I never used to call myself a Taylor Swift fan.
I thought her music was OK, but I can only take so many songs about love and heartbreak.
But there was a moment when all of that changed.
This was back in 2014, but it still stands out in my mind as one of the most powerful examples of brand storytelling.
I was on Twitter and I saw that Taylor Swift was sending random fans Christmas gifts.
She had apparently spent a lot of time “stalking” her fans on social media (she called it #Taylurking) to learn what they were into.
The gifts weren’t just tickets to concerts or copies of her upcoming album at the time, 1989.
They were thoughtful, personal gifts that only a friend would give.
Taylor released a video showing her wrapping and delivering the gifts and included reactions from the fans who received them.
I just thought it was the best thing out. This is not how celebrities or popstars were meant to behave. She was breaking the rules.
She was being real.
This little piece of content (it was a six-minute rough-cut video) had transformed my opinion of Taylor Swift.
She was no longer this kind of annoying popstar. She was a real person who truly cared about her fans.
Don’t get me wrong. This was most certainly a carefully orchestrated public relations stunt.
But here’s the thing: It worked!
Taylor Swift (and her “people”) had effectively changed the story I was telling myself about her.
The story I had in my mind that she was just like every other big-time celebrity.
And all it took was one piece of content.
What every business can learn from Taylor Swift
1. Being human is powerful
Businesses that don’t seem like businesses are going to win.
Taylor Swift won by not acting how celebrities usually act.
She got down to the level of her audience and related to them personally.
By behaving this way, we saw a more human Taylor Swift.
The 18 million views of the video shows how people responded to that. They liked it. A lot.
If your business can find a way to be more human, you’re going to have more success connecting with your audience and customers.
Ditch the corporate jargon. Stop being so sterile and careful.
Be real.
2. Giving reaps greater rewards
Taylor Swift showed that giving back to her fans pays off.
She gave a few Christmas presents and received widespread media coverage and, most importantly, the love and loyalty of her fans (while gaining some new ones – me included).
The ROI was huge.
Gary Vaynerchuk calls this kind of exchange a “jab” in his book, Jab, Jab, Jab, Right hook.
If your business can find a way to give something of value to your audience, you’re going to win.
It doesn’t have to be Christmas gifts. In fact, it probably shouldn’t be.
You might be able to share your expertise, an entertaining video, a free webinar, a simple blog post – anything that adds value.
And after you’ve thrown a few jabs, you are in a better position to ask your audience for something in return (a right hook).
In Taylor Swift’s case, she asked her audience to buy her new album and come to her concerts.
In your case, you might have a new product you want your audience to buy or you might want them to sign up to a mailing list.
Giving and adding value is going to make your audience more inclined to give back.
3. A great story trumps slick production
The video Taylor Swift released to tell her story of Christmas gift-giving isn’t flash.
It looks like it might have been shot on a phone.
It was done this way on purpose because it adds to the realness.
But it goes to show that you don’t need to pay for an expensive video production or graphic design company to create great content.
What you do need, however, is a great story.
Taylor Swift’s story is: I’m not like every other celebrity. I care about my fans more than anyone else.
What’s your story?
If it’s good enough, you won’t need flashy visuals to tell it. Sometimes high production values help.
But Taylor Swift proves that they’re not necessary.
4. Knowing your audience is everything
Stalking social media profiles and buying personal gifts wouldn’t work for every business.
In fact, it could very easily come across as creepy.
But Taylor Swift knows her audience. She knows that they would love this idea. They will tell everyone they know across all their social channels.
She knows it will go viral and the mainstream media won’t be able to resist.
Even the fans that didn’t get gifts will love it because the story confirms what they’ve come to believe about Tay-Tay – that she really cares.
Taylor Swift knows the value of knowing her audience, her fans.
Businesses should take heed of this.
Who are your fans? What do they care about? What language do they use? What emojis do they use? What content do they engage with?
All of this can help your business tell a story that’s going to resonate with your audience.
This is a constantly evolving process for a business. But them more you pay attention to your audience, the better you will connect with them.
5. Be prepared to take risks
No other celebrity had done what Taylor Swift did.
No one had tested the waters to see if it would work.
But Taylor Swift and her marketing team came up with a new idea and ran with it.
It was a risk. It could have flopped. But it didn’t.
The only way to break new ground is to try new things.
Take risks with the content you’re creating around your business.
Just make sure that whatever you’re putting is consistent with the story you’re wanting to tell.
If you keep doing what everyone else is doing, you’re not going to stand out.
But be calculated with it. There are some spectacular examples of risks paying off (think the Old Spice video). There have also been some shocking flops (think the Pepsi ad with Kendall Jenner).
But if you’re following the above four steps – being human, adding value, telling a great story, and knowing your audience – then, by all means, take a risk.
Try something. Experiment. Have fun.
Be like Taylor Swift.
Want to see how your brand story holds up in the real world? Take the Brand BBQ Banter Test.
Want to create an authentic brand story and high-impact online presence that naturally attracts your ideal customers (just like Taylor), join Brand Story Blueprint.
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