Cassette with Grateful Dead Tunes |
What an amazing marketing strategy and to think this came from the stereotypical "hippie" band at a time when there was no Internet, no smart phones, no cable television, and the most popular recording would later lead to Richard Nixon resigning from his post as the President of the United States.
Even better, the band never played the same set of music at any one show creating a constant stream of people sharing recordings of live music that were highly unique. This was the epitome of social sharing in a time when recording music wasn't easy and sharing a cassette tape required an in-person exchange. Imagine if Soundcloud and Facebook were available way back in the seventies?
So what does this mean for your business today? Well let's say that it's not as easy as the Grateful Dead made it seem, especially with capture and share technology readily available and affordable for nearly anyone. And, needless to say the Dead were musical masters at creating products like "Truckin" and "St. Stephen", both songs have been wildly popular and making the Grateful Dead organization profits for more than forty-five years. The real lesson here is learning how to create a marketing and communications strategy that spreads the music about your product or service today and well into the future.
Here are some key strategy planning questions to consider:
1. Is there an interesting story about how your product was invented or has evolved into popularity?
2. How can you tell the story about your product in a way that customers and prospects would feel compelled to share the story with potential "fans?" Consider your best "ah-ha" moments.
3. If your product is changing an industry how can you explain market history and contrast that with your product's new evolution? Find ways to give prospects a sense that they need to know more now?
📚 Read this book for more facts and figures: Marketing Lessons from the Grateful Dead: What Every Business Can Learn from the Most Iconic Band in History
Now that you are dancing with ideas about developing a new strategy get to work creating your future fan base. Also, follow the GBM Marketing blog and stay tuned for more lessons from major brands that have had major successes with unorthodox strategies.
So what does this mean for your business today? Well let's say that it's not as easy as the Grateful Dead made it seem, especially with capture and share technology readily available and affordable for nearly anyone. And, needless to say the Dead were musical masters at creating products like "Truckin" and "St. Stephen", both songs have been wildly popular and making the Grateful Dead organization profits for more than forty-five years. The real lesson here is learning how to create a marketing and communications strategy that spreads the music about your product or service today and well into the future.
Here are some key strategy planning questions to consider:
1. Is there an interesting story about how your product was invented or has evolved into popularity?
2. How can you tell the story about your product in a way that customers and prospects would feel compelled to share the story with potential "fans?" Consider your best "ah-ha" moments.
3. If your product is changing an industry how can you explain market history and contrast that with your product's new evolution? Find ways to give prospects a sense that they need to know more now?
📚 Read this book for more facts and figures: Marketing Lessons from the Grateful Dead: What Every Business Can Learn from the Most Iconic Band in History
Now that you are dancing with ideas about developing a new strategy get to work creating your future fan base. Also, follow the GBM Marketing blog and stay tuned for more lessons from major brands that have had major successes with unorthodox strategies.