Why would one of the most famous jazz clubs in the world give away an entire day of music for free?

That was the question running through my head this weekend.

My girlfriend had discovered that Ronnie Scott’s was holding a street party in London.

Neither of us had been before.

“Shall we go?”

“Why not?”

So, we headed into Soho with no real idea of what to expect.

When we arrived, the street outside Ronnie Scott’s had been completely transformed.

There were musicians on outdoor stages.

People were singing.

Strangers were dancing together.

Children were sitting on their parents’ shoulders.

The whole street was smiling.

And the performances were incredible.

Some of the most talented jazz artists I have ever seen were playing right in front of us.

And it was all completely free.

I kept thinking:

Why would Ronnie Scott’s do this?

This is one of the biggest names in jazz.

People travel from around the world to visit the club.

Tickets for popular performances can sell out weeks in advance.

So why take the music outside and give it away?

Then, somewhere between the brass instruments, the dancing and another drink, it clicked.

Ronnie Scott’s wasn’t just giving people free music.

It was giving people a feeling.

For an afternoon, thousands of people connected the name Ronnie Scott’s with happiness.

With sunshine.

With dancing badly in the middle of a London street.

With being together.

With having a story to tell when they got home.

That feeling will last much longer than any advert could.

I have spent a lot of time thinking about brands.

Why does one brand make us feel excited, while another leaves us completely cold?

Why do we trust certain businesses, follow certain people or return to certain places?

I don’t believe a brand is simply a logo, a website or a clever sentence written beneath a photograph.

A brand is a feeling.

It is the collection of experiences someone has had with you.

I can tell you what No Ordinary Moments means to me.

But I can never tell you what it should mean to you.

You decide that through the things I create.

The decisions I make.

The values I live by.

And the way I treat you.

Over time, all those small interactions become a feeling.

The same is true for every business.

And, actually, it is true for every person.

People might forget exactly what you said.

They might forget what you were wearing.

They may even forget why you were all together in the first place.

But they rarely forget how they felt around you.

That afternoon, Ronnie Scott’s created a memory.

And one day, when someone is planning a birthday, an anniversary or a special night in London, that memory might return.

They might remember the music.

They might remember how alive they felt.

And they might choose Ronnie Scott’s.

How do I win people over?

Perhaps the better question is:

What can I give them that they will remember?

A little more time.

An introduction.

An opportunity.

A laugh.

A great experience.

Or simply your full attention.

You don’t always need to give people something expensive.

Sometimes, you just need to give them a reason to feel good.

Because when you give people something meaningful, without immediately reaching out your hand for payment, something powerful happens.

They remember you.

They trust you.

And, one day, they may come back.

But even if they don’t, you still made the music.

You still filled the street.

You still gave someone a good day.

And perhaps that was worth doing anyway.

This week, ask yourself:

Where am I trying to take before I have given?

Then find one person and give them something valuable without expecting anything back.

See what happens.

Kia Kaha & Love,

Chris Xx