wheel Smith thing, and I agree with her that. Branch. She says a brand shouldn’t jump on it because of the different reasons.

[00:52:56] And I agree with her because I don’t think there’s any way to win because of the, she has a medical condition and there’s been stuff with Chris and we’ll before, and it’s just, it’s, it’d be probably be better not to say anything. So I think Sabrina’s on point and I also want to give Sabrina.

[00:53:13] Her humor, because I think it’s very funny. She goes her humor with her bay and she goes hashbrowns versus hashtags. Let’s clear this up. Hashtags fill you up, hashtags, blow you up. See, I think that’s genius. So really that’s the way I think, too. And as you can tell, I’ve had a lot of, I’ve had a lot of hash Browns.

[00:53:31] So anyway, Once again, we’re at the end of our show, you have been amazing. My friend, thank you so much. Tell everybody where they can find you, what you’re doing, where they can connect all that.

[00:53:44] Ramon Ray: Absolutely. If you want a dose of humor in your life, motivation, inspiration, you can just check out smart hustle.com.

[00:53:49] Sign up for our email newsletter, which comes out every Thursday at 2:00 PM, Eastern standard time. Jeff and Grace. It’s been a pleasure to be with you all and bite me back any time. And that’s been great to be here, but smart hustle.com is the best place to check out me. And so yeah, with That’s it.

[00:54:04] It’s

[00:54:04] Jeff Sieh: awesome. Thank you guys. Once again, we want to say a big shout out to our friends over at Ecamm for letting us put on a show and get great guests like Ramon. Here today you go to socialmedianewslive.com/ecamm. Don’t forget their new series that they have right now at ecamm.tv/simple . It’ll walk you through the tool.

[00:54:24] It’ll help you get started. If you haven’t done it before. And do follow along with me on this challenge, let’s do the #CEDA challenge create every day in April. I’d love to see what you guys are doing. Tag me or DM me. If you’ve got something that you’re following along with this this challenge, I’d love to see what you guys are doing.

[00:54:40] And with that, I want to thank everybody in the audience. Sabrina, Gary, everybody, Dustin, everybody who’s left. Great comments. Make sure you guys join us over on volley. And Grace, we’ll let you have the last word.

[00:54:54] Grace Duffy: You can see us next week on April 8th, same time. 11:00 AM. Eastern, 10:00 AM central. We will have is it Doreen that’s coming next week?

[00:55:04] Doreen. Yes. As our guests next week. And she is an expert on all things, social media. So I was going to say, we’re going to talk about this, but we might not, we might talk about something different. So join us next week at the same time. And it’s been a pleasure, Ramon. Thank you so much for joining us today.

[00:55:19] And Jeff, this has been fun as always.

[00:55:22] Jeff Sieh: That’s right. And we’ll see you guys next time. Thanks so much, everybody. Talk to you later. Bye now.