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Monday, November 26, 2012

The New "Live" Event

A few weeks ago, I touched base on the changing face of the music industry. Today, I'm going to discuss a little more about how concerts are changing. Fans no longer have to buy tickets to see their favorite band live.  More and more, it is becoming common to see live broadcasts of concert events being streamed online for fans world-wide to view. I'm once again going to use my go-to guys, the Foo Fighters, as my example. Dave and the crew have been known to frequent the European music festival scene, and a few years ago, it was just tough luck for the U.S. based fans who had to miss these epic performances.  On their last touring cycle, many of their performances were streamed live online, and suddenly, those of us in the U.S. had the best seat in the house. Their full performance at Reading Festival 2012 served as a major treat for fans who missed their short U.S. run in 2011. My blog is seriously going to suffer for examples now that these guys are going on hiatus.

Now, what does this approach mean for traditional concert promoters?  Is this going to hurt us? Absolutely not.  I feel that this new channel is going to become an invaluable tool for marketing future performances.  By streaming shows live online, you give fans who couldn't afford a ticket, or didn't get to the ticket booth fast enough a second chance to see their favorite band.  When they know that you are there to help them out, they will be more loyal to you in the future. You also give fans who are skeptic about an artist a chance to check things out before they go pay their hard earned money for a ticket to see them live.  You're providing families with children a chance to watch a show that may not be suitable for smaller fans up close and personal, so that the kids can enjoy the performance without being trampled in a mosh pit.  Live streams also provide a preview of the venue for someone who has never attended an event there before.  The Rave in Milwaukee, WI live streams many of their shows, helping to promote both themselves, and the artists the book.  They keep these shows posted to their Youtube Account which provides a chance for those in attendance to relive the events of the night.
Their live stream of rock veterans Sevendust provided a chance for many fans to catch their performance on a very short tour they did just before going back into the recording studio.

One final perk to the ever-prevailing digital method of concert promotion is the fact that you can get any information you want out to your target market for FREE.  With a simple Youtube account, you can record any message and post it online, where it can be viral with a few days, spreading your news world wide.  Of course, you want that message to be interesting, in order for it to have maximum impact.  This tour announcement from the Foo Fighters may leave you with a few ideas on how to accomplish this.

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Business Plan Experts Part 2

After my first posting on Business Plan experts, I took some time to stop and examine my own business plan.  I looked at the qualities of a entrepreneur as presented by Carl Schramm to see how many of those qualities I currently possess.  I've worked in numerous industries, held positions that I didn't enjoy for bosses who were less than stellar, and have been considered an outsider at my place of work on more than one occasion.  I have learned that the hard questions are the ones that must be asked first, and answers must be given.  I have taken those qualities, and applied them to the position that I currently hold in a quest to make myself the best leader possible, and have been rewarded with respect from the employees that I supervise, and praise from my superiors.  In regards to Schramm's philosophy that a business plan quickly becomes outdated, I have taken a closer look at my own business plan, and have discovered ways to make it more timeless and easily adaptable. I have given it specific detail in some areas, and left others vague in order to allow for necessary change should I discover that getting my business plan into the right hands takes longer than I had originally anticipated.

I have also taken steps to heed the advice of Dr. Steven Gedeon, who believes that the Executive summary and qualifications are the most important parts of a business plan. To me this made sense, as they tell the majority of the story about the business and who will be running it. When composing these sections I will make every effort to ensure that I have perfected them both. I have developed a clear vision of the business, and know the best way to overcome my competition.

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