Marketing Lessons from the Grateful Dead: What Every Business Can Learn from the Most Iconic Band in History

Book description

The Grateful Dead broke almost every rule in the music industry book. They encouraged their fans to record shows and trade tapes; they built a mailing list and sold concert tickets directly to fans; and they built their business model on live concerts, not album sales. By cultivating a dedicated, active community, collaborating with their audience to co-create the Deadhead lifestyle, and giving away "freemium" content, the Dead pioneered many social media and inbound marketing concepts successfully used by businesses across all industries today.

Written by marketing gurus and lifelong Deadheads David Meerman Scott and Brian Halligan, Marketing Lessons from the Grateful Dead gives you key innovations from the Dead's approach you can apply to your business. Find out how to make your fans equal partners in your journey, "lose control" to win, create passionate loyalty, and experience the kind of marketing gains that will not fade away!

Table of contents

  1. Copyright
  2. Foreword
  3. Introduction
    1. MARKETING LESSONS
    2. OUR LONG STRANGE TRIPS
    3. PLAYING IN THE BAND
  4. I. THE BAND
    1. 1. Create a Unique Business Model
      1. 1.1. Create a Unique Business Model
        1. 1.1.1. RUE LA LA Creates Online Buying Destination for Luxury Goods
    2. 2. Choose Memorable Brand (and Band) Names
      1. 2.1. Choose Memorable Brand Names
        1. 2.1.1. HUBSPOT AND DAVID MEERMAN SCOTT
    3. 3. Build a Diverse Team
      1. 3.1. Build a Diverse Team
        1. 3.1.1. DIGITAL DIVA JULIA ROY BRINGS SOCIAL SKILLS TO COACH
    4. 4. Be Yourself
      1. 4.1. Be Yourself
        1. 4.1.1. SALESFORCE.COM OWNS UP TO MISTAKES AND BUILDS TRUST IN THE PROCESS
    5. 5. Experiment, Experiment, Experiment
      1. 5.1. Experiment, Experiment, Experiment
        1. 5.1.1. DROPBOX "LEARNS EARLY, LEARNS OFTEN"
    6. 6. Embrace Technology
      1. 6.1. Embrace Technology
        1. 6.1.1. EMBRACE TECHNOLOGY AT THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
    7. 7. Establish a New Category
      1. 7.1. Establish a New Category
        1. 7.1.1. Y COMBINATOR CREATES A NEW INVESTOR CATEGORY
  5. II. THE FANS
    1. 8. Encourage Eccentricity
      1. 8.1. Encourage Eccentricity
        1. 8.1.1. NEW BELGIUM BREWING COMPANY: FAT AND HAPPY
    2. 9. Bring People on an Odyssey
      1. 9.1. Bring People on an Odyssey
        1. 9.1.1. THE ODYSSEY OF BURTON SNOWBOARDS
    3. 10. Put Fans in the Front Row
      1. 10.1. Put Fans in the Front Row
        1. 10.1.1. OBAMA FOR AMERICA AND PUTTING FANS FIRST
    4. 11. Build a Following
      1. 11.1. Build a Following
        1. 11.1.1. HUBSPOT EXTENDS ITS REACH WITH WEBSITE GRADER
  6. III. The BUSINESS
    1. 12. Cut Out the Middleman
      1. 12.1. Cut Out the Middleman
        1. 12.1.1. GOOGLE ELIMINATES THE NEED FOR MEDIA BROKERS
    2. 13. Free Your Content
      1. 13.1. Free Your Content
        1. 13.1.1. MySQL Offers Its Source Code to Developers for Free
    3. 14. Be Spreadable
      1. 14.1. Be Spreadable
        1. 14.1.1. WHY MASHABLE'S CONTENT IS SHARED ACROSS THE INTERNET
    4. 15. Upgrade to Premium
      1. 15.1. Upgrade to Premium
        1. 15.1.1. FREE E-BOOK READERS AND CONTENT (OR BUY THE BEST)
    5. 16. Loosen Up Your Brand
      1. 16.1. Loosen Up Your Brand
        1. 16.1.1. GOOGLE LIGHTENS UP ITS IMAGE WITH DOODLES
    6. 17. Partner with Entrepreneurs
      1. 17.1. Partner with Entrepreneurs
        1. 17.1.1. AMAZON.COM: THE WORLD'S MOST POPULAR AFFILIATE PROGRAM
    7. 18. Give Back
      1. 18.1. Give Back
        1. 18.1.1. RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES
    8. 19. Do What You Love
      1. 19.1. Do What You Love
        1. 19.1.1. BILL GATES TAKES CONTROL OF HIS LIFE
  7. Acknowledgments
  8. "Furthur" Reading
  9. About the Photographs
  10. About the Illustrations
  11. About the Authors

Product information

  • Title: Marketing Lessons from the Grateful Dead: What Every Business Can Learn from the Most Iconic Band in History
  • Author(s):
  • Release date: August 2010
  • Publisher(s): Wiley
  • ISBN: 9780470900529