But it was worth it for this reminder for owners of small businesses like yours and mine: Communicate like a superstar, and remember that communications tips sometimes come from surprising sources.
And we can all learn from what the star delivered: a master class on brand loyalty, crisis planning and communications, and commitment to customers.
The Best-Laid Plans
I’m currently visiting my family outside of Nashville, where Swift completed three sold-out nights in a row at the Nissan Stadium, the roof-less home to the Tennessee Titans football team. My sister and her adult daughter, who live in Alaska, planned their visit to around the show and had been looking forward to it for months.
Then the weather stepped in, with a massive thunderstorm pounding Nashville and delaying the concert for more than three hours.
Thousands of fans, who paid top dollar, of course, stayed despite the weather and postponements. They shook it off, and Swift finally took the stage and delivered her world-class, three-hour spectacle of hit after hit.
My niece and my sister were thrilled, along with all those other thousands of people.
Communicate Like a Pro
So, what are the lessons for gym and studio owners in all of this? How can you communicate like a superstar and keep your fans thrilled — no matter what?
1. Build passionate fans by consistently delivering expert products, services, and experiences over time – like Swift has done with her domination of country and pop music. Her fans call themselves Swifties. They know every word to every song. They would – as we saw last night – do anything to be a part of what she’s selling.
2. Plan for a crisis. Stadium concerts are huge undertakings and big business. Someone plans out every possible detail, including thunderstorms. When to cancel? When to wait out the lightning? During the storm, the Swifties were sequestered inside packed concourses but still tweeted joyful videos of groups singing hits like “Shake It Off” and “You Need to Calm Down.”
3. Communicate like a superstar and communicate throughout the crisis. Swift’s Twitter account updated fans on efforts to make sure the show could go on. She even gave a shout-out to those singing fans in the hallways. Nissan Stadium also tweeted updates. Both were important to managing the crowd and preventing misinformation and even greater anxiety from taking over.
4. Deliver the goods. After everything, Swift gave fans what they came for: a ton of good music and showmanship for a feel-good singalong they’ll be talking about for years. After it was over, she tweeted: “WELL. We had our first rain show of The Eras Tour. And it was SO MUCH FUN. The dancers, band, crowd and I all pretty much turned into little kids joyfully jumping in puddles all night. I wanted to thank the crowd again for waiting for the weather to clear. And my amazing crew for keeping the stage, lighting and equipment all dry and working so we could play. That was a late, great night I won’t forget.”
The Biggest Take-away
Here’s the biggest take-away for me, as I watched it unfold from the warm comfort of my mother’s living room — and it’s something you and I should always remember.
Our businesses are not about us.
They’re about our customers. Our clients. Our fans.
Provide leadership, a sense of connection, and awesome experiences consistently, and they’ll stick with you through the sunshine and, forgive me, the rain.
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