Front row: Sam Buck, Chapel Guarnieri, Madeleine Prevost, Casey Libonate, Alan St. Croix, Gretchen Archambault, Wendy Orazio, Marissa Smith Back row: Kevin Babineau, Steve Foley, Richard Buck, John Bruner, Kevin Visnaukis, Tom Powers, Chuck Smith

Life Is Local sponsored and promoted the Merry Rockmas Benefit Bash, a local event that featured two bands – Mumblefish and Eastwood Peak – and benefitted the American Cancer Society Relay For Life of North Middlesex Regional High School.  It was a great event, and we raised $1,000 to help in the fight against cancer.

Here’s a picture of Alan St. Croix of the Pepperell Music Center presenting the check to student representatives for the Relay For Life while members of both Eastwood Peak and Mumblefish look on.  In addition, Gretchen Archambault, another sponsor of the event, is in the picture.  I’m even in the picture (back row, far right), right in front of my daughter Marissa!

Here’s an expanded caption for the photo:

Front row:

• Sam Buck – student and Mumblefish roadie
• Chapel Guarnieri – student representative for Relay For Life
• Madeleine Prevost – student representative for Relay For Life
• Casey Libonate – student chair for Relay For Life
• Alan St. Croix – event sponsor and owner of the Pepperell Music Center
• Gretchen Archambault – event sponsor and author of “Hats, Gloves, Hot Cocoa with Love”
• Wendy Orazio – parent chair for Relay For Life
• Marissa Smith – student representative for Relay For Life

Back row:

• Kevin Babineau – student representative for Relay For Life
• Steve Foley – bass player for Mumblefish
• Richard Buck – drummer for Mumblefish
• John Bruner – bass player for Eastwood Peak
• Kevin Visnaukis – guitar player for Eastwood Peak
• Tom Powers – lead singer and rhythm guitarist for Mumblefish
• Chuck Smith – event sponsor and owner of Life Is Local

This event was a lot of work, but since we were able to raise some funds for the Relay For Life, it was well worth the effort.  Thanks to our sponsors, the bands, and all the people who came out and rocked the night away!

NOTE: To see a larger version of the picture, just click on the small picture.

Since I’m on kind of a rock-and-roll kick this morning, I thought I’d give you a video from David Meerman Scott from his WebInkNow.com website.  It an interview he did with Jay Blakesburg, the long-time photographer for the Grateful Dead (now called simply The Dead).  In this nine minute video, David discusses with Jay how the band is at the forefront of using technology for their marketing.  Here’s the video:

Are you having a special event for your local business?  Why not hire a videographer or photographer to chronicle the event and then offer the photos or videos to attendees?  Give something back to the community and they will remember your business.

Weezer is one of my favorite bands of all time.  From the first time I saw the quirky Buddy Holly video, I was hooked.  Weezer makes excellent pop songs that stay with you forever and appeal to not only me and my friends, but my kids as well.  And that’s no mean feat.

I recently came across a video and short article at the SPIN magazine website about Weezer frontman, Rivers Cuomo, and his efforts to promote the release of his second collection of demos, B-sides and obscure tunes called Alone II.  As part of the celebration, Rivers spent two-and-a-half hours playing songs with about 100 Weezer fans at a Long Beach, CA record store.  The really interesting part was that he didn’t just sit and sing himself…

“Prior to the show, Cuomo posted an online request asking Weezer lovers to learn his songs and bring an instrument of their choice to the store to take part in the “Hootenanny” — one of many such jam sessions he has thrown across the nation. Attendees arrived with everything from banjos and saxophones to keytars, flutes, and what seemed to be at least 50 relatively in-tune guitars.”

Called a “Hootenanny,” you can get a real feel for the event, and the joy it brought to those Weezer fans, by checking out the video on the site (sorry… they don’t allow embedding).  And, if you’re a fan of Weezer, don’t forget to go to their website – www.weezer.com – and check out all the videos they have available.

This got me to thinking about how any local business can use some of Weezer’s marketing ideas in their local business:

