In an industry struggling to rebuild its relevance, the music business had a sign of hope last week.
Taylor Swift sold over 1.2 million copies of her new album in its first week of release. In a year like this, 1.2 M sales is a miracle. The only other album to sell a million is Frozen, and it has taken months and months to get there.
Whether you like her and her music or not, we can all role model the strategy behind what she did to accomplish this very lucrative “Twilight Zone” kind of moment.
1. Be everywhere. Literally, she was everywhere last week. Facebook, Twitter, the morning news programs, coaching on the Voice, and talking on the late night shows. She even wrote an op-ed piece for The Wall Street Journal.
2. Tay-lurking. Swift spent hours in the places where her Ideal Customers hang out. She personally responded to their messages and reposted photos of them buying her album…which encourages other Ideal Customers to buy her album. She even invited a small number of followers to come to her house for a private listening party. Imagine the attention that drew. She created a sense of “I have to have it now!”
3. Make them buy. Swift got her Ideal Customers hooked using the above plan. Let’s call all those responses “mini-YESes.” Mini-YESes are things like opening her emails, clicking the link, checking her out on Facebook and Twitter, posting, and reposting, maybe even attempting to be one of the few invited to her house. Their “YES” muscle was exercised. Now they were ready for the BIG YES—buying.
Their “regular” behavior would be simply heading over to their monthly paid subscription at Spotify, Pandora or one of the other music sites and listening to her music there, incurring no additional expense. They are already paying the monthly fee to listen to whatever they want.
Swift took herself off Spotify. Her Ideal Customer was primed to listen. To listen, they had to buy!
That’s how you sell 1.2M in a week.
Is that you saying, “Martha, I am not Taylor Swift. I do not have millions of fans on those sites. I cannot do what she did!”
That’s not you saying that, right?
True, you’re not Taylor Swift. But you can role model what she did…just at your level.
First, be everywhere, everywhere your Ideal Customer is. If they aren’t on Facebook, then you don’t need to be on Facebook.
Next, talk to your Ideal Customer. Share “success stories” of others who have worked with you. Ask them to share with their friends. Work to achieve mini-YESes. You usually require those before you can get to the big “here’s my credit card” YES.
Create a sense of urgency. We all move faster when there are only a few spots left or the end date is rapidly approaching (honest urgency, not the made-up kind).
Lastly, they must buy. Otherwise, everything above was great and fun, but there was no reward for your effort. Feeling good about helping your Ideal Customer is noble, but noble doesn’t pay the bills.
Today, Taylor Swift can be your role model. Who would have thought!
Go forth and do great things,
Martha Hanlon and Chris Williams