Passion 2010 Series: Brad Wellman

“Tweet others like you would want to be tweeted. It’s all about sharing the social media love.”

- Brad Wellman

Brad Wellman is possibly the most patient and understanding interviewee I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. To know how excited he was to be featured in GMG made my day.  The best part of the blog is being able to have a platform to give others a voice.  You’ll notice that more coming up in the next month.  I knew in that starting in April I wanted to interview people whose passion had sprung me into action. Brad often floated in and out of my radar until I said, “I need to get him to sit down.” We conversed in a window booth at the Bad Waitress over two months ago. He set ice water down on our table as I typed feverishly.

Brad is a social media manger and guru for @spyder_trap marketing and blogs at http://wellmania.wordpress.com/. I asked him about the power of social media in a company environment and his answer brought on an hour of more discussion.

“Sit and listen. Get a feel of the environment. Channel where everyone is constantly yelling but put a process in place for damage control: Plan first tweet second.”

Plan First. Tweet Second. Strategic and well-thought out perspective from a twitter voice that’s known for innovation and offering great wisdom to the masses. Brad sat and looped his fingers through the coffee cup and smiled during the discussion, clearly in control.  We were searching for answers that would make one understand the power of stepping back behind the brand and understanding the strategic planning that isn’t nearly as ‘fun’ behind the scenes. Social Media is conversation marketing at its best and the next step to my utopian view that human marketing resonates more than any catchy jingle or brand statement. Brad nodded with me in agreement as we talked about the importance of branding and humanism that at the very basis of Twitter was just a group of curious people who were tired of not learning everything there was to know.  Without meeting each other in person we were merely just faces behind computer screens.

“Connect with people to contact them. Ask questions that will create a response and push contact- constantly engaging and retweeting. Never stop learning. Without meeting me they know me- this is: relationship marketing.”

I tell passion seekers, or career transitioners that the importance of targeting your search is where most of their energy should be spent. Brad mentioned the competitiveness of the marketing and social media world, of which we both know quite well. The difference between those who succeed in the social media world and those that don’t is clear: openness and willingness to reach out- past company borders and into happy hour will do more for a career than any fantastic resume could dream of. Our decisions to reach out or simply say yes, directly relate to our power in the market. We don’t fill our stomachs by merely sitting at the table: we must partake. Brad had some wonderful advice for job seekers, as well.

“I think a lot about where my path has taken me. Going through college, into an agency and realizing- it’s not where I really wanted to stop. My career grew as I expanded my network. Get involved in underground events and connect with as many industry professionals as you can. Social medis is changing the jobs market because you’re no longer finding a job description, it’s now finding you.”

Brad’s passion? Friendly competition and innovation. He recognizes that the Minneapolis market is host to some of the most creative and strategic ad agencies around. Since the rise of the boutique agency, and viral marketing, competition is fierce, but enjoyable.

“I love interacting with people. What keeps me going is trying to find new ways to do things through innovating and answering the question: how can we make this better? How we can take traditional and spin it? I need to be busy wearing different hats, developing SM reports, training clients and sponsoring search campaigns. Change is where growth occurs. Bring it on.”

If the future is any indicator of Brad’s successful past, he will no doubt partner with the trusty and argyle-clad @JasonDouglas and the rest of the team to create the winning formula to social media strategy: their knowledge is power and armed with passion: Brad is clearly on his way.