Beyonce is on her Renaissance World Tour, that has already earned the honor of the highest grossing tour of any Black female artist. Optimistic forecasts for the full tour show that it could even out-earn Taylor Swifts’ Eras Tour by $500 million by the time its over. Another estimate showed that the Renaissance tour could out earn all of Beyonce’s previous tours combined.
There are a number of factors impacting the record numbers for the Renaissance World Tour. Some analysts say it is the impact of pent-up demand for concerts and experiences following the pandemic.
My point of view is that belonging plays a major role as well. The success she’s experiencing now, on top of years of achievements and accolades, is the cumulative effect of cultivating a feeling of belonging amongst fans. This is important because business is about belonging. The more people feel like they belong with you, the more they will reward you with their attention and loyalty.
Take these lessons in belonging from Beyonce’s Renaissance World Tour, and apply them to earn the fierce loyalty of more of the people you want to serve.
Commit To Longevity And Evolving Together
Beyonce’s career spans more than 25 years. And many of her loyal fans have been with her throughout. They know the songs from her early days. They were with her during her time in Destiny’s Child, when she got married, when she had her first child, and later on when she had her twins. They’ve watched her grow and evolve with her music and as an artist.
Her fans feel like they have a relationship with her. That relationship has developed and strengthened over time.
As you work to show the people you serve they belong with you, don’t underestimate the power of being a constant staple in their lives. That doesn’t mean just be present passively. It means to be there, and to take the people you serve on a journey with you, as you grow and evolve together.
Besides, if your goal is to engage consumers from underrepresented and underserved communities, know that their expectation is for you to prove your commitment to them by showing up over time.
Belonging often does not happen immediately. It takes time to develop, and solidify. Belonging is a long-term strategy. The longer you stick around, the more opportunity to connect with people in a way that makes them feel seen and supported by you.
Commit to serving your customers and their communities for the long-term. When you continue to show up for them again and again in ways that are meaningful to them, belonging will be a natural byproduct.
Build Relationships With The People You Serve
There are lots of brands and music artists that we all know that have been around for a long time. But longevity alone isn’t what makes Beyonce’s relationship with her fans so special. It’s the relationship she’s developed over time that makes people stick with you.
And on the rare occasion when your friend, someone you have a relationship with comes to town, you make time to go and hang out with them. That’s a big reason why Beyonce fans bought tickets averaging $700 each to go be in the arena for the Renaissance World Tour. They wanted to show up for their friend.
She sees the things they do for her, listens to their requests, and acknowledges them. It’s not a one-sided relationship where one side is extracting from the other.
Relationships fuel belonging. Relationships fuel loyalty.
Be intentional about building relationships with the people you serve. Talk to them. Interact with them. Acknowledge and show appreciation for what they do for you.
They’ll reward you with a deeper degree of loyalty when you do.
Contribute To The Soundtrack Of Their Lives
One of the hallmarks of belonging is a deep sense of knowing that the people around you “get you.” Videos on social media show Beyonce fans at Renaissance concerts belting out the lyrics to songs at the top of their lungs without a care in the world about who hears them or what they sound like.
At times, you’ll even see concert goers crying as they sing these lyrics. For many fans, the lyrics have often been in their hearts for years. The lyrics stir up memories, give voice to emotions they didn’t know how to express, and mark important milestones in their lives.
Beyonce makes her audience feel seen through her music. They feel the words and themes are relevant and relatable to their lives.
Your brand doesn’t have to start producing music to have the same impact. Instead look for ways to weave yourself into the important moments in the lives of the people you serve. Give voice to their feelings. Empower them. Ensure that the work and experiences you deliver communicate to them are relevant and relatable to their lives.
Induce Participation
When fans by tickets to a Beyonce concert, their expectation isn’t that they will go, have a seat and be entertained for two and a half hours. They go with the expectation of participating.
A big part of the experience of going to a Beyonce show is the fashion. Fans plan out months in advance what they wear, with some investing just as much in their concert wardrobe as in their ticket.
And then of course there is the singing and dancing they do during the concert. Part of that participation during the Renaissance tour is even a group challenge, that has different cities competing against each other for top honors.
Build a strategy that gets the people you serve involved in the experience you deliver. Design an experience your customers want to participate in, and one that is enhanced the more they engage.
Deliver Remarkable Experiences
Every Beyonce performance is it a noteworthy one. Whether it’s through her vocals, the dancing, the visual storytelling, or just the fashion, Beyonce always gives her fans something worth talking about and worth remembering.
Don’t skimp on designing a remarkable customer experience for the people you serve. Deliver an experience that will live in their head rent free long after it is over. Deliver an experience they’ll want to share with their friends and family. Deliver an experience that proves to them you took the time to produce something special for them.
The more remarkable the experiences you deliver, the more your customers will show up for you in a remarkable way.
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