By Katherine Tarbox, Senior Editor, REALTOR® Magazine

Gary Vaynerchuk — best-known for his viral videos on wine tasting, in which he encourages viewers to "spread the thunder" — took the stage yesterday as the keynote speaker of Real Estate Connect NYC ’09. The self-made millionaire detailed how he was able to transform his family liquor store from a $4 million business into a $50 million national industry leader.

Vaynerchuk takes a no-holds-barred approach to reviewing wine — an approach that has won him more than 100,000 fans on YouTube — and says the real estate business could use the same candor and passion he displays at Wine Library TV. He urged practitioners to redirect their ad dollars and efforts toward social media. “Twitter is the new fax machine,” said Vaynerchuk. He told the audience he receives more than 20 times the response from a Twitter promotion than he gets from a traditional billboard.

Vaynercuk said practitioners trying to overcome a slow market should think about other revenue streams by carving out a niche and exploiting their expertise. He’s used his online platform, for example, to garner high speaking fees, book deals, and even a potential television show. You can see Vaynerchuk’s unique brand of online pitchmanship at Wine Library TV or at http://garyvaynerchuk.com .