Taylor Swift has dominated the music industry for over a decade with her enchanting melodies, extremely relatable lyrics, and tours that we’ll be remembering evermore.
While Swift will go down in history as one of the greatest singer-songwriters of all time, her success goes beyond her musical genius. Taylor Swift is also a marketing mastermind.
“But Taylor Swift is a Musician, Her Marketing Tactics Won’t Work for Me”
Dear Reader, while your customer base may never grow as large as Taylor’s (never say never), you can still learn a valuable thing or two from her that can transform the way you do marketing.
Here are 5 Ways You Can Be a Marketing Mastermind like Taylor Swift
1. Clear, Creative, & Captivating Storytelling
From beginning to end, each of Taylor’s 10 albums tells a clear story. With overly-specific lyrics like “the burgundy on my t-shirt when you splashed your wine into me” to “your Midas touch on the Chevy door, November flush, and your flannel cure,” Swift creates captivating visuals and unmistakable emotions that leave listeners feeling haunted.
Your marketing campaigns and content should do the exact same. And how do you do this? By establishing a big idea and goal for everything you create. From there you can let the dominoes cascade in a line, and watch as customers relate to your Delicate and intentional storytelling.
2. Long Story Short, Rebranding is a Risk Worth Taking
From country to pop to folk music, Taylor has been fearless when it comes to taking risks with her music, which has more than paid off. Her first fully pop album, 1989, is her highest-selling album to date and her debut folk album, Folklore, won her Album of the Year at the Grammys in 2021.
Many companies are often scared to rebrand, worried that no one will recognize them or hate what they’ve done. While those fears are valid, you can’t be a successful marketer without taking risks. Don’t be left saying would’ve, could’ve, should’ve. Stay true to your core values and customers will remember you forever and always.
3. Don’t Forget All of the Customers You’ve Loved Before
Instead of trying to gain the adoration of everyone, Taylor focuses her energy on rewarding those who have been with her since her curly hair country days to the Kimye scandals to rerecording her albums. Whether it’s releasing the long-awaited 10-minute version of her song All Too Well or hiding easter eggs in her content to let fans in on her plans, Taylor always finds a way to thank her Swifties.
While it is natural as a marketer to constantly look for ways to grow your audience, you should be like Taylor and focus on those you already have. By doing this you will increase your customer loyalty which will naturally attract others. So, never forget to thank your fanbase by finding ways to show them you belong with me.
4. It’s Nice to Have a Friend
From spotlighting her besties in her music videos to hyping up their latest work on her social media, Taylor shows us what it’s like to have a friend.
As a marketer, you should do the same. Develop relationships with partners in your industry by highlighting them in your monthly newsletter or collaborating with them on a deal or campaign. This will only grow your audience and improve your Reputation.
5. Make Your Customers Feel Bejeweled
One of the most loyalty-building actions Taylor does is interacting with her fans on social media. From her early days on Tumblr to now, Taylor can always be found commenting and liking Swiftie’s posts and has even DM’ed them on occasion.
This is by far the easiest thing you can do too. Always reply to comments on your posts or DM’s, and make an effort to like and comment on your clients or partners’ posts as well. This simple effort will make your customers feel like the lucky ones.
It’s Time to Go & Enter Your Marketing Mastermind Era
As Taylor said at the 2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards when accepting the Innovator Award, “Make the right choices that feel right for you and someday someone might think you’ve been innovative.”
And that’s a real lasting legacy to leave.
Written by Bethany
