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by Jacob Robinson
Ok – disclaimer, I don’t know Garth Brooks personally (I wish I did), but I did go to one of his concerts. I drove 4 hours from Charlotte NC to Charleston, SC and paid more than $100 for a ticket to a concert that was guaranteed to be AMAZING. At least that was the word on the street.
What I didn’t know, was that I was also going to get a crash course in marketing. A crash course on how to masterfully build a brand, with what may seem to be the simplest of tactics.
I want to share with you my takeaways. Although some of these may seem like no-brainers, believe me, they are critical to your business’s marketing success! Keep them on the top of your mind and implement them, well, always.
#1 Make Your Customers Feel GOOD!
Do you know that feeling you have after getting off a roller coaster, buying a new car, or maybe driving home after a first date? It’s great right?!? Every time you interact with a customer – give them this feeling. People won’t remember what you said, but they will remember how you made them feel. When I left Garth Brooks’s concert that Sunday night, I was on cloud 9 and more importantly when I think about that night, those feelings re-surface.
#2 Create an Amazing Experience
An amazing experience makes a person feel good (see point #1). Think about your interactions with customers from start to finish. Now, think about how you can make every interaction incredible.
A great experience starts the moment your first interact with a customer and can extend long after a purchase. Really, to create an amazing experience, put yourself in your customer’s shoes and just “give a crap”. Garth Brook’s concert was amazing from the moment I walked in the coliseum to the time I got back to my car.
#3 People like Familiar. Don’t Constantly Change.
One of the first things that came out of Garth’s mouth was “I know you didn’t come to hear my new stuff, so for the most part, I’m only going to play the songs you love!”.
And he wasn’t joking. He played only a handful of his new songs. All other songs were oldies, but goodies. They were the songs everyone knew the words to and could sing along with. Ok, what’s the moral of this story? Customers love your business for a reason, so don’t change things too quickly. Give them small amounts of change, little by little. Your customers will appreciate it!
#4 Don’t Just Satisfy – Delight Your Customers
Think of a time you went out to dinner, left, went home, sat down on your couch and thought “man, I’m satisfied”. You can’t think of that time! That’s because most of your restaurant experiences are satisfactory. Now, think of the worst dining experience you’ve ever had. You remember that right? How about the best? I know I remember my favorite dining experiences.
If you want customers to remember you, you can’t simply satisfy them (everyone else is doing that). They need to be delighted in your product or service. AKA they need that fuzzy feeling in their stomach when they think about your company. Garth Brooks left one in mine!
#5 Create a Vested Customer Base
At the end of the Garth Brooks concert, he took requests for songs, and then he sat on stage and played everything from ‘Hey Jude” to “Wagon Wheel”. He gave our audience a “say” in the show. We felt like we were part of the production.
The more you can make customers feel like they are part of your business…part of your tribe…the more loyal they will be to you. It could be as simple as asking customers for feedback or as complex as throwing a holiday party for them. Either way, always work to create a more vested and loyal clientele.
#6 Always Say “Thank You”
“They” say to never go to bed angry. In business, never don’t say “thank you”. Never take your customers for granted. They made a choice to do business with you and you should be thanking them for that. You can do it in email, in person, or over the phone. Thank them and then thank them again. One more time for good measure. You can’t do it enough. Everybody loves affirmation.
Got it? Great job!
Garth Brooks continuously thanked us for coming to his concert. He was humble about it, and every time he said “thank you” it felt like he was talking to each person individually.
#7 Smile. People Smile Back.
When someone smiles at you genuinely, how do you feel?
It makes you feel good, and you probably smile right back. Smiles give you a warm feeling. Always smile, even when you don’t feel like it. Customers will appreciate it! Garth never stopped smiling the entire show.
#8 Exceed Expectations
Have you ever returned to a business after you felt like you’d been jipped or didn’t get what you paid for? Nope.
In every encounter, exceed expectations. Never leave any room for someone to think they didn’t get what they paid for. Garth Brooks delivered a show and then some. At one point he actually stopped the show and said, “Feel free to leave. I know it’s getting late, but we’re going to be here a lot longer!”.
#9 Keep Energy High
If customers can see the excitement and passion you have for your business, they will feel it too. Energy is contagious. Someone with high energy can pump you up, but individuals with low energy, can make you feel like you just watched the last 30 minutes of Titanic.
Garth Brooks ran around, screamed, jumped and pointed his way all over the stage. If you weren’t standing, cheering, and singing along…you were at the wrong concert!
#10 Generate Word-of-Mouth
Word of mouth is gold for business. It generates new customers and is a great compliment to your online marketing campaigns. If you can get people talking, offline and online, you’ll find yourself with more business than you know what to do with. One of the major reasons I went to the Garth Brooks concert was that I kept hearing how amazing his concerts were. They were not wrong.
Channel Your Inner Garth Brooks
I left Charleston S.C as a loyal and excited Garth Brooks fan. Where I maybe once felt he was washed up, I now saw new life. If he came back to Charlotte, I’d buy a ticket immediately.
If you want to create a brand and company that truly connects with its customers, follow these 10 tips from the one and only, Garth Brooks (kind of)! They’ll keep your clients continuously Callin’….Baton Rouge.