Nothin' But A Good Time

by Tom Leu

"It's not how good you are; it's how good of a communicator you are."

Example:

Many of you may remember or at least have heard of the 80's rock bands Poison and Ratt. Like most of the 80's era glam-metal groups, these two bands are often better known for their hair styles and lifestyles, rather than their music. Love them, hate them, or just plain don't care, these two groups have sold millions of records throughout their careers and provide an excellent example to illustrate my opening statement.

The facts:

The band Ratt has sold about 16 million records worldwide since their debut major label release in 1983. Poison, about 26 million records since their debut in 1986. By 1987, Ratt had already sold over 5 million records and had newcomer, Poison, opening arena shows for their sold-out U.S. arena tour. Fast forward twenty years to 2007, Ratt is now opening for Poison on their ever-popular annual summer tour.

The question:

How does the often-critically maligned band Poison significantly eclipse Ratt in total albums sold and enduring popularity over twenty years into their careers? Though comprised of more talented individual musicians and having arguably better songs, Ratt has not achieved the intoxicating allure and enduring fascination that Poison, and only a rare few artists from this era (Motley Crue, Bon Jovi, etc.) have achieved. Why?

The answer:

EXCELLENT COMMUNICATION... comprised of 1. Better marketing, 2. Stronger entertainment-value, and 3. More likeability. Very simply, Poison and their organization have done a much better job than Ratt of compellingly communicating their product (the music and themselves) to their audience (both old and new) ongoing.

1. Better marketing.

The Poison brand has always been better known, farther reaching, and consistently more impactful than most of their contemporaries. Part of this marketing has included the premeditated controversy that surrounded their early androgynous image to the incessant bashing from music critics while fans by the millions bought everything they released.

2. Stronger entertainment-value.

Poison has always been a spectacle. Whether you loved them or hated them, you couldn't (and still can't) completely ignore them. From their over-the-top concert events, to their highly publicized personal battles, to their outrageous rock-n-roll personas, these guys know how to keep people interested. This entertainment value continues today with a couple of the band member's frequent exposure as stars of reality TV shows, guest appearances, and in assorted movie roles. Lead singer Bret Michaels even performs and co-writes country music for himself and other artists from his home base in Nashville, further expanding his reach and versatility.

3. More likeability.

The bottom line, Poison is just more fun to watch, to read about, and to go see perform. These guys appear to be having a lot of fun. They have that star quality that the Ratt's of the world just do not possess. They appear more approachable, interesting, and friendly. This powerful perception, whether manufactured or not, sells records, concert tickets, T-shirts, and long-term loyalty and adulation from fans.

The lesson:

The "ratt-poison" to avoid here is the limiting belief that if you're good at what you do, then that's good enough. It's not. Never was. Never will be... Combine your great talent with even greater precision and mastery of your overall communication presentation. Be smarter, more consistent, and deliberate than your competitors with your marketing and promotion efforts and you will be exponentially more successful! Be very aware of how you "come off" to others without totally sacrificing who you really are in the process. These things are vitally important to get to the pinnacles of success in whatever personal or professional endeavor you are involved in today, or undertake in the future. Poison has clearly paid attention and cashed in, while apparently having "Nothin' But A Good Time" in the process!

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Tom Leu is an author, speaker, musician, and media personality from Rockford, IL. Tom's RockStar Way™ motivational resources and live presentations blend the insights of teacher with the encouragement of a coach delivering electric inspiration that empowers potential! Blog: www.RockStarWay.com