1. Have fun with it. Weezer obviously enjoys what they’re doing.  And they have a sense of humor.  If you’ve got a funny bone, don’t be afraid to let your customers know that you enjoy a good laugh.  Dress up on holidays or have theme days (i.e. if you’re a Star Trek fan and a new movie is coming out).  Send a joke of the day to your email list (as long as its tasteful).  Laugh early and often and your customers will get a good vibe from your business.
2. Get your customers involved.  The Hootenanny is such a great idea because it gets real fans involved, and because of this, it’s newsworthy.  There are lots of ways you can take this type of community participation and apply it to your local business.  For example, if you run a restaurant, you can set up a charity event where people bid on being a waiter or waitress, or even cook, for a day (or perhaps a few hours).  Or, you could invite one of the local luminaries (mayor, respected teacher, etc.) to work in your business for charity.
3. Provide lots of great content on your website.  On the Weezer website, I counted 86 videos on the Media page.  This content includes a lot of professionally-produced music videos for their songs, but even more interesting, are their own videos where they take fans behind the scenes and things like guitar tabs and lyrics on their Info page.  Can you take a video of the operations of your business?  Interview long-time or brand new employees.  If you manufacture something, take a short video of the production floor.  People love to look behind the curtains.
4. Lots of opportunity to share.  On all of their posts and content, Weezer offers an “Add This” button, which lets you send a link to that content via email, or share the content on Facebook, Twitter, or other social networking sites.  Using plugins or software like Add This or Share This (which is what I use on Life Is Local) allows people to quickly pass the information along to their friends and family.  Make it easy for your customers to share great info from your site and your content could go viral and new business is the result.  And, you can also join the Weezers site and email list (and once again, do you have an email list?).
5. Don’t be afraid to sell.  When you first go to the Weezer website (and you’re not logged in as a fan), you are presented with an offer for their new album, Raditude, and the Weezer Snuggie (yes, it’s the blanket with arms).  Even though this is a fun way to sell their album, they’re not afraid to pitch their product (the new album) and you shouldn’t be afraid either.  After all, you’re in business.  If you have a special deal or a sale going on, then let people know, and do it front and center.  And use your email list to drive people to the information on your website.  Don’t be bashful when it comes to making sales.

I’m always pleasantly surprised when I stumble across great marketing, and I’m especially pleased when its for a product or service I love (like Weezer!).  I ended up purchasing the $3.99 version of Raditude from Amazon.com, and I’m listening to it now.  So, take some time to check out the Weezer site and the SPIN article, and get your Weezer Snuggie while supplies last!

As an added bonus, here is a video from Weezer with Hootenanny instructions:

And, here’s my new favorite song, (If You’re Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To:

My son and I went to a guitar clinic with Gary Hoey this Saturday at the Pepperell Music Center. What a great event! Not only did Gary Hoey rock the joint, but he spent a lot of time discussing how he got into music, how he practices, and even some advice for those who want to make a living with music. I was a little bit familiar with Gary and his music from Gary’s site, but after meeting him in person and listening to him share, I’m a huge Gary Hoey fan for life.

Which got me thinking about how you turn casual fans into raving lunatics who want to follow your every word and buy just about anything you have to offer.  And don’t think that just because Gary is a rock god (who can shred with the best of them) that this doesn’t apply to you and your local business.  So here’s what I learned:

• Be likeable and available. Gary spent well over two hours at the Pepperell Music Center and really connected with the audience.  He spent at least 1.5 hours answering questions, and another hour playing, including asking two of the guitar teachers from the Music Center up front to jam with him (and they were beaming for hours).  If you let people know who you are and make yourself available for contact – both online and in person – you will start building strong relationships that convert your customers into an army of walking, talking promotion machines.
• Deliver a great product (or service). Gary kept a room of about 100 people (including my 11 year old son) riveted for 2.5 hours, mixing up questions and answers and some great rock and roll.  He could have just gone through the paces, but with every attendee paying $15 for the event, he really wanted to beat expectations and he did that in spades.  With every interaction you have with your “fans,” you need to make sure you are delivering your best, not only in products and services, but in how you present yourself and interact with others.
• Offer chances for interaction and purchase. During his time with us, Gary mentioned his website (www.GaryHoey.com) and his email list.  And, he told us about some great advantages of getting on his email list including keeping in touch and some members-only prizes (like his Christmas Fender guitar giveaway).  There was also some Gary Hoey merchandise for purchase – CDs, t-shirts, and autographed photos.  When someone is a raving fan, make sure you make it easy for them to buy what you have to sell.  And when you have an email list for communicating with your fans (and you definitely should), make sure there are benefits like discounts and members-only promotions.
• Leave the audience wanting more. When Gary finally had to leave (he was playing the National Anthem at a mixed martial arts event in Lowell that night), he made sure that people were curious about what’s going to happen next with Gary.  Gary has some instructional DVDs coming out, as well as a new album and a DVD of a live performance.  He talked about these new projects, and made sure we signed up for his email list to be notified.  If you have some great new products or services coming out soon (or even in six months), make sure your customers and fans know about it.  Start prepping them way ahead of release, so that when you release your new product or service, you’ll have a flood of people waiting to buy.

I really want to thank Gary for spending the time with us, and he’s motivated both my son and I to practice our guitars even more.  And, you should start thinking about your customers as your fans so that you can develop that rock star marketing mentality.  Rock on!