This is not the opening line to a joke. It sounds like a set up but I swear, it’s not.(I’d never put that much pressure on my post! 🙂
Last night was New Year’s Eve. I, lamely, was sitting alone at home nursing a stomach flu and flipping through channels. I happened across Dennis Miller. He’s a funny guy. He’s always given me some bang for my viewing buck. I thought, what the hell, I’ll watch Dennis for a bit.
He’s gotten older since the last time I watched him. I guess I’m not the best of Dennis Miller fans.
While I was watching Dennis told a story about having dinner with Frank Sinatra. While telling the story he digressed into singing Don Rickle’s accolades as well. He managed though to tell a wonderful story that engaged me from beginning to end.
Dennis Miller entertained me.
Arguably Dennis Miller is a “great” comedian. He’s “made it” to use the show biz vernacular and I think he deserves that moniker. He can hold a huge room of people and a huger (bigger, larger, whatever) viewing audience via airwaves.
But why can he do it and others can’t?
The reason is pretty simple. Dennis Miller makes a connection with you, personally. He finds a subject that resonates with you. We can all appreciate how Frank Sinatra, The Chairman of the Board, an iconic figure, would be a once-in-a-lifetime person to meet. We have all known someone that we would lay down in traffic to shake hands with.
Finding that connection and weaving the story to attract your attention is why guys like Dennis Miller, Bill Cosby, Chris Rock are all very, very successful.
They do this with no other goal than to entertain you. You’re the audience. You’re the boss. You’re the one that can make or break them.
If you’ve read any other posts on this blog you’ll see a theme emerging here.
PROVIDE VALUE!
Great comedians provide their audience with value. They make us think or ponder or dream or simply laugh but they do it by making that connection and not expecting anything from us in return.
Businesses in 2011 will learn quickly that if they do not embrace the new, altruistic values of the web, they will fall behind their competition.
The best way to provide that value? A great, well-thought-out social media strategy that includes how you’re going to engage with your clients and customers and your potential clientele.
What are you going to give them that they can’t get anywhere else?
So, if “good” isn’t good enough for your company you need to start thinking about how you’re going to be great. Today.
