A great lesson in business comes to us today from a new company called Pogoseat, who has developed some brand new software that could have a serious application in the theater.

Remember that blog I wrote back in 2009 about seat upgrades?

Well, Pogoseat did something we all should do.

They watched what the pack was doing, and then monetized it.

We’ve all seen it.  You go to a sporting event (Pogo’s area of expertise) or a show (our area) and see more expensive seats wide open just a few rows ahead.  And then you, and probably several others around you, steal your way down to a better view.  Who wouldn’t?

And that’s where Pogo saw an opp.  Check out their site, that seeks to offer fans a way to upgrade, and teams a way to increase their revenue.

It’s one of those products that will undoubtedly be a win win.

And yes, as I wrote way back yonder, we should have a similar system, especially since you can’t see how bad some of those balcony seats are at some of our, ahem, historical theaters.  There’s no doubt that a whole bunch of buyers would throw another $20 at moving on up to a front mezz or an orchestra seat once they got in the building.  And that could seriously impact our bottom line.

But that wasn’t the intention of this blog.

I chose to write about Pogoseat because of how simple their business idea was.  No matter what they think, this wasn’t an original idea.  It was the consumer’s idea.  Pogo was just smart enough to watch what the pack was doing.  And when people are doing something on their own, especially when they are “breaking the rules,” there’s a way to make money.

People sharing music online?  Give ’em an online platform to buy it like iTunes.

People drinking in their seats even when they’re not supposed to?  Give ’em a sippy cup.

You get the idea.

All great ideas.  That all came from consumers.

Watch your pack.  See what they want so much that they’re doing it on their own.

And then give it to ’em.

(Got a comment? I love ‘em, so comment below! Email Subscribers, click here then scroll down to say what’s on your mind!)

_ _

FUN STUFF:

– Win two tickest to Jason Robert Brown’s The Last Five Years Off-Broadway!  Click here to enter.

– Hey, did you know I made a documentary?  And that it won a few awards?  Click here to see it on iTunes for as low as $2.99.