People started doing live interactive streaming entertainment. Suddenly, the small town performer who dominated her 40 mile radius was in competition with the world. Local performers from everywhere could do shows for her area and might be better… and might be cheaper.
This shift also affected the world-traveling entertainers in a weird way. Just like the local acts used to be specialists (the best fire eater you can afford in Pooptown, MA), the big acts were specialists (an act worth flying in). Everybody needs to fit a budget and needs to feel like the best available option.
“Experience” changed
Although there’s some experience from stage that rolls over to screen, people doing shows online are not able to bring all of their stage skills to the Zoom window.
“Budget” changed
Some online events became lower-stakes moments as online meetings, some became higher-stakes global playgrounds. So, the money allocated to entertainment shifted tectonically.
“Quality” changed
Many people got really lax with what quality needed to happen. Folks began accepting that things online would not be as good. Other people started looking at the leaders of the medium and wanting that — even though it might be out of their “budget”
Be best
The response to this situation is still for us to be the best choice for the exact people we want to serve. That might mean that we have completely different clients. That might mean that we change what we do completely. That might mean that we get back to the woodshed. That does not mean that we keep trying to do the same thing we did and hope that someone saves us.
Find a small niche and kill it