Charlie likes to refer to me as his “rock star” assistant, and while I may not be selling out arena shows (yet), I am actually a musician… A drummer, to be precise.
Since I’ve been working with Charlie, I realize more and more just how much of a niche market the percussion industry is – and see all sorts of lessons that marketers and business owners could learn… from drum companies they’ve probably never heard of…
First, let me start with a little anecdote:
Just the other day, I ordered a t-shirt from Aquarian Drumheads. I liked the shirt, sure, but my real interest was the promotional program that offered a free snare drum head with any merchandise purchase…
See, this isn’t a company I’m very familiar with, and the prospect of getting a head to test out (instead of buying one – and maybe not liking it) helped me make a purchase decision. When I made it to checkout, though, there wasn’t any indication that the head was included in my order.
I sent a quick email, and to my surprise, I got a reply in under and hour…
But this wasn’t just a reply from a customer service department; it was a reply from Chris Brady, an A&R rep for the company… Chris isn’t necessarily famous in the drumming industry, but I’ve heard his name mentioned by professional drummers I admire, and always in a positive light – he’s got a reputation for being helpful and creating solutions…
Now, I haven’t received the package yet, but I have no doubts that all will be right in the end, even if I have to reach back out to Chris (as he suggested I do)…
Why?
Word Spreads Fast
Just a small amount of name recognition, in a “hand-me-down” sort of way from other “experts,” was enough to put me totally at ease…
And that’s the thing about a niche industry (and every industry has its niches): people share stories, people are connected, and reputation spreads like wildfire…
Even though drummers have their different preferences about brands or what gear they use, we’re always discussing equipment, holding friendly debates about the pros and cons of the HUGE array of products available to us…
The point is this: people talk. No matter what the industry, when people use the same sets of tools, services, etc., word of mouth is unavoidable. Your niche is connected, and if you aren’t serving them genuinely, they’ll let each other know in an instant.
The same goes for the opposite, though…
If you treat your customers with dignity, offer them real solutions, and go above and beyond to provide solutions, they’ll sing your praises through the streets!
Information Creates Loyalty
A couple years ago, I bought a Gretsch snare drum on EBay… I love the drum, but the seller didn’t have much info about its year, model, or anything else. On a whim, I sent an email to Gretsch HQ with a photo of my new drum and a humble request for some background info…
The reply astounded me. Not only did they congratulate me for my purchase, they promised to dig up some information about the now-discontinued model. A day later, I had a PDF of the original spec sheet sitting in my inbox…
I didn’t even make a direct purchase from them, or provide a single cent to their bottom line…
But because the good folks at Gretsch understand that the more I know about their products, the more I appreciate them, they gladly provided the (difficult to find) information… And gave me yet another reason to love their company!
Community And Friendly Competition
Now, I’m not totally a brand loyalist when it comes to my gear (though some of my peers certainly are), but I do know that different products – and even brands – serve different musical purposes…
And it seems like most companies in this very specific niche understand that too…
They don’t need to bash each other, or even compare themselves – they just have to differentiate by focusing on own their unique look, sound, and features.
These companies understand that young drummers will see – and more importantly, hear – what their idols are playing…
They understand that more experienced drummers will compare, contrast, and diligently research products themselves…
The role of their marketers is to provide the means to do this through demo videos, factory tours, “in-progress” pictures, sponsoring clinics, and endorsements for the well-known drummers who stand behind their particular brand…
It’s not about determining who’s “better” – it’s about helping would-be customers make the choice that they’re going to be the most satisfied with.
In my experience, this has been universally true for the “big name” companies and the “boutique” companies alike. There’s a sense of community here: we’re all passionate about the same thing, and just want to buy and play gear we can truly appreciate.
These companies win customers by NOT emulating their competition, and striving to be the best version of themselves they can be – homing in on what makes them truly unique, and letting their prospects choose for themselves.
…Combine this kind of customer empowerment with the level of service I’ve experienced…
And it’s no wonder people form real, lasting relationships with the drum and cymbal companies they do business with.
I know this all pretty specific stuff, and sprinkled with brand names and jargon you might now know, but I’m willing to bet your industry is too…
So what can you do to instill trust in your prospects, even through a simple email response? How can you set your company apart from the competition so specifically that you don’t just gain customers, you gain the right customers?
…And maybe the most important question…
How can you help turn your niche into a community?