GET YOUR FUNNY ON! MARKETING LESSONS WE CAN LEARN FROM COMEDIANS
Comedians are fast becoming the biggest entrepreneurs in the world. When Louis C.K decided to cut out Ticketmaster and sell his own tour tickets, and then offer his new comedy special as a pay-per-view event via his website, he went from stand-up artist to online entrepreneur. < The most successful comedians are good to their loyal fans and are always listening to their audience and as a business owner, you can have the last belly laugh by taking a few cues from today’s comics.
Cut out the middle man
Comedians like Louis C.K and Dane Cook interact with fans directly via social media, making it easier for their fans to connect to them. Don’t make your customers jump through hoops to make a purchase. Simplify the process. Avoid laborious steps such as subscribing to your site or \’liking\’ your Facebook page. It\’s irritating and unnecessary. There are tools and apps now that allow customers to purchase items from Facebook pages (like Shop Tab). You see it, you want it, you buy it. Find them, use them, profit immediately.
Instant gratification is good.
Be aware of your customer\’s needs
Comedians are experts because they are alert. A skilled comedian is confident and aware of what his audience needs. A comedian knows what the next joke in his routine will be — he doesn’t ask the audience – but he knows they will like it (maybe some more than others). A good brand should know what its customers need by studying how they think and how they react to different marketing approaches. Always have lots of new in the pipeline. Ask your customer directly what they need, and then deliver, deliver, deliver.
Speak the truth
Comedians love a punchline and the audience love them too – usually because there\’s so much truth in what they are saying. So be honest about your product and how you present them – your client base will love you for it. Straight-talking savvy will win word of mouth recommendations, which means more business. Are you great at one thing but suck at another? Embrace your flaws like all the great comics do and your audience will love you for it.
Keeping working your material
Even great comics have to find different jokes to tell and spend hours in clubs polishing their act. And unless you want to get stale, you need to find ways to keep your business fresh. Your clients are your audience and it\’s up to you to keep them entertained and informed. Inject humor into your social media, switch up a little and experiment with what works and what doesn\’t.
And finally, listen to your audience.
Comedians shift, listen and respond to their audience in nano-seconds night after night. They don\’t have three hours meetings to decide whether or not to change a joke… they hear and immediately respond, or they die on stage. Listen to your audience as closely as the great comedians do and you\’ll soon be laughing all the way to the bank.
