Marketing Lessons from Dancing with the Stars

Marketing Lessons from Dancing with the Stars

1. "Forget about your weight, you've got talent!" When Bruno said these works to Kirstie Alley, he said a mouthful. We don't all fit into the mold of wearing all hats or the traditional "type" of our profession. We aren't all barbie-doll-networkers or GQ close-the-sale guys, but if you've got the talent. The TALENT. Then you are on your way. All other services from sales to bookkeeping can be contracted out. If you got the goods, believe it, focus on it,  and strive forward.

2. "Listen to the judges."  If you get some expert advice, try to really listen to it. Examine yourself and your business practices. Instead of getting mad about those bad scores, remember the dancers who win are the ones who heed the experts advice and make improvements in those areas. So can we. Check your ego and the door and try to look at yourself from outside eyes and see what you could be doing better!

3. "Bring your personality to the floor." We always hear the celebrities told (like Wendy Williams) to BRING IT, bring their personalities, themselves to the floor. "We want to see the real you!" This can also apply in business. At a time when most of our companies are scaled back to smaller teams, let's face it, people work with us because of who is sitting at the top. The person they have that "relationship" with. They love THAT person. Don't let that person disappear in the noise of too many tasks on your desk. 

4. "Deadlines are real." Whether you work at a publication, ad agency or in house department, deadlines matter. Take them seriously and you will have a more stress free work flow AND a better reputation. After all this is a LIVE show!

5. "You can't dance alone."Dancing is not a solo sport. You must work with a partner. Someone leads, someone follows. You must move as one. Have chemistry. Who is your dance partner? A co-owner? Co-worker? Client? Vendor? Are you listening to their needs?

6. "There's always next week"  Since we can't get voted off like the dancers, there is always time to start again. No one can be good at every style of dance or every facet of marketing and design. Spend your energy on your strengths and not your weaknesses!  Let me repeat that: Go with your strengths!  Trust your instinct, your guts and your heart!  Now, shake off that last low score and tackle the newest dance/challenge/job/project with gusto! You might just get perfect 10s!

7. "Have Fun" The dancers and stars who are having fun, are always more fun to watch and get better scores. Do you like what you do? How different do projects result when they are FUN or ones that you LOVE working on? How to have fun with the ones you dread? Try stepping away. Reset your thinking - this COULD be one of my best pieces. I'm going to throw out all the rules and start over. I'm going to do the client's idea but also do my own to show. Good scores or bad, having fun is never a waste of time. Valuable lessons are abound.

This was a fun creative exercise. I challenge all of you to find marketing advice and tips in something unconventional: Family Guy, Lady GAGA, Glee, whatever you are enjoying at the moment. If you can find them there, you can apply them anywhere.  Oh, and don't forget to vote for Kirstie Alley.