Back in September of 2009, thanks to an invitation by a friend, Russell White of Pinnacle Solutions, my wife and I attended a gathering of the Charlotte Ambassadors for Maker’s Mark bourbon. On the surface, it seemed like just another promotional event: drink specials, banner stands with the Maker’s Mark brand, a delicious buffet featuring food that used Maker’s Mark as a key ingredient, even a Christmas ornament stand where a lovely assistant dipped a ceramic Christmas ornament in the bourbon maker’s trademark red wax.

(l to r) Me, my wife Sheila, Bill Samuels Jr., Russell White

A small groups of us were standing there, chatting, drinking, laughing, and a tall man in a blue sweater vest approached. He declared that “there was to be no excessive drinking going on”. We collectively smiled and replied with the wittiest comments we could muster. He stuck his hand out and introduced himself simply as Bill Samuels. What he left out of the self-introduction was that he was Bill Samuels Jr., President of Maker’s Mark.

He eventually fessed up to who he was and why he was there. Mr. Samuels was there at the event, working the crowd, thanking Ambassadors and their guests for coming out, and he was doing so in a very natural and sincere way. He was stopping to talk – and more importantly listen -  to each and every person there. More to the point, he wanted to talk about everything but Maker’s Mark. He asked us questions, listened to the answers, shared his thoughts. Indeed, it was a real conversation, not a thinly veiled marketing spiel. He never once asked me if I was an Ambassador. He simply wanted to tip back a glass or two of whiskey and chew the fat.

I should take a second here and briefly explain what the Maker’s Mark Ambassadors program is all about. Simply put, it’s a free club that anyone can join in the interest of spreading the word about the famous Kentucky bourbon. In addition to receiving free gifts (swag) from time to time, an Ambassador has their name placed on a barrel of whiskey at the Maker’s Mark distillery, suitable for bottling some seven years hence. At it’s heart, it’s a marketing vehicle, similar to the Guinness 1759 Society. It not only brings together fans of Maker’s Mark, but encourages them to spread the word.

OK, so that’s not necessarily a new idea. And the President of a company rubbing elbows with his patrons isn’t new, either. But it occurred to me about halfway through a conversation with Mr. Samuels that this was real social media. He didn’t have to be there. Without his presence, I would have attended the event and felt great about the Maker’s Mark brand. But here he was, talking to me about everything from basketball to riding motorcycles through the Kentucky hills.

When I commented on this, the fact that we weren’t talking about Maker’s Mark, he looked at me a little funny, paused, and said, “Well, that’s what we’re all really here for, isn’t it? To, you know, have a couple of drinks and enjoy each other’s company?”

I agreed, and he went on to explain that we all knew why we were there and what brought us together, so what good would it do to keep talking about it? He closed the subject by saying, “Anyway, enough of that. Tell me something about yourself.”

Now, a cynic might say that he’s clever like a fox. He’s selling the brand by not selling it. Maybe, but I don’t think so. Again, this was real, old school social media in action. The way they used to do it “back in the day”. Good, robust, sincere conversation with the purpose of connecting with other people. Today we have Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and countless other social networking websites. To be sure, these are great ways to connect with other people. But without the personal interaction, without the conversation, what good does it do? If you’re using social media to promote your business, then feel free to hawk your wares, but do yourself – and your business – a big favor. Get to know the people you’re connecting with. They’ll appreciate it.

I became an Ambassador the very next day, by the way. The swag will be cool, and I’m looking forward to seeing my name on the side of a barrel nestled somewhere in the rolling hills of Kentucky. At the very least, future events will put me in the same room as like-minded Maker’s Mark fans. And believe me, I learned my lesson from Mr. Samuels. The last thing I’ll talk about is the whiskey.