I recently came across an article called I Would Rather Be A Jazz Programmer. The article distinguishes between rockstar programmers (which are apparently what companies are looking for these days) and jazz programmers. Before I even read the content, the title got me thinking about what being a jazz marketer might mean.

Far better, I think, to be a jazz marketer, as opposed to a rockstar marketer, who may only have one or two hits that they play over and over again unchanged, even twenty years later. Sure, some people might still want to hear Men Without Hats singing "Safety Dance," but if that's all the group can do, they're not very relevant for today's listeners. Rockstars may shine brightly, but they can also crash and burn quickly when their audience decides to move on to the next big thing.

On the other hand, jazz marketers have staying power and can quickly change what they are doing to be where the audience is. Jazz marketers...

• ...can improvise on a central theme. They may somewhat change the melody, harmonies or time signature, but the song (or brand) stays recognizable.
• ...know the musical rules and are able to innovate within the traditional structure, as well as break the rules when necessary.
• ...stay on their toes so that when something in the piece starts going in an unexpected direction, they can either go with the flow and make it look like that's what was supposed to happen all along, or rein it back in if needed.
• ...incorporate influences from many different styles of music. Jazz marketers draw on disparate fields, from advertising and PR to psychology, anthropology and statistics.
• ...let their music come from the grassroots. Rather than originating with royalty or record companies, jazz came straight from self-taught former slaves who were playing what the people wanted to hear. Jazz marketers take their cue from what resonates with the people they are trying to reach, not from what the top brass likes.
• ...can make do with whatever musicians are available. A jazz band can be as effective with two different instruments as with ten. Jazz marketers are able to use many different types of tools, choosing the right ones to suit their audience, budget and objectives.
• ...are too cool to worry about being cool. They are much more interested in doing what works than in what the current fashion happens to be. Both style and substance are important, but substance should win out every time.

So, as you think about what kind of marketer you want to be, try to model yourself more after Dixieland and Chick Corea than the Dixie Chicks.