Fellow Social Deviant, Taylor Vick, and I met with a business associate, Celeste Rains of Flying Otter Marketing, at local hot spot The Patterson House, Nashville’s answer to the mixology rage sweeping the nation. It is a dimly-lit and not very air conditioned lounge in a historic house where drinks cost between $10 and $15 a pop, but which create a flavor explosion in your mouth proving that chemistry and alcohol DO mix.

Trying hard to sip, not gulp, our concoctions (to stretch the flava AND the dolla), Celeste brought up a good observation about new clients. Sometimes people assume that because you do one part of the industry that you also do another — like assuming that because you work in social media, that you also know graphic design or how to build a web site. That would be like asking a plumber to re-roof your house. Use a specialist. we use teams of them ourselves.

Another topic that came up was that because social media is the flavor-of-the-month, it seems that people think that social media is marketing, when in fact it is merely one ingredient in the marketing cocktail shaker, which includes public relations, promotions, advertising, brand strategy and more.

Like a mixologist, companies and individuals need to find the right recipe for them. Maybe these tips can help:

1. Experiment — seek out the new and undiscovered ingredients (marketing tools) and don’t be afraid to add them to your mix.

2. Test — Do a (taste) test with select and trusted employees, friends, family or beta testers to see how people like it.

3. Surprise Us — As familiar as consumers like to be with products and services, they get bored with traditional promotions.

4. Find Balance — Don’t put everything on the shoulders of the social media department. There is such a thing as too much sugar. Use press, advertising in the right amounts to help reach more new eyes, ears..and mouths.

5. Party — Launch with confidence. Be the center of attention. Enjoy your hard work.

6. Act Responsibly — Tip your bartender (thank your team and your customers for making you a success), leave with the one who brung ya…and never drink (or text!) and drive.

Add your recipe below — for marketing or drinks…we like both.

Cheers,

Janet

Filed under: Advice, blog, brand, marketing, social media, Social Networks