Don’t Sing Like Someone Else

“If I’m going to sing like someone else, then I don’t need to sing at all.” – Billie Holiday

Me, in 1985

Or, to put Billie Holiday’s quotation into marketing terms, “If my business is going to be like everybody else, then I don’t need to be in business at all.”

True, there are lots of look-a-like businesses with common services but that’s not really what I’m talking about here. There were lots of singers, but Billie Holiday was not like any other.

To me, it’s about having personality in your business. If you’re just one person such as an artist, let your personality show through. In terms of the Internet, speak your mind on twitter or facebook, have a website or blog that shows who you are really are, not some corporate-looking image.

Let your “weirdness” show.

If you are a bigger organization, let the people who work there have their personalities shine through. Don’t use slogans and hollow messages like “for what matters” if in fact, you don’t really care what matters. If you don’t care, say so.

Be real.

This all seems obvious, but I don’t think we do it enough. I don’t think we show ourselves enough. I think in many small business, arts organizations included, we don’t let our personality show through and shine.

Too often, we’re bland, bland, bland.

Don’t sing like someone else.