Act Like They Need You There

or How To Get Into The MMVA's And Other Important Business Soiree's

There are few things I actually learned while travelling the world on tax payer dollars and receiving invites to special events reserved for upper class music folk (not necessarily folk music for the upper class - although, the Sheepdogs were there, too).

The rooms were always smug with self satisfaction as most awards shows or celebratory events are; everyone is running around, patting themselves and each other on their backs, for a job well done that no one can really quantify what makes someone good at it. 

Slight jab aside, there was a remarkable lesson I learned and put into practice once or twice that I'll share with you, right now, after I'm done typing this sentence; in fact, I'll put it in quotes.

If you act like you are supposed to be there, nothing will stop you.

What do I mean by that? On multiple occasions I witness people, whether they were coming to hang out with us or forgot their backstage pass or just wanted to see the lead singer of Hedley, who gained access to supposed-to-be secure areas of the venue because they acted like they were supposed to be. 

But they didn't just "act" like it. They believed it. Like, actually believed.

Take Soundwave in Australia - the biggest music festival on the continent that everyone who likes any kind of music comes out to see. Seven stages, over 100 bands, nearly 100,000 people through the gate each stop - pretty much it's chaos. You can imagine security is super tight. 

We had two friends come hang out and there was a mix up at the gate with their tickets. As we were trying to sort it out, low and behold, who comes walking into the band area but the two guys we were trying to get in. Not only did they make their way past the ticket line into the event without one, they also made their way into the band zone without a backstage pass.

How, are you asking? Simple. They just walked in like they had done it before. And when they were stopped, they just told them they played in a random band - pick one of the 100 - and the security, not wanting to piss off a band member, let them go without any more questions. They were quick and confident and impatient and that combination is very convincing. 

Case #2, Canadian Music Week in Toronto. We had just finished our show, it was around midnight, and the streets were still full of people bouncing around from club to pub hoping to catch as many of their favorite bands as they could. Problem is, if you weren't already in wherever those groups were playing, you probably weren't going to get in.

We were already wise to the Act Like They Need You There tactic, and upon hearing that one of the acts we wanted to see had no more tickets left, took it into our own hands to get in. We sauntered, nearly stumbled, to the back alley of the club and around to the unlocked back door - often left ajar for loading and unloading purposes - and let ourselves in as the opening act was finishing their set.

Security eyed us down, but we walked passed them without hesitation, and didn't alert them enough to stop us and ask what the hell it was we thought we were doing.

We came in like we knew what it was we had to do. Because we knew that if we looked like we didn't have time to stop and tell people what it was we were doing there, that to the naked eye it would seem we were really supposed to be there!

How does all this tie into business? Try it. Use this tactic wherever possible. Believe you are the best person for the task or job or your business is the best option for your client and act like it is already the truth.

"You mean, lie?"

I mean shut down your self doubt.

Obviously, if you don't know how to code and get hired for a job requiring that specific skill, you have a lot of cramming to do if you get the job -  that's not really what I'm getting at, though.

No. Lying will only work for a short amount of time, anyway. You can't fake being a pilot without (more than likely) crashing. I'm saying, don't box in your skill set. Just because you've been a carpenter for years, doesn't mean the only thing you can do is carve wood. 

An artistic eye who can see a chair in an old stump and bring it to life can be used in other areas of - not only business - but life. Too often we try to organize ourselves into a concrete department rather than flowing like water and seeing what it is you really can conceive and achieve. Don't get me wrong, stability is nice and if you are comfortable then don't listen to me, but if you aren't satisfied, you may have boxed yourself into something you'll realize you aren't content with - don't let it get too late.

You know where it is that the skills you have presently can permeate into. Because you know how to sell trucks, you don't consider yourself a truck salesman (or saleswoman). You consider yourself a salesman who is selling trucks. Or you should. If someone came up to you and interviewed you for a better paying job selling paper, and let's pretend paper is the most fun sounding industry you could get into, you wouldn't say no because it isn't in the auto industry. Or you shouldn't.

You, being a salesman, would tell them that you will be the best paper salesman they have ever had. You would bluff your way into the job and then learn the details later.

Because that's all the technical stuff is, anyway; itty bitty details.

Now this doesn't really match up with sneaking into the MMVA's, but, they both require the same kind of confidence. If you act like they need you there, if you act like you are the best person for the job, if you can build off your skill set and learn the details that you need to know when you need to know them, you will succeed. 

Or at least you'll get to see the Bieb's without having to pay for it.