Last night I attended a concert at a local park, where a Neil Diamond tribute band was playing.

On the walk home from the concert, I was thinking about how I could tie the experience into something related to marketing.I realized that marketing a business and putting together a tribute band do have some things in common.

1. Pay attention to details.

The lead singer of Fantastic Diamond took the time to wear a red sequin shirt, and his voice—singing and speaking—was a spot-on imitation of the real Diamond. If the lead singer had come out in a denim biker jacket without sleeves and sung the same lyrics in a falsetto tone, the concertgoers would have booed him off the stage. The same principal holds true when you look to put the name of your business on marketing materials. Make certain that the color, size, and look are the same as what customers expect to see. You don’t want to leave potential customers wondering if the business name they see is different than the one they remember.

2. Target your program to the right market.

If Fantastic Diamond decided to play a small rock club whose patrons are more used to hearing Pennywise and Black Flag than Neil Diamond, they would not get the positive response they received at the concert last night, a crowd largely made up of thirty- and forty-something fans who grew up listening to Neil Diamond’s music. Sure, the band would look the same, sing the same and play the same music regardless of the venue, but if they are playing to the wrong target market they will not see the desired success. When you market your business, be sure that you take the time to define and locate your target audience. You will be able to maximize the impact of your marketing efforts by spending your budget wisely on the right target market.

3. Follow through on your promises.

As a tribute band, Fantastic Diamond “promises” to sing the inspiring artist’s most popular and well known songs, in a way that makes audiences feel like they’re listening to the real thing. Not delivering on this promise would mean that they risk alienating their fans and having customers walk away disappointed. The same holds true when your business extends an offer to their potential clients. If your marketing efforts promise a free sit down meeting, you’d better be scheduling meetings when customers call. Building trust with your clients is one of the keys to the long term success of your venture.

When Fantastic Diamond comes back to play the concert in the park next year, we’ll certainly head back, because we know what we’ll be getting: a fun evening experiencing good music and an entertaining show.

When a customer chooses to interact with your business as a result of your marketing program, make sure your efforts lead them to want to deal with your company again in the future.

You can help to ensure that process through paying attention to the details of your marketing program, targeting the right people, and following through on promises made.