The Cocktail Party Rules of Marketing in the Age of Conversation 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Offer Invitation-Only Experiences Everyone loves to be invited to a party. A personal invite makes you feel special. As brands continue to move from mass to micro and from everyone to exclusive, more will offer invitation-only, VIP experiences to current and perspective customers.
Build niche communities around lifestyles & interests When it comes to a successful cocktail party, it’s about the mix of attendees and the conversation generated. Size does not matter. For brands, it’s not about how many fans you have; it’s about how you connect with them and how you connect them to each other.
Connect through live events and experiences Cocktail parties remind us that marketers should not lose site of the power of an in-person experience. The real power of marketing and public relations today rests in a brand’s ability to marry online and offline experiences.
Share snackable content There is something fun, playful and immediately gratifying to sampling a half a dozen of your favorite hors d’oeuvers at a cocktail party. What does that mean for marketers? It’s all about brands creating sharable, bite-sized content.
Fuel the conversation Cocktail party guests need to figure out how to insert themselves and participate in a variety of conversations. Brands face the same challenge. Your communications strategy needs to guide your conversation plan for when and how you start, join and fuel the conversation.
Be a compelling Storyteller There is something contageous about storytelling, especially at a cocktail party. What does this mean for brands? First, develop a compelling brand narrative that is simple and sharable. Second, give your audience a chance to share their stories.
Use humor and have fun. Funny stories, great jokes and witty one-liners are the conversational currency for any great cocktail party. At a time when it’s difficult for brands to break through the clutter, marketers need to design campaigns that serve as “engaging entertainment” for their audiences.
Measure quality over quantity A great host focuses on the quality of the experience for their guests. A company’s efforts will increasing be measured by how the audiences they are trying to reach feel about their interaction with the brand and if they share their experience with others.