Fast Company has an article in the August issue on Business Blogging for Beginners. The article is framed as if creating a business blog is the equivilent to hosting a cocktail party. I personally believe the cocktail party metaphor extends to far more aspects of the marketing or communications department.

Corporations and Markets don't communicate. People communicate to each other. What better way to observe people communicating to people than at a party. Compare the techniques of a successful host to a successful businesses and tell me there's not some insight to be drawn from a decent soirée.