Quite some time ago I gave buskers a bit of a blast for not understanding the first principle of marketing… find out what your market wants and give it to them!
You see most buskers want to play their own compositions or stuff they love… which isn’t what the passing crowd want. It won’t pull money out of their pockets or purses.
The buskers that pull the money from the crowd are the ones that play stuff the crowds know, love and gets their toes tapping.
Simple, busker people! Give them what they want and you’ll get what you want!
No better could I have seen proof of this than on the way to that mighty temple of sport, the famous MCG, last Saturday.
About 50 thousand Collingwood (Magpies) fans were heading for the ‘G along with about 5 thousand Fremantle fans to see the clash.
A little girl of about six (dressed as a fairy as I recall) was scratching out the Magpies cub song on her violin… “Good old Collingwood forever” and was literally hauling the money in, pulling money from the fans like magic.
Not once did she pause and play the Fremantle song for the handful of Fremantle fans!
She just kept on doing what worked… giving the people what they wanted coz, quite simply, it works and works gangbusters!
(Stupidly forgot to get a photo of the little girl but provide photo of the ‘G as compensation.)
Most musicians never understand that principle Winno. 😆
You’re dead right again Kevin!