I’ve Got the Music In Me!

Lucky (Part 10)

I am not one of those blessed with musical talent of my own, but I am lucky enough to be a great aficionado, fully appreciative of a broad range of music with few exceptions. My collection and playlists serve not only for great listening but are also tools to be used in business.

When I teach, conduct a retreat or make presentations, music is often a key portion of the overall experience and environment. Whether it is something invigorating with a pulsating beat to stir up a crowd,  to elicit an emotion or drive home a concept. Using music with visuals, text and a personalized presentation, it is an assault on different sensory receptors all triggering memory, thinking and a permanent link that will be planted in the brain between the concept and the music. The next time the music is heard, there will be recall.

It only takes a couple of bars for many of us to recognize a song and to have a memory triggered. Most know the song “I Heard it Through the Grapevine” well before first word is sung. We tied that to sessions on gathering market intelligence. How long does it take you to recognize “Another One Bites the Dust”, when that pulsating beat and bass begin to play? We used that for market warfare, creating strategies to take out a competitor. It does not matter whether or not all of the lyrics are perfectly suited, we are looking to trigger, memory, responses, thinking and most of all action.

The play list of songs that can be used for almost any business purpose is long and can be used in so many ways thanks to digital media, methods of distribution and sharing. Whether you are gifting a song such as “Need You Now” to that recruit you have been pursuing with the right e-greeting or playing (at least in your head) “Time to Say Goodbye” to the person being shown the door, the dimension and the impact is changed.

Can you imagine going to a convention without music? Most likely the music is working to build excitement and good feelings prior to the start. Specific pieces played during the convention announce change, new strategies or simply a new speaker walking on stage. The music chosen is not a casual selection.

Music can inspire.  Think of “Reach”, which was used in the Olympics or stir our patriotism and loyalty, or “God Bless the USA” which might bring thoughts of times gone by. It can even show the strength of anger and emotion, like “Rolling in the Deep.” No matter the genre, purpose or personal meaning, music is an important part of not only our lives, but also our business.

I thought that it would be interesting to create a small survey that you can take anonymously to learn about the playlist that perhaps gets you moving or plays over and over in your head. The survey will be open now until midnight March 27, 2012 (eastern time). On the 28th, we will post the compiled results in our newsletter, on www.soltys-inc.com and on www.facebook.com/soltysinc. It should be fun and perhaps add new music to all of our playlists.

To participate – click on I’ve Got the Music in Me Survey. We will also post the link on our Soltys Inc. Consulting Page.