About a week ago, I managed to squeeze in a concert right after work. The White Stripes were nearing the end of their Canadian tour and made a stop in Toronto, before heading East to celebrate their 10th anniversary in Nova Scotia.
The venue for the event, The Molson Amphitheatre, wasn’t ideal for such a band, but Jack and Meg made the most of it to nearly a full house.
While trying to dodge the effects of beer marked up well over 200%, I made some mental notes on the concert and how The White Stripes performed as a business, as opposed to a band.
Here are some of the points/lessons I pulled from the concert, or at least what I could remember:
1) Less is more
Call them partners in business, music, or crime, Meg and Jack are a stunning example of a powerful pair. They didn’t have a flock of choreographed dancers, 12-piece brass band, or backup singers. This duo managed to rock the house all by their lonesome selves.
Yes, you’ve heard “less is more” thousands of times throughout your life, but we still manage to get hung-up on complexities in business that only make our lives more difficult. Less features, less time, less cost, less hours, usually results in more.
2) Keep it simple. Make the product the focal point
Nothing but a disco ball and a red staircase decorated the stage. It was all about the product (music) and it’s provider (the band). Theatrics usually divert attention from what’s really important, the product and how it connects with it’s users.
3) Involve and interact with your customers
Hearing thousands of fans (customers) clap simultaneously to Seven Nation Army was breathtaking. Maybe its a blog, maybe its a book, maybe its a golf tourney. Make it easy for your fans to communicate with you and start the conversation for them.
4) Surprise me
Each song began with a riff that left us hanging as to which song was coming. But when it began, we went nuts.
A shirt I bought from Squarewolf surprised me. On the back of the tag in the collar was a line where I could write my name so everyone knows who owns this shirt.
5) Personalize the experience
Even though almost every band does it, and as cheesy as it may seem, waving an Ontario flag at the end of the show was a simple way to connect with us. Going a step further than “Hello ~insert city name~”, is an easy way to show you care.
6) Develop a brand that is distinguished and easily recognizable
Show me red and white stripes and there’s only one band that comes to mind. Same with anything from The Economist or Nike.
If you sat your marketing or piece of communications on the other side of the room, can you immediately tell who’s it is? Every single detail of your brand and it’s style is open game. Own something.
7) Put a spin on commonality
There are millions of fans out there who deny liking blues, yet they love The White Stripes. Introduce your fans to something they may not know they like.
8) Create a meeting place for your community
A concert is a perfect example of getting your like-minded customers together in a room, to share an experience, and even pay to do so. YGG is a platform for young entrepreneurs to connect with one another. “If you build it, they will come.”
9) The hierarchy of success is the same in every business
Whether it be music, automotive, technology, or cupcakes, there are those that play in small clubs, those that play in concert halls, and those that play in arenas.
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I noticed I alternated between saying fans and customers throughout this list. Fans aren’t limited to sports or music, and customers to retail or business. They are much the same. The difference comes in that customers are who you market and sell to, and fans are customers that market and sell for you.
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