Last month I went to “Fantasy Drum Camp” in Cleveland. A drummer’s dream. 14 hours a day of nothing but music and learning with the best guys in rock and jazz.
Chris Coleman, who’s played with Prince, Chaka Khan and New Kids on the Block, gave the most valuable piece of advice of all.
He says, “Let’s say there’s this really amazing song you want to play…
When I was 13 my mom bought me a subscription to an obscure magazine, “Audio Amateur.” It was for people who like to build stereo equipment.
The editor, Ed Dell, would always point out that the old-school definition “Amateur” was – someone who does something for the LOVE of it, not for the money. Not to be confused with the more recent connotation which is “a part-timer who does sloppy work.”
In the HyperEvolution course I was helping a student re-invent his construction company. He came to 4-Man Intensive the other day and he had a new landing page that was, well, just kind of weird.
Last week Sam, my music teacher, came over. He just graduated with a Master’s degree in jazz and he’s looking for work. He was frustrated because doors kept slamming and thought I might be able to help.
We sit down and convo awhile. I dig into his USP. Turns out he has one. (Most people do, but they don’t know it.) Inevitably, the question comes: “Sam, how can you PROVE – to a music department or anybody else – that you really do have a badass USP and you can deliver the goods?”
Hint: A resume and cover letter won’t do it.
The answer is…
Wayne Moritz, a software engineer from Clearwater Florida, posted this comment on my blog. I think it’s a gem:
I’ve noticed that my customers tend to be very, very good at what they do. Not every guru’s customers are like that. A lot of folks are about gaming the system for a quick buck. As you well know.
If you’re for real – if your products are top-notch and you’re NOT about ‘gaming the system’ – then you owe it to the world to learn how to position yourself properly. The world needs to do business with you, not the flim-flam men.
What kind of car do you think I drive? A 2007 Audi? A 1967 Astin Martin? A BMW SUV?
Of ALL the assets you can possess as a marketer, there is one thing that trumps them all:
You wanna make a boatload of money selling information products?
Go to aspiring, not-quite-graduated-from-kindergarten wanna-be business people. Then sell them a big, bright-red “Easy” button. Some turn-key opportunity where someone’s figured everything out for you. Tell ’em they just need to work the system.
That sells.
Trouble is, it hardly ever works.
Why?
I’ve been banging on pots and pans since I was 11 or 12 years old. An incurably rhythmic guy.
A few years ago on my birthday, I finally admitted to myself that I was a drummer at heart. I said, “I have no idea where this is going and I’ll probably never make a dime playing drums. Well screw it, I love music and I’m just going to buy myself a drum set for my birthday.”
(Ever have trouble giving yourself permission to just have fun? Ever have to talk yourself into just doing something you enjoy?)
