Marc Davison of 1000WattConsulting
has posted an article over at Inman News that's a must-read. Entitled 'The
Greatest Story Ever Told', Davison provides
great advice to Realtors on successful brand building using lessons
taught by none other than The
Grateful Dead.
Yep, that's right. Using song titles for paragraph headings, Davison steps through a series of valuable lessons on Brand Dead meant to illustrate that every decision the band made was driven by an attention to the customer that is increasingly rare in this, or any other industry.
Years
ago, in another life, I worked for a Fortune 500 company and did a
series of management presentations based on The Grateful Dead. Many
of the bigwigs took a dim view of the series just as they did of the
band. They viewed them as just another drug addles bunch of musicians
who surely didn't have anything relevant to say to a group of
'successful' business leaders like themselves. That company is out of
business today, less than 20 years later, because they ignored those
very principles which the Dead
so aptly employed, which contributed to the fact that The Dead was the
perennial leader among touring bands in attendance and income right up
until the day of Jerry's last concert. Without significant radio play,
with virtually no #1 Billboard hits and with a non-existent advertising
budget, pre-YouTube & internet, they were the top touring band
in America for over 2 decades.
How
did they do it? They focused on their customer with a laser beam
(literally & figuratively). Every decision they made was based
on what was best for their customer. From venue selection to sound
quality, from ticket prices to set selection, the customer was first.
Frequent customers got 1st shot at tickets. Merchandising was
systematic but also very flexible, providing opportunities for fgellow
travelers. Anathema to the music industry to this day, The Dead also
encouraged 'tapers', fans to set up and record their live music and to
freely exchange it, extending the reach of their brand even further.
And far from dampening record sales and concert attendance, it led to a
customer devotion and loyalty that borders on the extreme to this day.
What efforts weren't focused on their customer was spent on their employees. They encouraged an entourage of roadies to bring their families along and provided educational opportunities, comprehensive health care and well above standard compensation even during non-concert times - which lead to a cadre of employees who would walk through fire for the band, stuck by them in good times and bad and whose loyalty and deadication to The Dead's customers matched that of the band. The phrase 'There's no experience like a Grateful Dead Show' was not just about the music but about the entire vibe - the music, the atmosphere, the experience. It didn't happen by accident.
So if you get a chance, stop on by and check out Marc's article. It's well done, concise and an accurate portrayal of someone building a very successful brand based on customer service. We could all use a little refresher in that department today.
Yep, that's right. Using song titles for paragraph headings, Davison steps through a series of valuable lessons on Brand Dead meant to illustrate that every decision the band made was driven by an attention to the customer that is increasingly rare in this, or any other industry.
Years
ago, in another life, I worked for a Fortune 500 company and did a
series of management presentations based on The Grateful Dead. Many
of the bigwigs took a dim view of the series just as they did of the
band. They viewed them as just another drug addles bunch of musicians
who surely didn't have anything relevant to say to a group of
'successful' business leaders like themselves. That company is out of
business today, less than 20 years later, because they ignored those
very principles which the Dead
so aptly employed, which contributed to the fact that The Dead was the
perennial leader among touring bands in attendance and income right up
until the day of Jerry's last concert. Without significant radio play,
with virtually no #1 Billboard hits and with a non-existent advertising
budget, pre-YouTube & internet, they were the top touring band
in America for over 2 decades. How
did they do it? They focused on their customer with a laser beam
(literally & figuratively). Every decision they made was based
on what was best for their customer. From venue selection to sound
quality, from ticket prices to set selection, the customer was first.
Frequent customers got 1st shot at tickets. Merchandising was
systematic but also very flexible, providing opportunities for fgellow
travelers. Anathema to the music industry to this day, The Dead also
encouraged 'tapers', fans to set up and record their live music and to
freely exchange it, extending the reach of their brand even further.
And far from dampening record sales and concert attendance, it led to a
customer devotion and loyalty that borders on the extreme to this day.What efforts weren't focused on their customer was spent on their employees. They encouraged an entourage of roadies to bring their families along and provided educational opportunities, comprehensive health care and well above standard compensation even during non-concert times - which lead to a cadre of employees who would walk through fire for the band, stuck by them in good times and bad and whose loyalty and deadication to The Dead's customers matched that of the band. The phrase 'There's no experience like a Grateful Dead Show' was not just about the music but about the entire vibe - the music, the atmosphere, the experience. It didn't happen by accident.
So if you get a chance, stop on by and check out Marc's article. It's well done, concise and an accurate portrayal of someone building a very successful brand based on customer service. We could all use a little refresher in that department today.
And when you're done
with the hard news posts of the day, stop on over to the Musical
Rainers Group. It's not just for Deadheads. 
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