It’s no surprise that a key to innovation is rejecting
conventional wisdom. And innovation thrives in many businesses, particularly
those in the technology space. But whether in silicon valley or silicon alley,
marketing is still largely done in the same way it has for decades. Companies
hire PR firms who push out press releases, while marketers post product info to
web sites and create factsheets for their sales staff.
Marketers may dabble with new approaches, sticking a toe
into the social media space by creating a Facebook fan page or setting up an
official Twitter account, but even then most apply old approaches to new
platforms. Knowledge is shared through boring white papers which sit behind a
registration wall while Twitter accounts push out links to bland press releases
or staid marketing messages.
When it comes to breaking the rules of marketing and
rejecting conventional wisdom, David Meerman Scott (literally) has written the
book. And now, he’s joined together with HubSpot CEO Brian Halligan to author a
new book, Marketing Lessons from the Grateful Dead.
It’s not the first time that David has written about the
Grateful Dead. Readers of his book World Wide Rave may recall a discussion
framed by asking whether you wanted to be like Led Zeppelin, whose historic
reunion show at the O2 arena was not made available in video format (and where YouTube was forced to remove clips posted by fans), or like
the Grateful Dead who, long before the days of Facebook and social media,
encouraged concert attendees to record their shows, even setting up special
sections where they could plug in to the soundboard to get better quality
recordings.
As the book pointed out:
If you want to remain relevant
in an always-on, fan-centric, YouTube world, you need to embrace—not restrict—your
most important supporters. You need to believe in the power of a World Wide
Rave to sell your products and services.
In this new book, David and Brian take a look back at how
the Dead worked to develop and nurture an active community of fans, then show
how to apply many of those same techniques to today’s marketing platforms. For
example:
Rethink traditional industry
assumptions – Rather than focus on record albums as a primary revenue source
(with touring to support album sales), the Dead created a business model focused
on touring.
(blogger note: if you’ve
read what Fred Wilson and others have written suggesting media companies look
to monetize the audience, not the content, this is a great example)
Bypass accepted
channels and go direct – The Grateful Dead created a mailing list in the
early 1970s where they announced tours to fans first. Later,they established
their own ticketing office, providing the most loyal fans with the best seats
in the house.
The foreword to the book is written by one of the biggest
(literally and figuratively) Deadheads, former UCLA and NBA great Bill Walton.
As he so eloquently describes it:
Their passion, creative spirit, imaginative soul, and industrious
commitment to promote truth, fairness, justice, and the Grateful Dead way led
them through the evolutionary transition where they went from playing for
silver to playing for life. This book tells you how to make that transition for
your own career.
David Scott’s books are always practical, insightful and a fun
read. Fans of his prior books won’t be disappointed here. Marketing Lessons
from the Grateful Dead may be his finest book to-date.
