At the same time that the queen of the millennial age, Taylor Swift, enjoys rampant success from the release of her newest album, 1989, she may be also teaching businesses everywhere a few important lessons in marketing. If not teaching, at least providing a good reminder of how important branding, consistency and connecting with an audience really are.
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In late October of last year, Taylor Swift was everywhere. For several weeks it was next to impossible to pass a magazine rack without seeing her face gracing the covers of the most popular publications, sometimes several at once. The music from her album was not necessarily groundbreaking, but definitely sent a clear message that she was sticking to her pop sound that has made her more famous than any crossover act ever.
For those paying attention, there is more at work than just the catchy music and the glamorous photo-shoots. There are some hardcore marketing techniques being used that businesses can definitely learn from.
Branding – Sticking with a Theme
Look closely and you will see that Miss Swift is paying close attention to presenting specific themes that blend her music, her social media presence, and her overall message together. The pictures she posts on social media channels such as Twitter and Instagram go hand in hand with the theme or message of a certain song or video from her newest album. Even the title of the album itself, 1989, is meant to pay homage to the year Taylor was born. We see this theme in the lyrics of her songs when she talks about taking polaroids and passing notes instead of text messages. Any smart business knows the importance of using themes to convey their brand.
Connecting with the Audience
Marketing strategies are always looking for the best way to find the ultimate connection with their targeted audiences. When your potential customer or client can truly relate to your company or your product, they become lifelong fans. Taylor Swift reminds us of this with her ability to connect with her audience on levels that they can relate to. While it is true that most of Taylor’s fans have never dated a famous teenage heartthrob, they undoubtedly know the pain of breaking up or being dumped. She uses the messages in both her songs and social media posts to form a strong bond with fans that would line up to buy another album tomorrow if it were available.
Strategic Engagement
Just like it is impossible for a business to respond to every criticism or email from their customers or clients, Swift would be hard pressed to address each comment she gets on Instagram. However, by strategically picking a few comments to respond to, comments that involve highly relatable topics and are likely to resonate with a majority of her fan base, Taylor shows that a few thoughtful and effective responses can be just as impactful to a loyal following.
None of these techniques are new and most are recognizable to the trained eye. They do prove that the same marketing strategies work for everyone. If they can work for her, they can work for you in your business. Find out how Printing Solutions can help you with your brand and message by giving us a call at 480-596-6300.