Persuasion Power Tip #20: Learn What Elvis Presley Has to Say About Excellence

If you love what you do and do what you love, or aspire to this reality, don’t miss the new cinematic offering about the King of Rock and Roll from the visionary director-producer-writer, Baz Luhrman. It’s another love letter to the legendary entertainer and humanitarian, following the 2022 box office smash biopic, Elvis. Unlike the earlier pairing of actors Austin Butler and Tom Hanks, EPiC or Elvis Presley in Concert, takes the audience on a 100-minute journey with the main man himself. And what a fascinating journey it is if you enjoy learning what motivates those who strive to deliver extraordinary value to their customers.

Based on vintage tapes, unearthed from MGM’s vaults in the Kansas City salt mines, this part concert-part documentary film speaks volumes about the importance of commitment, focus, and vision. As an ardent fan of Mr. Presley’s work, and someone who has spent hours reading, researching, and watching biographies, interviews, and movie and stage performances, I join the global fan base of all ages who can’t wait for another viewing of this delightful mixture of candor, snap, crackle, and pop. (Choose the IMAX version if you can.)

Beyond the sheer entertainment factor, this film (and other sources of information about Elvis Presley) tells the story of what it takes to succeed, even when the odds are not in your favor. For authors and speakers who want to inspire and persuade, the nicknamed “Memphis Flash” has a lot to share.

Turn Failures Into Triumphs

Elvis joked that the only course he failed in school was music since his teacher didn’t think he had talent. His father advised him to become an electrician since, he warned, “Guitar players seldom make enough money to survive.” Obviously, the young Elvis did not let their judgment derail his pursuit of a career in music. Instead, he learned how to play the tinny $7.75 guitar his mother gifted him on his eleventh birthday. He entered talent contests and gave mini concerts to his school pals. After graduating, Elvis committed to a grueling travel schedule, earning little pay for his performances in honkytonks and at regional fairs. He was accompanied by the amazing guitarist Scotty Moore (then his manager) and the equally astonishing Bill Black, a bass player, both deemed pioneers of rock. (Black died at age 39 in 1965).

Respect Your Customers

EPiC includes 1970’s footage of Elvis Presley telling his band members and back-up singers why it’s so important to present their material as fresh and dynamic, each time they perform. He strongly believed his audience deserved a top-quality show. This sense of offering value in exchange for ticket sales never wavered. As early as 1956, wiser than his twenty-one years, Presley said, “They pay their money to see something with life in it, not just to hear something on a phonograph.”

Elvis Presley often talked about the positive give-and-take aspect of performing and the way these interactions fueled his energy to play musical instruments, dance, sing, and tell stories. It’s both fascinating and fun to watch Elvis Presley and his colleagues on stage, laughing and smiling to match the sheer joy and excitement of the animated people in the audience.

When everyone in a room is thrilled to be there, you know something special is afoot. In business, a mutual appreciation between willing buyers and sellers is a good thing.

Improve What You Offer and Modify When Needed

Besides the new footage, presented to the EPiC viewers in pristine form, thanks to a coterie of technologically savvy filmmakers and film editors, there is overwhelming evidence elsewhere that “Big E” stayed true to his mantra of TCB or Taking Care of Business. He rehearsed for hours on end, each time tinkering with songs and orchestrations, in search of perfection.

According to “5 Ways Elvis Presley Forever Changed The Music Industry,” he was unafraid to innovate. He experimented with combining genres like blues, country, and gospel. He cast professional choreographers aside so he could create the now-celebrated movements of the “Jailhouse Rock” routine for his same-named film. This number became what is believed to be the first music video.

When he satisfied his contract with Hollywood, having headlined thirty-one feature films between 1956 and 1969, Elvis Presley agreed, albeit nervously, to perform before a live audience once again. Fortunately for NBC and its corporate sponsor that night, the Singer Corporation, what’s known as the 1968 Comeback Special blew the ratings through the roof. The finale was a heart-wrenching ballad, written just for Elvis by Walter Earl Brown, called “If I Can Dream.” Both artists took a risk to veer from the expected closeout Christmas song and instead introduce the public to this painful acknowledgement of the tragic deaths of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy. Click to watch “If I Can Dream.” (Elvis Presley never performed this song again for a live audience.)

Act With Empathy

Remembering the human face of any transaction helps a persuader genuinely bond with his or her customer. While not excessively emphasized in EPiC, Elvis Presley’s largesse was significant. Scores of people who knew him told stories about his often-undisclosed donations to dozens of charities and gifts to people in need. According to the website for his longstanding home, Graceland, the Elvis Presley Charitable Foundation was established in 1984 to “continue [his] own tradition of generosity and community service.”

After he served in the U.S. Army, Elvis, a proud veteran, gave a concert in Hawaii on March 25, 1961 to raise money to complete the construction of the USS Arizona memorial at Pearl Harbor. In 1973, he gave what’s known as the Aloha concerts, also in Hawaii, to raise money for a cancer fund in honor of Kui Lee, his friend and fellow singer. The “Aloha from Hawaii” performances aired in more than forty countries, reaching an estimated 1 to 1.5 billion viewers.

While most of us don’t have millions of dollars to donate, the ability to show empathy and relate to others in a meaningful way is a cornerstone of persuasive communications and an admirable way to forge well-functioning relationships with your clients. Elvis Presley is quoted as having said, “Don’t criticize what you don’t understand, son. You never walked in that man’s shoes.”

Sprinkle Your Messages With Humor

In a recent interview with Vogue Magazine, Baz Luhrmann remarks, “I think one of the biggest revelations in so much of the material is how funny he is – how goofy. I feel like he’s doing it to disarm everyone in the room. He tries to humanize himself by being really sort of silly.”

As I explain in my 16-page guide, “Smart Brand Storytelling: Proven Strategies To Help You Grow Your Business,” scientists continue to document the emotional and physiological benefits of kindhearted humor. People like brands to use appropriate humor and are willing to pay more for “happy” brands. When people laugh together, they tend to be more receptive to hearing your messages.

The Legacy of Elvis Presley

The world grieved on August 16, 1977, when David Brinkley announced the death of the unforgettable Elvis Presley. Dead at age forty-two, but not forgotten, not by a long shot. As Mr. Luhrmann explains, new generations are discovering the magic of the King of Rock and Roll’s creations. When ideas and leaders unite people, they are remembered because making a positive difference in life matters.