19 Pieces of Marketing Wisdom from the Grateful Dead

Marketing Lessons From The Grateful DeadDavid Meerman Scott has a new book out. It is co-authored with Brian Halligan of HubSpot, and entitled “Marketing Lessons from the Grateful Dead: What every business can learn from the most iconic bank in history”.

I’ve had a chance to read it cover-to-cover on my transatlantic flight a couple of days ago. Yes, its a quick (and tremendously engaging) read.

In this 160-pager, Scott and Halligan break the famous band’s success into 19 marketing lessons (each chapter of the book corresponds to one) which can be used by virtually any business (old or new) for the effective promotion and growth.

Here’s the breakdown of their tips (slightly reworded to be understandable from the first glance), and things you want to do while building your business according to the Grateful Dead’s success model:

  1. Create a unique business model
  2. Choose a memorable name
  3. Bank of team’s diversity
  4. Be your own authentic self
  5. Experiment constantly
  6. Embrace technology
  7. Redefine your industry’s boundaries and categories
  8. Encourage your followers’/fans’ eccentricity
  9. Bring people on a journey they won’t forget
  10. Put them in the front row
  11. Build a following (through personal contact)
  12. Cut out the middleman (the Internet is the medium)
  13. Understand that “you gotta give to get”
  14. Be easily spreadable and shareable
  15. Have a “premium” option for purchase too
  16. Loosen up your brand (to show personality)
  17. Partner with entrepreneurs (those that will help you grow further)
  18. Give back generously
  19. Do what you love (this is one is actually good to remember right from the start!)

Excellent book. Inspiring, chock-full full of real-life business examples (in addition to the Grateful Dead ones), and giving some good food for thought. I recommend it.

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