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.
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.
Comment by Tim Rosenblatt — July 16, 2007 @ 12:29 pm
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)
Comment by Max — July 17, 2007 @ 2:44 am
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!
Comment by Chuck Westbrook — July 17, 2007 @ 3:54 pm
You wanna talk about a bands business model, look at The Allman Brothers Band.
Comment by Mike Lieman — July 24, 2007 @ 7:11 pm
Don’t forget that the hardest button to button is the one closest to the neck.
Comment by Free Television — July 24, 2007 @ 7:35 pm
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.
Comment by henry — July 24, 2007 @ 7:49 pm
pretty much every concert i have been to have incorporated those attributes, its nothing unique to the white stripes.
Comment by kilt42 — July 24, 2007 @ 8:25 pm
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.
Comment by pant — July 24, 2007 @ 8:54 pm
You sir are a tool.
Comment by wrinkly — July 24, 2007 @ 9:16 pm
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!
Comment by Johnny Cakes — July 24, 2007 @ 9:35 pm
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.
Comment by Travis — July 24, 2007 @ 10:29 pm
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.
Comment by Rory — July 24, 2007 @ 11:31 pm
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 :)
Comment by Eric — July 24, 2007 @ 11:49 pm
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.
Comment by Rory — July 25, 2007 @ 12:41 am
Nice blog entry, nice read :P
Comment by Whitey — July 25, 2007 @ 5:41 am
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!
Comment by John — July 25, 2007 @ 9:17 am
God I love the White Stripes. Last time I saw them I was in the VERY back row, and it was still a blast.
Comment by Pifman — July 25, 2007 @ 11:22 am
Anybody notice that kickass picture heading this entry?
Anyway, interesting read too!
Comment by Dave — July 26, 2007 @ 12:42 pm
this post is the shizz. i gotto digg it some more
Comment by www.yeoq.com — August 16, 2007 @ 5:23 pm
They deliver a quality product (music/concert).
That is the underlying principle.
Comment by TV reviews — August 23, 2007 @ 10:51 pm
[...] read more | digg story [...]
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