I was never a Deadhead when I was younger. I am not sure why, actually, since I am perfectly aged and, back in high school and college, tended toward going to a lot of concerts in a somewhat altered state. But The Dead, for some reason, passed right on by me and my friends. 

But that is not to say that I can't be a connoisseur of their marketing prowess, as I was reminded by Joshua Green in a fantastic article in this month's Atlantic Monthly.

The Dead were the originators of true viral marketing and their guerrilla tactics were, many believe, a preview of the possibilities of social media. By allowing their fans to record and share concert tapes, they taught us all the value of sharing.  And through that, they became larger than life.

Dana Oshiro wrote a great blog about The Dead's marketing prowess as it pertains to today on ReadWriteStart, quoting John Perry Barlow,

"What people today are beginning to realize is what became obvious to us back then--the important correlation is the one between familiarity and value, not scarcity and value. Adam Smith taught that the scarcer you make something, the more valuable it becomes...The Internet doesn't behave that way...If I give my song away to 20 people, and they give it to 20 people, pretty soon everybody knows me, and my value as a creator is dramatically enhanced."

This is why blogs work, sharing recipes, posting behind-the-scenes photos and commentary from a busy night of service, even sharing a new, almost-on-the-menu dish with a regular customer to try out and give some feedback.  Because by sharing, which is what social media is all about, you tap into what The Dead already knew -- that when you give customers something for free, they tend to drive sales.

When was the last time you gave away anything for free?