I’m a HUGE music fan (some might say a Total Rock Fiend). So of course the recent rash of deaths claiming so many of our modern musical treasures has left me saddened and dismayed.
Like dominoes, Scott Weiland, Lemmy Kilmister, Glenn Frey, and the masterful David Bowie have all fallen in quick succession. Though none were young men, save the youngish Scott Weiland, it’s still heartbreaking to lose so many heroes and idols whose art has given the world so much.
But as truly tragic as these departures are, they hold at least the glimmer of a silver lining…

A Teachable Moment

Working in the popular cultural medium — Pop Music — that coined the phrase “One Hit Wonder,” David Bowie’s career endured for nearly five decades.
How you ask? The secret to Bowie’s professional longevity can be distilled into three invaluable marketing lessons. And they happen to be lessons every small business can benefit from.
Let’s take a closer look at this fabulous curriculum…

1. Be a Tasteful Thief

Bowie often remarked “The best artists are tasteful thieves.” And his uniquely eclectic sound reflected this sentiment.
Bowie pilfered ingredients from a broad spectrum of musical methods and modes. He tossed early Rock’n’Roll, Motown and Philly Soul, pop vocal crooning, traditional folk, and early German electronic music (techno before there was such a thing) into his musical pot.
And with a master chef’s highly attuned palette, Bowie simmered up his tasty mix into a potent blend. This mix and match experimentation yielded a sound at once familiar, yet distinctly Bowie’s own.
Odds Are It’s Already Been Done
Bowie’s lesson here? When it comes to marketing, no matter how inspirational you’re convinced your idea or concept might be, it’s a safe bet it’s already been done.
Technology has certainly added a few wrinkles to the marketing landscape, but most “bold new technological advancements” are really just variations on existing forms.
Websites are electronic brochures or virtual stores. Mass email is electronic direct mail. Social media is just another communication platform. And content marketing has existed since Martin Luther nailed his ninety-five theses on the church door at Wittenberg in 1517 (and likely even before that).
No Need to Reinvent the Wheel
So in crafting your marketing, do what Bowie did. Survey your competition. Identify the most effective and successful aspects of their marketing strategies and tactics. Zero in on the elements that make the most sense for your business. And exercise a similar approach.
But don’t outright copy, which brings us to our next lessons…

2. It’s OK to be Weird

Bowie’s art extended far beyond his sonic palette. He certainly wrote unusual songs that told bizarre tales, and stood out among his peers as a result.
But his shows were stunning spectacles. Performances more akin to musical theater than a typical rock show. Bowie filled the stage with strange and wonderful characters he constructed to awaken and excite his audiences, as much as entertain them.
His art was of the unexpected. Familiar sounds and familiar sights, but presented in a form that was unique, and uniquely his own.
Don’t Fit In, Stand Out
In the business world there’s an urge to conform. The commercial landscape is a conservative terrain, dominated by buttoned up, suit-and-tie-types. This breeds a fear of stepping outside the box.
If marketing strategy xyz works, do it. And do it to death. Because there’s generally zero incentive to deviate from the norm.
But as Bowie’s art proved, turning away from the norm, even just a little, awakens and excites.
Bowie’s lesson here? Don’t simply copy your competitors marketing strategies and tactics. Take the best of them, and remake them as your own.

3. Evolve & Reinvent

At one time or another, Bowie was… Ziggy Stardust, a traveler from Mars. An androgynous waif, far more glamorous and gorgeous than most women. The Thin White Duke, crooning soulful pop tunes. The radio-ready pop idol, scoring strings of Top 40 hits. The paranoid technophobe, terrified of the future and all its implications.
Bowie never sat still. Never rested on his laurels, contented to do what he had always done. Rather, he absorbed and reflected the times as he changed with them.
Bowie’s career longevity is due largely to his relentless evolution. He reinvented himself countless times over. Retaining old fans, in awe of the brilliant new leaf he turned. And gaining new fans, discovering his magic for the first time.
Neither Business, Nor Marketing is Static
Whether we realize or not, our marketplace (every marketplace) is dynamic. The only constant is change.
The import of this reality? Evolve or die. The strategies and tactics that worked once upon a time don’t work now. And those that work now aren’t likely to last long. The only surety of the future is the change it will bring.
Bowie can help here, too. Just follow his prescription for a successful 50 year career in the cut-throat music business:

• Be aware of your surroundings.
• Take note of the landscape as it shifts around you.
• Shift with it, don’t fight (in futility) against it.
• Keep an eye out for emerging marketing trends, and take advantage of those that make sense for your business.

How Can Bowie Help You?

Are there aspects of Bowie’s story that apply to your business? Has bucking trends hurt your business? Has embracing trends helped it?
Drop by my Google+ page and share your experiences.