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9 things I learned about business from The White Stripes
About a week ago, I managed to squeeze in a concert right after work. The White Stripes were nearing the end of their Canadian tour and made a stop in Toronto, before heading East to celebrate their 10th anniversary in Nova Scotia.
The venue for the event, The Molson Amphitheatre, wasn’t ideal for such a band, but Jack and Meg made the most of it to nearly a full house.
While trying to dodge the effects of beer marked up well over 200%, I made some mental notes on the concert and how The White Stripes performed as a business, as opposed to a band.
Here are some of the points/lessons I pulled from the concert, or at least what I could remember:
1) Less is more
Call them partners in business, music, or crime, Meg and Jack are a stunning example of a powerful pair. They didn’t have a flock of choreographed dancers, 12-piece brass band, or backup singers. This duo managed to rock the house all by their lonesome selves.
Yes, you’ve heard “less is more” thousands of times throughout your life, but we still manage to get hung-up on complexities in business that only make our lives more difficult. Less features, less time, less cost, less hours, usually results in more.
2) Keep it simple. Make the product the focal point
Nothing but a disco ball and a red staircase decorated the stage. It was all about the product (music) and it’s provider (the band). Theatrics usually divert attention from what’s really important, the product and how it connects with it’s users.
3) Involve and interact with your customers
Hearing thousands of fans (customers) clap simultaneously to Seven Nation Army was breathtaking. Maybe its a blog, maybe its a book, maybe its a golf tourney. Make it easy for your fans to communicate with you and start the conversation for them.
4) Surprise me
Each song began with a riff that left us hanging as to which song was coming. But when it began, we went nuts.
A shirt I bought from Squarewolf surprised me. On the back of the tag in the collar was a line where I could write my name so everyone knows who owns this shirt.
5) Personalize the experience
Even though almost every band does it, and as cheesy as it may seem, waving an Ontario flag at the end of the show was a simple way to connect with us. Going a step further than “Hello ~insert city name~”, is an easy way to show you care.
6) Develop a brand that is distinguished and easily recognizable
Show me red and white stripes and there’s only one band that comes to mind. Same with anything from The Economist or Nike.
If you sat your marketing or piece of communications on the other side of the room, can you immediately tell who’s it is? Every single detail of your brand and it’s style is open game. Own something.
7) Put a spin on commonality
There are millions of fans out there who deny liking blues, yet they love The White Stripes. Introduce your fans to something they may not know they like.
8) Create a meeting place for your community
A concert is a perfect example of getting your like-minded customers together in a room, to share an experience, and even pay to do so. YGG is a platform for young entrepreneurs to connect with one another. “If you build it, they will come.”
9) The hierarchy of success is the same in every business
Whether it be music, automotive, technology, or cupcakes, there are those that play in small clubs, those that play in concert halls, and those that play in arenas.
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I noticed I alternated between saying fans and customers throughout this list. Fans aren’t limited to sports or music, and customers to retail or business. They are much the same. The difference comes in that customers are who you market and sell to, and fans are customers that market and sell for you.
21 Comments
Tim Rosenblatt said on July 16, 2007
You’ve definitely got a point with #1. Of course, their rockin’ music helps, but there was quite a bit of stage presence.
I got to see them at Bonnaroo, and with a big stage and enormous crowd, they had people moving.
As for an example of their set decoration: http://nymag.com/images/2/daily/entertainment/07/04/27_whitestripes_lg.jpg
I’m pretty sure that’s some white fencing from a hardware store in the background, but they make it fit their brand well.
Max said on July 17, 2007
What i am missing is:
Stay focused, continue your journey until you succeed.
all other points are very good!
for the white stripes see also:
http://wissenbelastet.com/2007/06/04/white-stripes-live-in-wien/
(this was there great concert in vienna, austria, a month ago)
Chuck Westbrook said on July 17, 2007
Great post. Love the White Stripes, and surprisingly, you managed to turn commentary on their performance into a helpful business metaphor.
First time on the site, and RSS feed requested and received. Keep up the great work!
Mike Lieman said on July 24, 2007
You wanna talk about a bands business model, look at The Allman Brothers Band.
Free Television said on July 24, 2007
Don’t forget that the hardest button to button is the one closest to the neck.
henry said on July 24, 2007
Well I’m ready for the next music revolution where people who try to abstract ‘business models’ out of rock music get a kick in the balls and rightly so.
kilt42 said on July 24, 2007
pretty much every concert i have been to have incorporated those attributes, its nothing unique to the white stripes.
pant said on July 24, 2007
I’m looking for an article that spuriously conflates the tired world of business with a kicky rock-n-roll scene. Like The Hiring and Firing Secrets of Atilla the Hun, or Lord Shackleton Visits The Water Cooler, but ROCKING.
wrinkly said on July 24, 2007
You sir are a tool.
Johnny Cakes said on July 24, 2007
Great article! I love how you took a White Stripes concert and turned it into generic douche-bag euphemisms for business.
Young go getters indeed!
Travis said on July 24, 2007
We just noticed the traffic/comments coming in and tracked it to Digg. No idea who/what/where/when it was submitted, but thanks nonetheless.
So to all the Diggers, nice and nasty, welcome.
Rory said on July 24, 2007
What a great parallel to make.
My only problem was, I had to come to a screeching halt at #2 Keep It Simple - Nothing but a disco ball and a red staircase decorated the stage. It might seem like only two objects, but one of those two objects is a flippin’ staircase! Presumably that staircase had another set of stairs the other end, backstage, in order for them to be functional. It took my father-in-law a good few months to make a set of stairs, and a week or more to install them in our relatively tiny house. I think he would’ve had a word or two to say if I’d turned around at the end and said, “Well, at least we kept it simple.”
All-in-all, though, good points inventively made.
Eric said on July 24, 2007
When people spend the time to fill out the comment form just to bash the blog, it brings a tiny smile to my face. I don’t know why, I just get a bit of satisfaction out of it.
As T said - Welcome all :)
Rory said on July 25, 2007
Oh, darn! That didn’t sound like I was bashing the blog, did it? I really hope not, because that was not my intention at all.
Whitey said on July 25, 2007
Nice blog entry, nice read :P
John said on July 25, 2007
I ask you to please also check out the bands Kiss and Black Flag. It will give you two very different, yet very amazing business models. And really, probably the most important thing in music these days (unfortunately) is a great publicist. It is more important than good songwriting or good stage presence. If people are made to think it’s good before even hearing it, they will love it!
Pifman said on July 25, 2007
God I love the White Stripes. Last time I saw them I was in the VERY back row, and it was still a blast.
Dave said on July 26, 2007
Anybody notice that kickass picture heading this entry?
Anyway, interesting read too!
www.yeoq.com said on August 16, 2007
this post is the shizz. i gotto digg it some more
TV reviews said on August 23, 2007
They deliver a quality product (music/concert).
That is the underlying principle.
9 things I learned about business from The White Stripes « Music Top News said on October 6, 2007
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