Social Media Is A Cocktail Party: Why You Already Know The Rules Of Social Media Marketing (Paperback)

~ (Author), Lisa Braziel (Author)
Key Phrases: social media agency, chairs widget, social media agencies, Second Life, Whole Foods, World Bank (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Corporate marketers charging into the unfamiliar waters of social media can have the same effect as crashing a cocktail party uninvited and uninformed about rules, etiquette and people--thereby alienating the very communities they're trying to reach.

That's why "Social Media is a Cocktail Party" is such a useful paradigm for understanding how best to understand the strategy and tactics for marketing on the social web.

Jim Tobin and Lisa Braziel have crafted a clever and insightful guide with practical examples that give meaning and direction for smart social media programs. It's a must read for marketers and PR professionals of all sizes." --Lee Odden, CEO of TopRankMarketing.com (from the back cover)

Review

"You have an open invite to join the social media Cocktail Party. Before you show up, you must buy this book so you'll know how to enter the room, join the conversation, and engage your audience."

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Product Details

• Paperback: 196 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace (November 5, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1440454205
• ISBN-13: 978-1440454202
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #72,569 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Easy to enter into a deep read, March 20, 2009

By	Melissa Soule "PR Professional" (Lansing, MI) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Personally and professionally, I see the need to learn more to engage myself and my organization into social media. The problem, of course, is figuring out how and what to do in a meaningful way. The solution: This book. I could easily relate to the cocktail analogy, but I was most surprised at the depth of knowledge this book provides. It goes far beyond creating a Facebook profile, into how to listen online to your brand feedback, maximize your presence, and measure it. This is a must-read for anyone confused about how to join the online party.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What social media means, and how to plan for marketing, December 30, 2008

By	Paul A. Baker "communicator" (Madison, Wis., US) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If you're a marketer or a CEO and you think social media is dumb, or a waste of time, or a bunch of amateurs, please know this: Sometimes you're right. Often you're wrong.
Jim Tobin acknowledges that crowdsourcing, the wisdom of crowds, and the democratization of content creation often leads to junk. But it also produces some jewels.
Tobin calls social media "the largest, best, most accurate market segmentation tool ever invented." But adopting social media marketing means un-learning the idea that customers are 'targets' to be seized. In social media marketing, customers become your partners and potential advocates. Marketers should find, listen to, and participate in consumer-generated conversations across the Internet as potential purchasers dig into user-generated product reviews, feature lists, comparison prices, rave reviews, and cautionary tales.
Tobin and Braziel discuss at length how to plan a social media campaign, including a preliminary community analysis and then a community engagement plan.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Parties are Full of Surprises, December 7, 2008

By	Sean P. Kearney (Castle Rock, CO USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Social media is the 24/7 virtual cocktail party where everyone is invited and anyone can say whatever they like about your brand, your company and even you!

While this party can be a bit daunting for those of us with extensive experience in traditional marketing, advertising and PR, Jim Tobin and Lisa Braziel make it easy and fun to "work the room."

Withing the first 30 pages, you will be at ease with the major concepts, buzzwords, myths, and "rules" for success. Jim and Lisa also make it clear that social media does not replace traditional methods but rather enhance them through deeper communication, transparency and ongoing contribution.

The Cocktail Party analogy is perfect for understanding how to successfully participate in social media. Two of the main points explored in detail are:

Listen before you talk. Nobody wants to hear generic, insincere pitches of the hyper-extroverted, flesh-pressing salespeople who are fully confident they can solve problems that they have never bothered to understand. Taking a moment to hear what people are already saying about your industry, you company and maybe even you personally is a good first step to having something to say that is worth hearing.

Participate instead of trying to control. Whether you like it or not (you will learn to like it when you loosen up and let go of having to have control), in the world of social media, "the party goes on with or without you." While billboards / print ads / radio and television commercials / etc. used to be the bullhorns of brand awareness, most people have learned to fast forward past "messaging" and balance the opinions of people who speak like people rather than just the pundits, gurus, "thought leaders" and influentials.

I highly recommend Social Media is a Cocktail Party to anyone who believes there is more to marketing than messaging, more to business than competiting, and more to life than working. Why not join the party?