Attended a Halloween party last night. A fun theme at any age, including for us Boomers. But because of this demographic, my suggestion is to ditch the “fashionably late” arrival.
With a Boomer crowd, arrive too late and the party just might be over!!
For no reason other than calories, I do not drink much anymore but last night I hankered for a double and the bartender delivered my margarita on the rocks to perfection. Band started playing and everyone was up and rockin’ and a rollin’.
Let’s face it, Boomers have passed the “spring chicken” phase. Yet everyone was clearly willing to risk gyrating their backs out, as long as the music didn’t quit.
But then it did! Was it that the band did not notice?
And so, as the story, goes, the dance floor went from packed to empty in a nano second. Change the tempo you risk the chance of clearing out the dance floor.
Did the band not see this? Which made me wonder: why let egos fly in the way of making a sale?
If Paul McCartney Can Skip a Piss Break …
Why is it that local bands take so many breaks where other musicians, Paul McCartney in this case, can play for hours without ever leaving the stage?
Although odd to be talking turkey to someone dressed like one, I asked around at this Halloween party how come McCartney stays onstage for hours and local bands can’t get past 30 minutes. I’m told “it’s in their contract” and that “Mac’s got a catalog of music to pull from … local bands don’t”.
Ya’d think bands would be flattered when they get people up on their feet twistin’ & shoutin’ to their music. So why, for cryin’ out loud, would ya change the tempo when everyone’s up and bouncing around … to a slow ballad that would make even the love birds wanna jump off a roof?
Taking the crowd from exhilarated (gyrating) to solemn (ballad) is sobering and, simply, poor marketing.
Additionally, although I said it was a Boomer group, did the band not notice that many were single? Many didn’t have a partner’s arms to fall into for that couple’s number the band was so bent on performing. Thanks for the reminder.
So the trickle down effect of the band clearing off dance floor is that they also cleared out the room. All because they had a line-up of songs they were going to stick to no matter what!
Lesson in Life
This is a lesson that can be translated into any business. I was one of the few who stuck around long enough to hear the lead singer’s attempt to justify this big boo boo by stating that the song fit the theme of the evening.
Wonderful. Unfortunately, it also cut the evening short as most everyone left.
If you want to be successful, give the people what they want. Not what YOU want. Cater to THEIR needs, not yours!
This message applies to any marketing of any product at any time.
Your customer’s response is worth gold. Make it a point to notice …. not ignore.
Give your clientele more of what THEY want, not what you want. In this case, if your goal is to get them up on their feet, keep ‘em there.
Sure it’s o.k. to “test” the waters. But if it turns into a sinking ship, course-correct immediately. Plan B might just turn into your Plan A.
So if you want to be successful, take your audience to bliss … and keep ’em there.
Chuck your ego, your song lineup, your protocol. I understand it was her solo moment, but do you really want to be singing to an empty room?
Renegade Financial Planner
