Are You Writing History or Reading It?

Intriguing quote from Scott Borchetta​, “If I ask for your attention, I’d better be ready for it” in this USA TODAY​ article from Brian Mansfield​.

Borchetta is the record label CEO who Mansfield says, “launched Taylor Swift into the pop-star stratosphere and helped turn acts such as Florida-Georgia Line​ , The Band Perry​ and Brantley Gilbert​ into headliners.”

Borchetta has a knack for headliners himself.

Similar to that attention-earning quote above, he also said, “There is no way to keep your thumb on the pulse unless you have your thumb on the pulse, and I think we have it.”

He’s referring to his new role as mentor to the 12 finalists on American Idol​.

As Mansfield points out in his fascinating article, American Idol’s audience is half of what it used to be. “Its past two winners hardly made a dent in the charts.”

So Borchetta’s mission is to make American Idol must-see TV again.

To do that, he must make it current and “real-world relevant,” as pointed out in Chapter 17 “Establish Real-World Relevance” in my new book Got Your Attention?.

The opening quote in that chapter is that, in an age of INFObesity and impatience we’re all in, as Eleanor Clift​ says, “a race to be relevant.”

It seems Borchetta is up to that challenge.

He says, “We’ve always been more about writing history and not reading it.”

What is a project you’re pitching? A product you’re launching? A cause or campaign you care about? An idea you’re trying to get funded or green-lighted?

Are you writing history … or reading it?

If you’re asking for people’s attention, how have you prepared yourself to be ready for it so you’re a good use of their time, mind and dime?

How have you made your priority current and relevant so people willingly, voluntarily, watch it, listen to it, support it, buy it and recommend it?

(Photo: Michael Becker, FOX)

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