More mad love, less bad blood: Taylor Swift’s PR tips for startups and SMEs

However you may feel about pop star Taylor Swift and her music, you just can’t help but be amazed by her relationship with her legions of fans. What is even more impressive is that even though she has gazillions of them around the world, her connection with each of them seems personal, intimate, and authentic. While social media-savvy celebrities from the A to the Z-list are dime a dozen, she is one of the few who are masters at using it as a tool for two-way engagement, rather than just for one-way broadcast.

And, based on her most recent album sales, her hard work is paying off. Her fans have buoyed her to be one of music industry’s top earners, even in this era of low-revenue digital music streaming. It’s not just her fans taking notice. Her industry clout is such that one Tumblr post from her can force a company like Apple to redefine the conduct of its own streaming service. Who would have thought that we will see the day when news headlines would pit Steve Jobs’ sprawling empire, not against an overly scrappy tech startup or a fellow behemoth with infringing ambitions, but against a young pop princess?

Taylor Swift obviously has pros with top notch business acumen making things happen for her, but they do not have the monopoly on the magic. Even your startup or a small/medium enterprise (SME) can foster relationships with fans that can grow your brand and drive profit margins. Here are a few things we can learn from her and her A-team.

Tip # 1: Give before asking for anything.

Not only does Taylor know her market, she is fully immersed in it. This allows her to understand what her audience needs, what they dream of, and what they pine for. These, in turn, shape the music and lyrics that she dutifully ships. Her songs may not make any disruptive cultural statements, but they expertly champion the hopes and heartaches of her chosen demographic.

Action: It can get easy to get caught up on one’s grand vision for one’s startup or SME, get distracted by what’s trending, or be intimidated with what competitors are doing. But you can go farther by keeping your focus on your target customers and how you can be uniquely positioned to delight them, serve them, and make their lives better. Going this route does not just encourage patronage for your products, but even build advocacy.

Tip #2: Listen before saying anything.

What those in PR and digital marketing call social listening, she calls #Taylurking. It serves her two functions. First, it makes her fans feel that their feedback is valid and valued. Second, it allows them to gather data that can inform their next business decisions (aka next million-dollar hit).

Action: Free and native search functionalities on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram can help you research on terms, ideas, and sentiment related to your brand and category. You can set up free accounts on Tweetdeck, Hootsuite, or other social media monitoring services, so that you have a feed that you can easily monitor. Activate your Google Alerts to email you regularly whenever your brand and its competitors are mentioned in the web.

Tip #3: Love before expecting love.

Stories abound of Taylor unexpectedly showing up at a fan’s bridal shower, shipping personalized Christmas gifts to devotees, or writing sincere notes to fans who have been bullied, heartbroken, or have lost a loved one. Even if the cynical among us say that these are PR stunts, these are stunts that do not just drive buzz, but actually make her fans feel loved.

#Swiftmas