Social media has become a critical driver of business in more than just the marketing and PR departments. Social media is changing the roles and rules for sales, customer service, product development, and more. BlogWorld’s attendees were lucky enough to hear from three thought leaders on this topic – Gary Vaynerchuk, Jeffrey Hayzlett, and H.P. Mallory. Here are some of the best quotes from the keynote:

Gary Vaynerchuk

“Why am I still writing books? Because people read them, asshole.”

“We are the dawn of one-on-one marketing.”

“The human stuff is always going to matter. What people don’t understand is the tech stuff is the human stuff…It’s a gateway drug…Twiter is speed.”

“Just because you have a Facebook and Twitter account doesn’t mean you’re using all the tools in the game.”

“Search.Twitter.com is the game.”

“Making mistakes has so much value.”

“Direct mail is even more dead than I thought. Like ding-dong….If you’re doing direct mailing…shit.”

“You can’t read about push ups. You gotta do ’em.”

Jeffrey Hayzlett

“They want to get it their way, and as authors we should give that” – on content formats

“I use my book as a business card.”

“What’s right for you and what’s right for someone else are two different things.”

“Twitter is kinda like my front porch. Facebook is like my living room.”

“Get out there and make as many fricking mistakes that you can.”

H.P. Mallory

“We’re definitely turning the publishing industry on its head.”

“I think about ways I can connect with my readers.”

“It’s really about making conversations, not selling.”

About the Speakers:

Gary Vaynerchuk (@garyvee) is a self-trained wine and social media expert who has revolutionized the wine industry. Gary’s cult-like following is the result of his unconventional, often irreverent commentary on wine, combined with his business acumen and foresight to use social media tools like Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube to research an untapped audience. Known as the “King of Social Media,” Gary is regularly asked to consult on social media for some of the world’s largest and most recognizable companies like Google, Johnson & Johnson, Disney, Proctor & Gamble, and Pepsi.

Jeffrey Hayzlett (@JeffreyHayzlett), author of “The Mirror Test” – hailed a “Celebrity CMO” by Forbes Magazine and famous for his outspoken appearances on numerous television networks, Jeffrey Hayzlett is widely recognized as one of the most influential marketers of out time. Previously as Chief Marketing Officer of the iconic Eastman Kodak Company, Hayzlett was responsible for the company’s worldwide marketing operations. Hayzlett’s best-selling book “The Mirror Test” has been acclaimed by thought leaders such as Donald Trump who said, “This book is a reflection of marketing genius…read it to find out how companies, big and small, ‘Trump’ the competition!”

H.P. Mallory (@hpmallory) is a kindle and nook bestselling author of paranormal romance and urban fantasy. Currently she has written two series, the Jolie Wilkins series is about a woman who realizes she’s a witch who can reanimate the dead and the Dulcie O’Neil series is about a fairy in law enforcement. H.P. Mallory recently signed on with Random House (Bantam Books) to publish the next three books in the Jolie Wilkins series. Look for the third book in the series, Be Witched, in Spring 2012! H.P. still self publishes her Dulcie O’Neil series and loves being an indie author.