Dave Carroll & United Airlines Story: 5 Ideas

Posted by kboon on January 18, 2010 under Stories | 2 Comments to Read

Dave Carroll was recently on the View (Video).   He was the musician, who was on a United Airlines flight going from Halifax to Chicago.  He saw his guitar being mishandled by baggage handlers, and when he arrived at his final destination his guitar was damaged.

After being turned down (several times) by United staff for compensation, he decided to write a song and make a video.  The video became a smash hit on YouTube and as of today has been viewed over 7 million times.

Dave harnessed the web (and the power of YouTube) to gain a worldwide audience, expand his reputation and earn money.  As business owners and entrerpreneurs, what can we learn from Dave’s experience?

Here are 5 ideas that stand out for me:

1. Be Likable – One of Dave’s best traits is his likability. When you listen to Dave’s story, watch the videos or go to his website, there is a quality that draws people to him.  Likability attracts an audience.

2. Have a Clear Message – Marketers take note.  Dave and his band were able to craft a simple, clear message that had an impact not only on the people who watched the video, but on companies who are recognizing the need to respond more proactively to customer complaints.

3. Showcase your Creative Talents – Dave (and his band) have a skill at songwriting and performing and used their skills to reach their audience.

4. Keep your Risk Low – To write the song and produce the video required time and maybe a few hundred dollars.  Not every method will work so be prepared to experiment and try a variety of approaches.

5. Diversify your Income and Opportunity – Dave and his band have been able to use this event to sell more music cds, and tour more.   He has also been able to expand his reach with paid speaking gigs and other income sources.  I like the affiliate ad for custom hard shell Calton Cases (at the bottom of his home page).

What are your thoughts?