February 28, 2017

Tradeshow Marketing: Are You Jimi Hendrix or Ernest Hemingway?

tradeshow marketing - jimi hendrix or ernest hemingway

Seriously, isn’t that an absurd question to ask about tradeshow marketing: are you Hendrix or Hemingway?

Or maybe not. Let’s have a little fun for a moment.

Picture Jimi Hendrix standing at the edge of your tradeshow booth, or on a small stage in your booth, looking to draw people in for a show.

Now imagine Ernest Hemingway, sitting at his typewriter, carving out phrase after phrase to tell a story in a simple, eloquent and easily understandable way.

Which would make for a better result? Hendrix or Hemingway?

Hendrix was a showman. A one-of-a-kind guitar player whose talent still ripples through time.

Hemingway was a storyteller. His tales resonate through time as well.

Frankly, you might need both. You need a good tale, and you need a showy way to get people’s attention so they can take it all in and respond in a positive fashion.

Which are you – Hendrix or Hemingway? Or some combination of the two?

Now, let’s watch some Jimi…

And just for fun, a clip of why Ernest Hemingway was such a badass…

Photo Credits:

Ernest Hemingway By Lloyd Arnold – http://www.phoodie.info/2013/07/19/from-the-desk-of-ernest-hemingway-this-weekend-cuba-libre-celebrates-my-birthday/, Public Domain, Link

Jimi Hendrix By Reprise Records – eBay front back, Public Domain, Link

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July 27, 2010

Send Tingles Down Your Customer’s Spine

How can you engage your customer so thoroughly that you’re sending shivers down their spine?

It doesn’t happen all that often, and admittedly, to get a real spine-tingling moment is rare. But it can be done.

It happened to me yesterday – and it wasn’t something I expected.

In reading some Facebook updates, a FB friend was telling the story of seeing Jimi Hendrix at the Monterey Pops Festival in 1967. You know the story (or maybe you don’t): it’s where Jimi – a virtual unknown at the time – had been given a slot AFTER The Who – who were arguably the biggest draw at the show. But somehow the promoters saw fit to put Hendrix on after the Who.

“…He took a total piece of crap in “Wild Thing” and made it heavy. Serious. In the middle he diddled out the melody to “Strangers In The Night” in a minor key, which got a laugh out of the crowd, then let the music swirl into another feedback meltdown. Now he was down on his knees controlling the feedback with the Whammy bar. I can’t see from where I am, but Jimi douses the Strat in lighter fluid and drops a match on it.. Whoosh. The feedback takes on the wailing tone of a Stratocaster burning to death. The Who finale was Angry…but this guy is sacrificing his guitar for us….”

As an old rock ‘n’ roller, this description literally sent chills down my back by projecting me back to ’67 and imagining what it must have been like.

Can you do that to your audience?

A good demo onstage might (no, you don’t have to sacrifice a Stratocaster!). A terrific story certainly could.

People react to stories. If your story is compelling and hits your audience in the gut, the reaction may be visceral. There’s no better way to get someone’s attention than with a powerful story.

The downside is that for most people it’s difficult to tell a story. And it’s even more difficult to tell a story in a compelling, arresting way.

Start collecting stories about your products and your customers. Ask them how your product or service impacts them. Why did they buy? Why do they keep coming back?

The more stories you collect, the better chance you have of finding that one nugget that succinctly tells the story of your product.

Once you’ve got that, find a powerful way to tell that story to your prospects. Engage them. Enlighten them.

Give ’em chills and they’re yours.