Ep 77: The Savannah Bananas: 3 Lessons from Jesse Cole's Baseball Show

Aug 8

The Savannah Bananas: 3 Community Lessons from Jesse Cole's Baseball Show

There's a business close to my heart that I wanted to introduce to you, but I needed to experience it firsthand. That would prove challenging because this event is always sold out.

I've been a fan of this business for a while, not only because of the amazing community and culture they've built, but also because it's baseball. My family and I are passionate about baseball. I grew up cheering for the Atlanta Braves, while my husband supported the Minnesota Twins. Our kids play baseball, and we enjoy playing wiffle ball in our backyard. Baseballs are scattered around our house; we're a true baseball family.

That's why I'm so fond of the Savannah Bananas. Now, you might be wondering why I'm talking about bananas. Well, the Savannah Bananas are more than just a college summer baseball team (they now have their own league). They are an extraordinary example of creating a thriving community and culture for your business. Jesse Cole, the owner, went from sleeping on an air mattress in the office to having sold-out games everywhere they go.

From Air Mattress to Sold-Out Games

Jesse covers a lot of this in his two books. I highly recommend reading at least one of them. Fans First is one of my all-time favorite business books.

Who Are The Savannah Bananas?

The Savannah Bananas are the entertainers of baseball. Picture baseball players in yellow uniforms, stilt walkers, fireworks, Jesse in a yellow tuxedo and hat, people holding up babies dressed as bananas, and kids running around on the field. Even the ticket collectors, known as cast members, wear banana costumes. A band plays during the game, and there are banana cheerleaders. It's not just a regular game; it's a show. So much that they have created what they call Banana Ball which has its own rules and league. Their goal is for you to enjoy the experience.

A Clear Cause and Culture

My Community Cultivated™ framework is about four meaningful pillars that will help your community thrive and scale. The four pillars are cause, culture, communication, and connection. If you're not familiar with these principles, you can refer back to episodes 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the Community Creators Podcast. The Savannah Bananas are a shining example of the first two–cause and culture.

One key aspect of the cause pillar is having a very clear purpose. The purpose of the Savannah Bananas is simple and prominently displayed on their website: "Make baseball fun." They infuse fun into every interaction, not just during the game. I've studied their behind-the-scenes practices, such as employee hiring and customer support, and they consistently prioritize the element of fun. This core principle guides their actions and resonates strongly with people, especially baseball enthusiasts who know that the sport can sometimes be a bit dull.

"Fans First, Entertain Always" are the foundational culture principles that permeate everything they do. They constantly think about their community and how to create an incredible customer experience from the first interaction with the brand, through the purchasing process, post-purchase support, entering the stadium, enjoying the show, and even after leaving the show.

These two principles define the essence of the Savannah Bananas, not only in their customer support but also in how they bring it to life during the show. Many people don't get to witness this firsthand, but it's truly remarkable.

When you combine the purpose–Make Baseball Fun– with the culture principles–Fans First, Entertain Always–you clearly see the driving force behind every decision they make. What's amazing is how clear and simple their approach is. They filter every choice through these foundational principles:

Is it fun?
Does it prioritize the fans?
Will it entertain?

If it doesn't meet these criteria, then it's not in line with the Savannah Bananas. It might work for other businesses, but their commitment to these principles sets them apart.

Four Lessons From The Game Experience

But that’s not where the lessons stopped. There were 4 key elements that caught my attention at the game. These lessons are powerful and can revolutionize your business when you apply them. I'm personally working on implementing them in my business, and I encourage you to do the same.

#1 Community contribution is required for long-term success.

The biggest thing that I am seeing right now in the community space and the people who are thriving the most are those who really lean into community contribution. So more than just connection, contribution helps to create connection. It also helps create loyalty in a really unique way because ultimately people want to feel like they have power and influence.

At the game, I couldn't even count the number of ways that fans were involved. They had kids do the first hit of the game, umpiring the game, even doing races against their dad’s during the game. They also started a new fan challenge rule. Each team also gets one challenge per game. But they also select a fan to do the fan challenge, and they have a confetti popper that they can pop at any point in the game.

In the game, if a fan catches a foul ball, it is counted as an out. I witnessed this firsthand during the game I attended. A fan caught a foul ball, resulting in an out, and was brought into the Savannah Bananas dugout. In Banana Ball, fans can literally influence the result of the game.

#2 A remarkable customer experience is the only marketing you’ll ever need.

This holds even truer today, given our ability to easily share ideas person-to-person.

Savannah Bananas initially gained local popularity, selling out their games in the community. Then, word started spreading among the business community through podcasts and books. However, it was TikTok that surprised me the most.

When I mentioned going to a Savannah Bananas game my 23-year-old daughter was present and furious. I was taken aback and wondered why she was upset. It turned out that she was angry because I was attending a Savannah Bananas game without her. I was confused. Did she know who the Savannah Bananas were?

