Nearly Ten Years Ago Taylor Swift Broke Music Records With 1989. As Rumors Of Speak Now (Taylor's Version) Swirl, Here’s Why She’s Still The Queen Of Customer Experience

Love her or hate her, Taylor Swift’s ability to capture the attention of Internet users by using digital is unmatched by any other recording artist in the world. Her Reputation for promotion is unmatched: even when she isn’t releasing music, producing a project or walking a red carpet, there is constant speculation and analysis on whether or not her last appearance, interview or social media post is a subtle sign that new content is on the way soon. 

Almost 20 years since her public career began, she is still among the highest selling, most awarded artists and business women of the 21st century. Swift can shift music genres, build and tear down personas, create or even spin a narrative in a way that consistently ensures two things: 

1. that her fans feel connected, satisfied and involved in her music making process
2. that her success continues to rise, even as she departs from the status quo of country music

How does she do it? She creates the ultimate customer experience, one that keeps getting better as time progresses. Here are key takeaways that companies and CX leaders can learn from Taylor Swift’s selling strategy:

Swift Knows How To Leverage Digital Communication To Her Advantage

For die-hard Swifties (as her fans are known), listening back to re-released songs, watching music videos frame-by-frame and noticing whose comments Swift is liking on social media are all a part of the affectionately known Easter egg hunt that is her music artistry. Part of the “Taylor Swift experience” as we’ll call it is the listener’s own role in shaping the success of an album. It’s the fan that fuels Swift fire, even at times when she may be at a creative lull.

Over the years, they’ve been subconsciously conditioned to embrace her style as a creator. Some even say that her promotion and marketing strategy is planned years in advance and that what we may see from Swift in 2023 is the brainchild of an idea that could have been planted in 2013–perhaps even earlier in her career. In fact, nearly ten years ago Swift released her first pop album, 1989, and even then CCW Digital noted her efforts as a shining example of how creating a quality customer experience can catapult artists to critical success:

“Because Swift is a public figure, her success strategies unfold in the public eye. All other entertainers know how Swift builds her brand—and many insist it is easy—yet none actually follow her blueprint…

At the end of the day, an ingenious, aggressive marketing strategy can only take an artist so far. Without a high-quality, high-value product at the center of that effort, customers will face little motivation to act.

Luckily, Swift consistently delivers in that regard. Every album has produced catchy radio hits. Every album has garnered favorable—if not very strong—critical reviews. Every album but her 2006 debut has been nominated for key Grammys.”

Swift Doesn’t Promise What She Can’t Deliver, Doesn’t Rush, And Exceeds Expectations

When it comes to Taylor Swift, every single move is calculated, specific and intentional; that’s something that even she herself has confirmed in interviews and docuseries following her 17-year long career. The intrigue surrounding her selling strategy is so strong that even those who are not fans are flies on the wall to the mania that ensues as the Internet tries to piece together the next Era of Taylor Swift. But in the event that Swift’s big reveal isn’t quite what fans were initially expecting, it seems that somehow she always manages to meet and then exceed expectations at every turn. 

March 3, 2023, marks one of these pivotal moments where a Swift product could be on the horizon. Fans are all but convinced that the next album to be re-released as “Taylor’s Version” is “Speak Now,” in a made-for-TV music video format similar to Beyoncé’s “Lemonade.” Why? Well, for starters, Swift’s favorite number is 13 and “Speak Now,” her third studio album, was released 13 years ago in 2010. Her last three Instagram posts have a purple-hued filter to them that is reminiscent of the purple dress she wears on the Speak Now album cover, and a departure from the "Midnights" album promotion on her social feeds.

In one of the aforementioned photos she's holding up three fingers in each hand. As one Twitter speculator writes,

“This Friday (03/03/2023) adds up to 13…. it’s the 3rd day of the 3rd month…. Taylor’s 3rd album could be the 3rd re-record…. Like all the stars are aligned y’all. surprise drop or announcement for speak now tv is imminent.”

For the 33-year-old singer, things sound on par: comments on her social posts have currently been limited, perhaps to curb the amount of speculations and spoilers die-hard fans might be sharing across the web.

Right now, as it stands, Swift isn’t releasing anything. Fans won’t hear a peep from her until everything has been tested, vetted, reworked, re-engineered and in the exact condition Swift intends. Even if it means years without an album or content to share, fans will be kept waiting. But the sheer fervor of a dedicated fanbase is enough to get hopes up. Rumors of leaked albums alone get Swifties up in arms, either to get their hands on it or to stop others from cheating Swift out of her record breaking music sales.

Swift Relates To Her Her Customers, Trusts Them And Responds To Their Feedback

While many of the points listed in this piece have highlighted Swift’s success, she’s certainly had her share of downfalls. There’s the times she’s been accused of minimizing the success of Black artists, awards shows where she’s lost the prize, moments of pandering to Internet drama, and of course the time that Ticketmaster dropped the ball on The Eras Tour tickets in a massive way. During these times, she’s taken to social media to apologize to fellow artists, fans, and even openly discusses the feeling of loss she has when things fall shorter than she anticipated. She, just like all of us, can put her foot in her mouth from time to time. When she does and admits it, it re-energizes her fanbase and solidifies that loyalty. 

Not only this, but Swift is known for liking or commenting on fan’s music theory content and pop culture speculating, surprising them with meet-and-greets, pop ups and what appear to be genuine moments for connection. Even if those are moments that have been manufactured for ticket and album sales, to fans they feel real–real enough for them to subscribe or hope for anything she has to offer. In fact, in the words of CCW San Antonio 2023 keynote speaker Brittany Hodak, she’s the queen of creating super fans–customers who will be there for most any and everything.

Even though fans are happy to just get a part of the TSwift action, they actually play a pivotal role in how she has shaped her career. When she released her 10 minute version of the song “All Too Well” in 2021, the move was lauded and celebrated by fans who had been suspecting its very existence for years. With the end of each new album the clock resets, and fans start to drop their hints on what the next phase of Taylor’s music will sound like. If they think that she isn’t listening, then they are sadly mistaken.

Swift Isn’t Afraid Of Change, She’s Open To It And Invests In It As Part Of Her Strategy

In this era of, well Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, she is capitalizing on all the changes she has had to make to get to where she is at this point in her career. Just as omnichannel and AI are part of the contact center learning curve, Swift’s own learning journey has paid off–even when at times she thought it wouldn’t. 

The success she sees isn’t single-handed either. Swift consistently hires and aligns herself with the best producers, designers, influencers and artists possible so that those contributions support and uplift her efforts, as opposed to relying on just her own experience and knowledge to get the job done. She isn’t afraid to collaborate, change course or invite new modes of thinking into her sphere of influence. 

Similarly, in the CX space willingness to venture into the unknown and collaborate with others who can help you meet your goals is key to the future of the customer experience. And while fans will be going to sleep on March 2 wondering if March 3 is their time, right now can be your time to Speak Now on the customer experience you want to create for your customers and your company.

Photo by Raphael Lovaski on Unsplash