Who said people weren’t spending money?

I had to ask myself this question today as I walked with my wife down the tourist part of High street in Echuca with the Echuca Winter Blues Festival in full swing. So many people and so much money brought into town through the hard work and liaisons of a dedicated few blues “lovers” and local businesses who benefit from the cash injection such a successful festival like this brings with it.

Even as a local living in a city like Echuca with sister city Moama over the river it’s hard to imagine not having things like this going on in town. It would just be so boring! Mind you, I didn’t get to enjoy the festival as much as I wanted to being a muso and blues lover myself due to my wife having other commitments that needed attention, but what I saw was enough for me to ask the hard question… who said people weren’t still spending money?

Looking North Down High St, Echuca

So having proved to myself yet again that if you have the right product, something people want and you market it the right hungry crowd the right way, people will always fork out their hard earned cash for it; no matter the economic climate. The great Sir Gary of Halbert (Gary Halbert [RIP] – legendary direct marketer and copywriter) stated this time and time again.

I must say, sometimes I was sceptical and even before I left today to visit the Echuca Blues Festival I did not expect to see even a quarter of the crowd there that I saw, especially considering what we’ve been told about the current economic climate and especially from some of the sources I’m subscribed to, sources that have regularly been spot on in the past.

Now I’m not saying that they’re wrong, these sources. I’m just saying that not everyone is listening to them… obviously OR maybe something they want has been offered to them – the starved blues music fans – and they had to partake? Really? I think it’s got to be the latter; don’t you?

Looking South Down High St, Echuca

The interesting thing that will confirm this of course will be when the debriefing is done by the blues festival committee, provided of course they get their facts direct from the businesses concerned and do not do any colour coating. Certainly I know for a fact from speaking with friends who run a local motel, the accommodation industry in and around Echuca and Moama absolutely looovvvveee this festival during what is traditionally their quietest month of the year. I can see them all next week breathe a sigh of relief it’s over but thankful it happened.

In any case the lesson for all businesses be they local, regional, state-wide, nation-wide, international or on the web … give hungry people what they want! You’re absolutely sure to sell then. Give them what they need and if they don’t want it then you go broke. And this applies doubly or should I say even more so in a dodgy or down economic climate.

That’s my five minutes. Enjoy the rest of your day.

Brian

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