I crossed something off my bucket list last year: visiting Graceland, Elvis Presley’s home. I was 15 when he died, and as I wandered through the grounds, I wondered how long it would be before no one remembered or cared about him. This pondering led me to some realizations about how Elvis remains relevant…and what we can learn from him.
- His story is reaching new generations. The recent Elvis movie with Austin Butler is marketing brilliance. I enjoyed the movie exhibit featuring costumes, props and pictures. The film introduced the singer to a whole new generation. I don’t know that they will revere him like the generations before (just like many new careerists don’t revere our associations like the generations before), but at least they’ve heard about him and awareness is key to creating attention and interest.
- It doesn’t have to be all about you. My favorite exhibit was one that had quotes (and accompanying costumes!) from other musicians who appreciated Elvis’ influence on music. Similarly, associations can make it about them—without making it about them. Hosting thought leader think tanks, inviting outside podcast guests, and featuring member testimonials are all ways to showcase your knowledge, influence and impact while shining the spotlight on others.
- New exhibits keep Graceland fresh. “Lisa Marie: Growing Up Presley” opened in 2023, featuring items from her childhood, including her baby footprints, personal golf cat, record player, roller skates, and clothing. (Sadly, this exhibit was expanded in 2024, a year after her passing, to include items from her adult life.) New means different and is designed to hold interest—similar to how members ask, “What have you done for me lately?”
- Graceland is ground zero for all things Elvis—just like your association should be ground zero for anyone in your industry. Do you come up in web searches? Are you thinking about AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) in addition to SEO? AEO is a marketing strategy that optimizes content to appear in AI-generated responses to user queries and it’s the future of online search.
As we enter a new year, I encourage you to think about how you can/should be doing things differently going forward, rather than depending on the actions and activities that got you to this point. Staying static doesn’t lead to relevance. Being dynamic does.