This Summer, my wife and I got tickets to see Pink with our oldest child, Journey, at Fenway Park. At the time, I had no idea what I was in for. But, now…
Other than hearing Pink in the car while Journey played their music, I didn’t know much about her. So, while grabbing a bite to eat before the show, I asked them what songs Pink sang to see if I’d recall anything. They just replied, “you know a lot of her songs, Dad.” and left it at that.
Honestly, I was more looking forward to seeing Pat Benatar open the show than seeing Pink. And after watching Pat Benatar rock out, I was more than satisfied with the evening. And then Pink came on. Actually, she didn’t just come on, she dropped down from the rafters to start what I now refer to as a 2+ hour Super Bowl half-time performance.
I’ve seen many shows in my life – concerts, Broadway performances, Vegas extravaganza, etc. But nothing compares to what I witnessed that evening in Fenway Park. Pink was, by far, the most incredible performer I’d ever witnessed – and she inspired me to share a few highlights of the show to help us all improve our performance. Because, let’s be real – in business, whether we recognize it or not, we’re often on stage…
- Have a great cast. I counted at least 30 performers on stage, beyond Pink (musicians, dancers, gymnasts and others). Even if you’re an incredible performer, a great cast can take your show to an entirely new level.
- Encourage participation. Many highlights of the show were moments where the crowd was encouraged to either sing along or hold our phone lights up high. We tend to enjoy shows more when we feel like we are a part of them.
- Do the unexpected. You may not be comfortable singing, while doing flips and flying 50+ feet above a crowd. But, do something that causes your audience to say, Wow! And, be the one they talk about (in a good way).
- Get a solid opener. Pat Benatar did a great job warming up the crowd and getting them ready for Pink. When you have the opportunity, let others introduce you so they share all the applicable accolades. (It generally goes over much better than you doing it yourself.)
- Leave them wanting more. I left the stadium that night wanting to learn even more about Pink, and find out when/where we could see her perform again. Imagine if your audience did the same after you were on stage.
As you can imagine, seeing Pink with Journey and my wife will certainly be a night I will always remember. Aside from the amazing performance, I also ended up knowing all but one of the songs (yes, Journey was right.). So, next time you find yourself on stage, think like Pink, and build your fan base.
Jeff Freedman
CEO/Managing Partner
Small Army | Finn Partners