If Metallica were soft pop?
My mom would listen to Metallica if they played soft pop music.
Hey, Metallica, do you not understand you’d have way more fans and make way more money if you changed your sound to something more…accessible to a bigger audience?
Seems like a no brainer! But, is it really?
Let’s assume Metallica did it. They toned it WAY down. Well, they sort of did this in the 90’s with Nothing Else Matters. The Black Album crushed the radio/sales charts. But they lost my respect. I was in high school and was a big time heavy music fan. When they went softer, I missed the good old Metallica. The angst in the riffs. The ferocity of the drums. James’ fierce growl-singing.
How does this relate to running a business?
In our attempt to become more accessible, we risk losing our most ravenous fans.
Revenue and respect pass each other in the doorway of our business.
Often, revenue then follows respect out the door soon after.
Our brand blends into the overcrowded space we operate in and thus, no one notices you.
Behind the curtain, the bandmates(your leadership team) would certainly not be their most authentic selves.
As strange as it may sound, you’re not wise to try to be all things to all people. As Sally Hogshead would put it, “be somebody’s favorite”. Stay “on-brand”…always. This Forbes article sums up the value of finding (and remaining in) your niche.
My mom will never like Metallica. She won’t own a t-shirt, know that Dave Mustaine was the original guitarist, or attend a concert. That’s just fine. It’s actually better, since it proves that Metallica may have dabbled in toning it down, but never committed to it.
These are the kinds of things I obsess over and include in my keynotes. More about that here.
…now I need to unpause Lux Æterna on Spotify.
