?Know your audience.

This was common advice in my former career as a magician. You wouldn’t do the same show to a family audience at a Church picnic that you would at a Vegas stag party, right?

Okay, the difference in that example is obvious.

It’s less clear how to adjust your show from a group of college students in Connecticut to a group of college students in Virginia. On their face, they look pretty similar: an all-purpose room with fold-out chairs, a makeshift stage, and a bunch of 18-21 year-olds in sweatpants and hoodies.

Magic is magic. College students are college students!

Except a couple years back when I had a show in Connecticut and Virginia two nights back-to-back, just weeks after the Charlottesville attack that spawned riots and protests across college campuses.

None of the students in Connecticut were talking about the attack, sadly. But in Virginia, it wasn’t just recent; it was vivid. And I was faced with a question:

Do I say anything about it, and if so, when?

At the beginning of the show? Then I run the risk of digging a somber hole so deep I can’t climb out as a comedy performer.

At the end of the show? Then I run the risk of appearing insensitive to the environment, callous almost, by engaging in such frivolity for an hour.

Who’s Listening?

Which way would you would have gone if you were in my shoes? Send an email to contact@brianmillerspeaks.com with subject line “Tone deaf orchestra.”

Why am I thinking about this now, years later? A meme recently popped up on my social feeds:

What’s wrong with this image, apart from the painful lack of diversity in the lower half?

This is the perfect example of well-intentioned marketing gone awry. The post is clearly intended to raise awareness about the importance of music education in young children. But the messaging is a complete mismatch with the audience.

The top half, “If you want to have this,” seems to be targeting those who see the value in beautiful, professional orchestras, while the bottom half, “Then you have to have this,” defends music education for children.

Do you see the problem?

People who see the value in beautiful, professional orchestras already believe in music education for children. This post wants to change minds, but its messaging speaks directly to the tribe.

Get in Alignment

Who’s it for?

What’s it for?

Before you make that next pitch, send that next email, post that next meme, or even suggest weekend plans to your friends or family, ask yourself these two questions and make sure you are consistent from intention to execution.

Let’s assume the answer to “What’s it for?” is “To encourage parents, school boards, and lawmakers to prioritize music education.” Then the answer to “Who’s it for?” is really important.

Option 1

Who’s it for: Parents who already believe in music education for children.

Goal: Retain or increase funding for music education programs.

What to fix: Lacking call-to-action, i.e. “Click here to find your school board’s next meeting about music education,” “Here’s the number for your state representative about the music education budget,” etc.

Option 2

Who’s it for: Parents who do not believe in music education for children.

Goal: Increase awareness of the value of music education.

What to fix: Figure out what those parents DO value that might be improved by music education (hard work, dedication, community building, belong to a group), then change top half of the meme to a different image/text to speak directly to their worldview.

Learn your listener’s hopes, desires, dreams, beliefs, fears, experience, and overall worldview. Then adjust your tone, language, and messaging to connect with them and create the change you seek to make.