She informed me that they were TikTok sensations. I hadn't considered their social media presence, but they have indeed gained popularity through platforms like TikTok because they and fans are sharing the fun and remarkable game experience

If they didn't deliver a fantastic customer experience, if people didn't leave the stadium feeling better than when they arrived, would the word have spread? Maybe, but not in a positive light. People share their amazing experiences at the Savannah Bananas naturally, without the need for billboards or advertisements. They rely on the customer experience itself to serve as their marketing strategy. We can adopt the same approach.

I'm working on developing a new program for my business. I caught myself already contemplating pricing, marketing strategies, and sales tactics. However, I had to remind myself that it all begins with designing an exceptional customer experience. If I can create an extraordinary customer experience, I won't need to invest heavily in marketing this program.

I encourage you to shift your focus. For those of you who allocate 90% of your team's time and energy to marketing, consider reallocating at least 40% more, making it a 50-50 split between marketing and crafting a remarkable customer experience. A truly exceptional customer experience is all the marketing you need.

#3 Achieving different results requires taking different actions.

Throughout their journey, Jesse, the players, and the entire team faced ridicule and criticism, with people saying they were disgracing the game and that their approach wasn't how baseball should be played. Yet, they persisted in pushing the boundaries and embracing innovation.

They recognized that baseball was declining in popularity in America and realized that if they followed the same path as everyone else, they would end up with the same lackluster results. That's why their stadium was empty at one point, just like many other baseball stadiums across the country. They asked themselves, "How can we take different actions to achieve different results?"

Throughout the entire game, you could see these different actions in play. They greeted the audience differently, emphasizing that it was a show, not just a game. They wore banana costumes that represented their brand. In their Savannah stadium (not in the one I attended), the ticket price includes food and drink, creating a more enjoyable experience. People probably thought they were crazy. They don’t have ads on the back of their stadium because the focus is on the fans, not on profit or the business. This uniqueness brought them different results.

This concept is sinking in and resonating with me. I've read books like Seth Godin's Purple Cow and heard him talk about the need to do something remarkable—something worth talking about. And that's exactly what the Savannah Bananas did. They played the same game as everyone else but turned it into a different kind of game, offering a unique and remarkable experience. They sold out not just their stadium but every stadium they visited. There's now a waitlist of hundreds of thousands of people, and I can only imagine the revenue generated from their reasonably priced merchandise.

In the online business world, many of us tend to look around and try to replicate what everyone else is doing. We want to stand out, but we often end up doing the same things. The Savannah Bananas teach us that to achieve different results, we must be willing to take different actions.

#4 You must take risks often to continue to grow.

Jesse Cole takes risks in every show. The principle of continuous innovation is crucial. I believe this concept draws inspiration from Disney Imagineering. Jesse showed me a sheet of paper where he listed all the different things they tried. They incorporate numerous variations in every show, not because their current approach isn't working—clearly, it's sold out—but because Jesse is always striving to push the boundaries of entertainment.

He never wants to be easily replicated or become stagnant, always staying ahead of others. By innovating in every show and constantly refining the experience, he understands that being remarkable requires doing something different. Today's unique becomes tomorrow's ordinary, and many businesses falter at this point. If your successful business has hit a plateau and you're unsure why growth isn't happening, revisit the principles that initially propelled your growth.

Chances are, you were doing something unique and different, but you can't rely on the same formula forever and expect it to remain remarkable. You must find ways to stand out and create even more distinctive experiences. For instance, having a Facebook group was once considered exceptional for an online program, but not anymore. So, how can you elevate and continue to innovate?

I encourage all of you to do the same, especially when building a community. Instead of solely looking at what others are doing in the online community space, explore community principles that transcend the digital realm and apply them. What Jesse has accomplished is extraordinary, and it entails taking significant risks. With great risk often comes great reward, but you must be willing to take risks repeatedly.

Once you reach a point where you feel comfortable and believe you have mastered the experience, that's when you should start taking risks again because complacency leads to staleness.

Take Unique Actions To Achieve Different Outcomes

From this experience, I learned three key things. First, community contribution is vital for long-term success. Involve your community in shaping your brand and the overall experience.

Second, prioritize investing more time and energy in delivering a great customer experience. Even a 10% increase can make a significant difference. Different results require different actions.

Lastly, If you're unsatisfied with your current business situation, refrain from comparing yourself to others. Look inward, tap into your creativity, seek inspiration from diverse industries, and take unique actions to achieve different outcomes.

I would love to connect with you on my Instagram @ShanaSpeaks and if you've attended a Savannah Bananas game or know of similar businesses worth exploring and discussing, please send me a direct message and there's a chance I might feature that business in an upcoming podcast episode. I believe that a truly exceptional customer experience is all the marketing you need. If you feel like your customer experience needs work… let’s chat!

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Shana Lynn