On this day (October 2) in 1954, a 19-year-old Memphis truck driver with dreams of musical stardom stepped onto the stage of the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville and made his debut on the renowned Grand Ole Opry. It would also be his last performance on this legendary show.
Elvis Presley, the future King of Rock and Roll, strode onto the stage to perform his rendition of Bill Monroe’s “Blue Moon of Kentucky.” While the crowd certainly would have been familiar with the bluegrass classic, they were completely unprepared for the new interpretation. The audience was shocked and applause was light. Opry manager Jim Denny is reported to have told the young singer, “Don’t quit your day job.”
Though disheartened by the response and criticism, Elvis did not take the advice. Happily for millions of music fans around the world, Elvis sought out new audiences better suited for the type of music he was creating. He also found more suitable audiences in the masses of teenagers across the country who were not gathering around the radio to listen to the Opry, but were sitting in front of the televison watching Milton Berle, Steve Allen, and Ed Sullivan.
It really just goes to show you that being the best at what you do doesn’t count for much if you’re not doing it in front of the right people.
The same could be said for many social media campaigns. It is too easy to simply establish appearing on the largest stages as a measure of success. As Elvis and Col. Tom would tell you from their own Grand Ole Opry experience, this isn’t necessarily true. The success we’re seeing here at Ackermann PR is based on the idea that we want our clients to find their best audience wherever they may be. It takes a little extra work, but the rewards are measurable.
When you look at the career path of someone like Elvis, it is easy to get caught up in the stories of an instant rise to fame and fortune. But, it’s important to remember that the path from driving a truck to moving into Graceland was built on hard work, a quality product, a good marketing plan, and some hard lessons learned by singing on a few wrong stages.
What steps are you taking to make sure you’re campaign is singing on the right stage? With all the stages to choose from, how do you know which ones are the best for you? How will you stand out? Once you find the audience, how will you convince them to listen…and come back again? Perhaps we can help you find the answers to these questions.
