Developing a game plan for marketing – whether that be on the ground or internet-based – is always a prime consideration of businesses and websites alike. Without exposure, marketing yourself or a product is pretty futile to say the least. One of the key elements to marketing is the notion of customer loyalty: having a dedicated base of followers makes the task of marketing far easier. When it comes to celebrities and other public figures, the notion of customer loyalty still applies but is often used in different ways. Nevertheless, celebrities can teach us lots about this concept and we have outlined several strategies below to consider when forming your own marketing efforts.

Find Your Powerhouse

It is often said that in a world of followers, dare to be a leader. Among your followers on social media, there are no doubt at least a few ‘leaders’, who are your most loyal followers and the ones who will be most likely to share content with their friends, family and acquaintances. Celebrities know that even with millions of followers, they can only count on a small percentage of them being actively engaged with their brand. By catering to these select few, your marketing strategy will improve and those who demonstrate the most customer loyalty will recognize your efforts.

Embrace Common Imagery

Celebrities love to use imagery to elicit responses from their followers: in most cases, these images relate directly to their public persona or that of their followers. For example, Lady Gaga refers to her followers as ‘little monsters’, while other celebrities may create their own logos or products through which followers can identify. Whether it has to do with pinging YouTube with exclusive content or having a promotion to encourage social sharing, branding your platform with concise, consistent imagery is one of the best ways you can increase customer loyalty while showing fans that they matter.

Promote Your Powerhouse

Identifying those who are part of your ‘powerhouse’ is important: catering your social strategy to their whims is the best way in which to grow your clout. You do not have to stop here, though: by further engaging with your base, you can create even more hype and awareness for your personal or corporate brand. Some celebrities have moved to create special, off-site communities for their die-hard followers. This not only makes your closest followers feel welcome and special, but creates a feeling of exclusivity that will encourage more people to become more interconnected with your brand.

Generate Hype and Scandal

Celebrities learned long ago that in order to remain relevant, controversy was sometimes necessary. While most will not have the kind of social following that will allow them to be pinging YouTube with vulgar videos, for instance, many businesses can create the sense of rivalry and antagonism with other brands in order to whip their loyal followers into supporting them – and subsequently, build customer loyalty. Generating stories that intrigue and otherwise awaken your followers to current events around the brand is one sure fire way to increase buzz that will ultimately increase its clout.