Taylor Swift has proven herself to be one of the most talented and engaging performers around today, building not just a music empire but a strong following among her fan base. But it’s not just her talent or performance on stage and in the studio that has made her such an engaging presence. Swift’s connection with fan goes beyond performance and reaches the audience in a way that few entertainers ever do.
What can we learn from Taylor Swift’s social skills that has helped her build such an engaged fan base? After attending one of her concerts in 2013, and having the pleasure of meeting her, I’d like to share the ten lessons I’ve learned, and how you can apply them in 2014!
1. Overpromise and overdeliver
Swift is Grammy Award winner, has sold millions of albums, and sold out concerts across the world. So it’s fair to say fans arrive at the show with high hopes of what the experience will be like. Time and time again, they are blown away by the performance, the engagement, banter, and connection she forms with the fans in a relatively short amount of time.
What you can do:
No matter what your work is, find a way to promise incredible service and a great experience to your customers, and then give them even more. In this age of engagement and experience, people will flock to the businesses and individuals they trust to deliver the goods.
2. Social engagement builds brands
With over 97 million combined fans on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, Taylor Swift has some serious brand engagement on social media. But she doesn’t take it for granted, regularly replying to fans, posting goofy pictures, and backstage moments with her crew. People like to use social media as a way to communicate about everyday life, which makes Taylor’s tweets about watching TV with her cat and eating gummy bears endearing to many fans.
What you can do:
While you should certainly have a filter on what you share with the world (remember, Google never forgets, and neither do screenshots), look for ways to build common ground with your followers, customers, and fans. A tweet or status update about traffic may seem unnecessary, but don’t we all hate being in traffic? What the issue comes down to is the ability to be a little vulnerable with our audience, and let them in to our lives a little.
3. Relate with fans across age, cultural, and social groups
The people who buy Taylor Swift albums and go to her shows aren’t limited to a certain age, demographic, or social status, and she has found a way to create a meaningful connection with them regardless of their situation. Fans feel like a song is written for them, and has meaning in their lives. This kind of relatability, combined her social media sway, sets the stage for a powerful experience, whether online or in person.
What you can do:
This type of broad range doesn’t mean you need to build an audience that suits everyone, in fact it’s impossible to please everyone. While many people start with a specific fan or customer type in mind, it’s important to show everyone respect as they connect with your brand or business.
4. Leverage your strengths
Taylor Swift certainly has talent as a musician and a performer, but in the beginning it was her talent as a songwriter that caught the ear of country musics biggest producers. Swift and her family were able to leverage her songwriting talent to gain the foothold that allowed her to nurture her additional talent as a musician, and as a performer. No one is perfect, but we all have gifts and talents we were put on this earth to use!
What you can do:
Don’t be afraid to take a chance on the the gifts and talents you have. If you’re not the type of person to sit down and think about how great you are, ask your friends, family, and co-workers to give their honest feedback on what you do well and should continue to nurture.
5. Honor others before yourself
One trait I was particularly impressed with was Taylor Swift’s consistent praise of other people on her team. Whether it’s the band musicians, stage hands, producers, road crew, drivers, or the record label, it seemed like she was always giving credit to someone other than herself.
What you can do:
Just like Taylor, go out of your way to praise other people on your team. This type of generous praise goes a long way towards showing your team that you care about them, and will rub off in their interaction with customers and clients. Southwest Airlines CEO Herb Kelleher was denounced when he had the audacity to say that the customers were not his first priority, but his employees! Kelleher and Swift both knew that when you took care of your team first, your team would in turn take care of everything else.
6. Mix your energy with commitment
Having a high-energy, engaging personality is a valuable skill to have when you’re on stage or connecting with fans in other areas. However, the ability to channel your energy over a long period time shows a commitment to the craft and to the fans which separates the energetic from the great. Another way to think about this combination is to see how hard Taylor Swift works on her craft and songwriting in the midst of all her success. Taking it easy and letting things slide would be easy, but is not the way of the truly dedicated.
What you can do:
Take a long-term, big picture view of your goals and skills. Realize that a mix of energy, passion, and dedication is not just what can help you reach your goals, but keep them in your grasp once they’re attained. Since we’re at the beginning of the New Year, take ten minutes and write down what your goals are for this year, the skills and support you’ll need to attain them, and then a few small ways to start working on achieving your goals.
7. Try something new
Anyone who has listened to Swift over the years knows that her music has changed since her first album came out. The Red album was the biggest departure from a purely country sound to more of a crossover hit. While some fans didn’t like Red, I admire that Swift took a chance on a new sound and direction for the album. The ability to take risks and face the consequences, positive or negative, is a vital trait in successful people.
What you can do:
Take on a new project at work, or be a part of project that you’re not familiar with, and show a willingness to learn and grow in a different department. If you’re content creator, produce a show, blog post, or podcast that is a little different in feel from your others. One of the great things about the web is our ability to gather rapid feedback from readers and peers, and learn what worked and what didn’t. Above all, don’t let a fear of failure keep you from taking a calculated, educated risk.
8. Continue the conversation after the “show”
After her live shows, Taylor Swift continues to build others up and engage with her fans online, checking on their feedback, what songs they liked, and the moments they found particularly memorable. For an artist, the opportunity to continue the conversation after the show and gather that rapid feedback is vital to success in an ever changing social world.
What you can do:
As a blogger and author, I can search Twitter, Facebook, Google, or Amazon reviews to learn what people are liking about my writing and what isn’t connecting. If you own a restaurant, create a special twitter hashtag or follow up with Yelp reviewers to gather the same information from your customers. No matter what kind of work you do, there’s always a way to gather feedback and keep the conversation going.
9. Give fans something positive to talk about
Going back to lesson number one, over-promise and over-deliver, Taylor Swift generates positive buzz long after her concerts are over. The performance, songs, crowd engagement, and how she praises her support team all combine to give her fans countless moments to talk about after the lights are out and the fans are back at home. Of course we call this positive word of mouth, and it’s the single greatest marketing and referral engine that exists. If you build trust with your customers, fans, and people around you, they in turn use their own social currency to transfer their trustworthiness to you!
What you can do:
Start by giving your fans and customers an experience they’ll never forget. Be honest, kind, and go over the top to deliver the best experience in your niche. Of course this may not happen in the first interaction, but even from the beginning you will be laying the foundation for a meaningful relationship. Finally, make it easy for fans to share that word of mouth, either through social media, stickers, or free postcards!
10. Create an experience that makes memories
There’s one important trait I’ve noticed about the people and businesses who are the most likeable, trustworthy, and engaging. The ability to create space (physically and emotionally) where others feel important, valuable, comfortable. To use the restaurant example again, the places where I enjoy going the most are not always the places with the best food. They are the places where the food, the decor, and especially the people all mix together to create an experience worth sharing and repeating with those you love. Taylor Swift and her team are able to skillfully create this space for the fans, where they feel engaged, comfortable, and important. I was lucky to be around her a little after the show, and saw her hang out and talk with the fans, crew, and event staff in an authentic, engaging way.
What you can do:
Start with gathering that vital feedback from others, and then use it to begin creating memorable space for others. You don’t need to be at work to do this either, in fact it’s arguably more important at home! Have the courage to be a little vulnerable, ask for suggestions, listen to people, and intentionally create the space necessary for others to feel safe, comfortable, and able to grow. These skills will help you no matter where you are in life.
