Taylor Allison Swift was born on Dec. 13, 1989 in Reading, Pennsylvania.  Most people recognize her as American singer-songwriter who writes narrative songs about her personal life.

To me, she is so much more than those facts. She is TAYLOR SWIFT.

Being one of her dedicated, loyal fans for 10 years, I have learned quite a bit from her in many aspects as a celebrity, as a songwriter, as a daughter, as a girlfriend and as a businesswoman.  Today’s focus is Swift as a businesswoman. She is an incredibly successful businesswoman because she understands her “customers” or what you call her “fans.”

Just two days ago, on Oct. 24, marked a decade since she has first released her debut album, “Taylor Swift.” For 10 years, she has been garnering a loyal customer base because she knows how to target them and produces products (music) that appeals them.

As I’ve followed her throughout her 10 years in the public sphere, there are five major business lessons I have learned.

1. Develop a well-known brand. Swift is not simply an individual who sings or performs, she is “Taylor Swift”, a brand. With the brand association, anything she sells becomes valuable intrinsically even if it may not be of quality. For example, Taylor Swift sells T-shirts and other items that have her trademark on it. The T-shirts are physically inexpensive, but because of her name and fame, she has the ability to attract loyal customers who are willing to purchase anything that is associated with her. That’s what you call a name-brand.
2. Develop an effective communication strategy with your customers. Swift is a highly effective communicator. From her television appearances, to social media presences, to her performance and songs, she has the ability to connect with her customers through her communication. She is really relatable and personable. That’s the key to her success. For example, she communicates with her fans on social media platforms such as Facebook, Tumblr and Instagram. She is so effective because she doesn’t simply push content on them. It’s a conversation. On certain occasions, she replies to her fans and gives them advice. She listens.
3. Use Corporate Social Responsibility to help your business gain awareness and attention. Swift has done this from the very beginning of her career. Part of her fame was built on philanthropy. She gives back to the community that helped her become who she is today. She donates to various causes and foundations. This good nature creates a lot of attention because people love celebrities who give back.
4. Build strong relationships with your loyal customers. For 10 years, Swift has built strong relationships with her fans. When she released her fifth album, “1989”, she invited her extremely loyal fans to her house to watch her perform before anyone else. This exclusivity and personal connection helps her foster not only fans but also friendships. Ultimately, the strong relationships are essential to her business. As she continues to produce music, she knows she will always have loyal fans who will listen and buy her albums.
5. To stay ahead, innovate. Taylor Swift has used innovation to her advantage. She started out in the country music. When she garnered fame and popularity, she didn’t stop or become complacent. She continued to innovate. In her album “Red,” she started collaborating with other artists and producers. The collaborative efforts allowed her fans to get a taste of something new. She didn’t stop there, her latest album “1989” made a huge transition over to pop music. This caused her to be a crossover artist and become a global pop-star.