I went to my first Bob Dylan concert last Thursday and like most who have experienced the “Poet Laureate of Rock ‘n Roll”–I was inspired!

It all started with the fans and the enthusiasm they exuded before the show. They were not coming to hear their favorite song from some album they were there for THEIR show. They were coming to experience Dylan as he never comes through on a CD (not even a live album).

By the second song in Dylan’s set, “When I Paint My Masterpiece,” I knew there were lessons to be learned.

What does this have to do with sales (or business) excellence? Simple. Bob Dylan has shown us how to captivate a fanatical fan base and a create a converting experience for first timers–all in the same show. Here is the formula:

Do it with Passion

Do it with passion. You should enjoy what you sell. You should be fanatical about getting better. You should want to know all of the ways you can help your fans (past clients) or your first timers (prospects).

It was refreshing to watch an artist grimace a little when something isn’t quite tuned, grin a little when he knows he hit it just right, and make it a little unique for each venue and date.

Do it a Little Different (Even a lot Different)

People naturally identify value with different. No one wants to buy generic. They want to feel like they got something special. Something that you can only get from one place.

Dylan doesn’t care what the music industry says. He doesn’t even care what the fans say if they don’t get it. All the while, he delivers his special brand. And those that get it are: fanatical, at every show, and know that there is no where else to get it.

Make Every Experience Unique

People like to feel like you are talking or working only for them. To accomplish that you have to create a system that allows you to improvise, mix and match, and recall as if every conversation is the only one you are having for the day.

Dylan is a master at creating and reinventing new experiences. From the days of quite acoustic folk songs under a single strobe; to masterful electric guitar and keyboard (even the occasional drums) riffs. The result? You had better keep coming back and if you only go to one show you are guaranteed it is like no other–ever!

Looking for a few examples of Mortgage Industry Bob Dylan’s?

• Lead Critic, stepping into the Internet Lead Market where no one has gone before
• The Diff, Quicken Loans looking for the difference that makes excellence wherever it may appear
• LeadPoint and RootExchange, changing the way we look at the lead generation market

Technorati Tags:
sales management, lead management, bob dylan, quicken loans, lead critic, leadpoint, rootexchange, dylan