You don't get a second chance to leave a first impression...
True. But you do get a second chance to screw up your first impression.
Adrian is one of my best friends and the drummer of Oh Girl. Back in 2009, we saw a band at the Viper Room in Hollywood, and they were amazing (I'm leaving the band unnamed for reasons you'll soon see). The songs were good, the energy was good, the vibe was good, the banter was good... they nailed their set to the wall and had everyone in the crowd eating out of the palm of their hand... Amazing first impression for Adrian (I had seen the band once before).
A couple months ago, Adrian came across this same band at a festival somewhere in the middle of the US. And he texted me asking, "What the heck happened? They sucked!" Amazing first impression completely nullified by a lackluster second impression. A potential lifelong fan had been delegated to a passerby wondering what happened...
Yes. First impressions are important. But the second impression is just as important. And the third, fourth, fifth... You have to make sure you're always leaving a lasting impression and earning trust and changing lives and making fans get goosebumps. If you're not, you might be leaving a "final impression"... and losing fans at the same time...
Showing posts with label first impression. Show all posts
Showing posts with label first impression. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Saturday, March 20, 2010
First Impressions
How important is a first impression...?
So many of us base everything off of the first few seconds of interaction. Commercials on TV, songs on the radio, people on the phone and in person... we instantaneously digest, judge, and designate labels, whether we want to or not.
And it's extremely difficult to change these first impressions. It's difficult to change our minds at all. Once we believe something to be true, it stays true until there is empirical evidence proving its falsehood or some other event occurs that completely changes our viewpoint.
This can be hugely beneficial or extremely damning if you're a musician. If you have a super catchy single, you can tease plenty of people into listening to the rest of your catalog. BUT if the rest of your catalog sucks, you've lost your window of opportunity. Or if you have plenty of recorded songs that are solid and memorable, BUT you're live show is less than stellar, chances are you won't be able to convert any true fans through gigging.
Nowadays, there are plenty of chances to make a first impression. Through your facebook updates or your myspace profile or your twitter page or playing out live or posting videos on YouTube or even your blog... each outlet is another chance for a first impression, an opportunity to impress and convert fans, or disappoint and remain in anonymity.
And, yes. You have to stay on top of everything or else you might as well just call music a hobby. Because nobody cares if you have a 9 to 5 or if you're trying to raise a son or if you perform in community theater or if you don't feel like picking up your guitar or if you'd rather watch Survivor than post on your blog. Your true fans might, but they've already gotten past their first impression of you. Their connection goes deeper than just a casual curiosity.
So, if this is the first time you're reading my blog, I hope this first impression is a good one. And I hope you take the time to dig a little deeper...
Thanks for reading!!
So many of us base everything off of the first few seconds of interaction. Commercials on TV, songs on the radio, people on the phone and in person... we instantaneously digest, judge, and designate labels, whether we want to or not.
And it's extremely difficult to change these first impressions. It's difficult to change our minds at all. Once we believe something to be true, it stays true until there is empirical evidence proving its falsehood or some other event occurs that completely changes our viewpoint.
This can be hugely beneficial or extremely damning if you're a musician. If you have a super catchy single, you can tease plenty of people into listening to the rest of your catalog. BUT if the rest of your catalog sucks, you've lost your window of opportunity. Or if you have plenty of recorded songs that are solid and memorable, BUT you're live show is less than stellar, chances are you won't be able to convert any true fans through gigging.
Nowadays, there are plenty of chances to make a first impression. Through your facebook updates or your myspace profile or your twitter page or playing out live or posting videos on YouTube or even your blog... each outlet is another chance for a first impression, an opportunity to impress and convert fans, or disappoint and remain in anonymity.
And, yes. You have to stay on top of everything or else you might as well just call music a hobby. Because nobody cares if you have a 9 to 5 or if you're trying to raise a son or if you perform in community theater or if you don't feel like picking up your guitar or if you'd rather watch Survivor than post on your blog. Your true fans might, but they've already gotten past their first impression of you. Their connection goes deeper than just a casual curiosity.
So, if this is the first time you're reading my blog, I hope this first impression is a good one. And I hope you take the time to dig a little deeper...
Thanks for reading!!
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