028: Headline, not headliner |
Coachella’s first weekend came to a close early Monday morning. But there’s good news! They’re doing it all over again this weekend with the same lineup, and you can catch it all from the comfort of your sofa.
Distinguishing marks of the music festival are traveling, camping, and sweating for an entire day. So how will Coachella differentiate itself if it no longer has to be sweated out? I’m interested to see how many more sold out Coachella’s there are while there’s a desertless option.
But they probably know better than me that after doing this for 20 years, they’ll likely never be able to shake younger audiences, influencers, and LA stars. Now the question is if I can stay up till 3 in the morning on the East Coast to catch all of Frank Ocean’s set.
How is your organization or association setting itself apart from the rest? Is there a segment of your audience that would fly to the desert and sleep in a tent for you? How are you empowering your influencers and community members to tell your story for you?
Snackable snippets |
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How to empower communities to tell Amanda Garzon is the COO of the Hydrocephalus Association and recently joined Feathr for a Good Marketing Unplugged session. The work she does — sharing people’s stories, connecting the community, and advocating for research — is close to her heart. Amanda found out that her daughter had Hydrocephalus after spending their first 90 days together in the hospital. She said, “We have to think like a for-profit because we are selling this incredibly valuable service, for free! So even though we aren’t measuring our profit margins, we are selling ourselves. And it is priceless what we are selling.” Hydrocephalus isn’t as widely-known as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s, although about one million Americans live with a diagnosis. And because of this, when Amanda shares these stories, she’s making what was once invisible, visible. How to get the most out of a story 📖 This article focuses on storytelling tactics for museums, but all of the tips are perfectly applicable for any nonprofit or association. Building a content strategy that includes compelling stories should be built in a way that draws readers in the direction you want them to go. At first this should be toward your website or other property — places where you can get to know them and begin to understand what interests them. Once they’re engaging with you, it’s time to take the relationship a step further. Invite them to join your newsletter or follow up on an upcoming event through digital ads. Stories chemically affect the human brain, and this can be an effective step one in beginning a much longer conversation. 10 marketing principles to live by 💡 There are parts of marketing that can be rather complex — positioning, identifying an audience, branding. But there are a few things that aren’t all that complicated, stand the test of time, and consistently move the needle forward. Kaylee Edmondson is a fantastic marketer and her 10 principles aren’t complicated and are worth applying today. Number 10 is especially worth repeating, “Regardless of your industry, marketing is about people. Never let anyone convince you otherwise. Understanding the principles of social psychology, where people spend time, how they engage, what they care about fuels everything you do.” This article may be focusing on personal excellence, but your organization or association’s excellence is also about finding your unique value. While everyone else was aiming at being the best guitarist or best singer, Bruce Springsteen decided to write lyrics that came from the heart. This set him apart from the rest and set him up for an incredibly successful and long-lasting career. What is your organization doing to set it apart? How is your voice unique? Is it the melody, the vocals, the rhythm? Pinpointing what’s different about your organization will help you identify the community you’re built to serve. Only after you do the work of understanding yourself and your organization can you start making sense of the community you serve. |
In the news |
A major KFC franchisee, KBP Brands, is texting its customer base, offering deals and promotions. I don’t mind when my local Italian deli sends me text updates about specials, but it feels like the days of owning my phone number are numbered.
The forward march of AI is well underway. Remaking “Ice Ice Baby” with the original cast of The Matrix would have been an epic and expensive project. But with AI, it all happened very quickly. There may be more useful ways to use AI, but this has got to be the most fun so far!
Something for your inspiration folder |
We’re Gainesville based, and this week the community is coming together for The Amazing Give. We’re remembering our friend Josh Greenberg, a founder and inspiration to the whole community.
To remember Josh’s generosity and warmth, Digital Brands, another amazing Gainesville company, is matching all donations, up to $25,000, to Grace Marketplace until tomorrow, April 21.
Grace is on a mission to end homelessness in Gainesville. And they’ve been making incredible strides! Join us and the rest of the Gainesville community by giving today.