5 Things I Learned From Beyonce

If you are on planet earth you know who Beyonce is. I don’t think we have seen a following like this since Mike left us. My mother who listens to talk radio all day knows the words to Beyonce songs.

Beyonce and her team have created an empire that should be studied by business schools. They have created a template that we all should implement into our own brands/products/businesses.

Here are 5 things I learned from Beyonce:

1. Make sure everyone on your team is eating well

If you don’t know Beyonce started out in a group and then went solo. Through the years she has found ways to still help out the other girls with their careers and albums. She even brought them out for a mini reunion during the Super Bowl a few years back.

Why is this important?

When everyone is not eating, (in other words when your success isn’t shared with everyone) envy starts to set in and people start wishing and plotting for your downfall. You are not going to get to that next level alone. Follow Beyonce’s template and bring those who started with you in the garage up with you. Make sure all of your founders get equal shares and spread the love.

It’s not only the right thing to do, it prevents envy and betrayal.

2. Create a religion around your brand

Beyonce does not have mere fans. She has disciples that spread her gospel to whomever is in earshot. The thing that impresses me the most about the “BeyHive” is their undying loyalty to their Queen.

How did she do this?

She did this buy creating music that secretly nods to her tribe. Her lyrics hit on topics that are extremely relevant to a certain demographic. When she sang put a ring on it, it was not just a song. It was an anthem for anyone who has been with someone who did not want to commit but still wanted you to hang around. It gave them power. It made them feel as if Beyonce understood their struggle.

If you are creating a product or business this should be your blueprint. Whatever you are creating has to hit a nerve with your prospective customers. It has to say that you and your company feel the everyday struggles that they are going through. If you can hit them in the heart in the same way that drunk in love can touch a girl on her third round of drinks, you are on your way to creating your own disciples.

3. Slide in your message when no one is looking

Right now there is a lot of discussion about the political statements Beyonce made during her Super Bowl halftime show. If you listen closely, Beyonce has always slid messages in her music about women empowerment in her lyrics when no one was looking.

If Beyonce would’ve held a press conference supporting the black lives matter movement, her BeyHive would’ve loved it but the rest of the world probably would not care. Team Beyonce figured out that Mary Poppins was right- a spoonful of sugar DOES help the medicine go down! In other words no one will listen to you go on and on about the injustices in the world, but if you present it as a form of art it will make much more of an impact.

How does this apply to you?

Every brand/product/company has some underlying message they are trying to convey. If you want it to stick in the minds of your consumers, you have to deliver it in an artistic way. You have to put some cheese on those vegetables, you have to dress it up or else it comes across as heavy handed or preachy. Deliver your message in a way that is easy to digest. Deliver it when no one is looking.

4. Don’t Compete, Innovate

When you analyze Beyonce’s career you never really see her locked in a heated competition with any other singer. Over the last 15 or so years we have seen TONS of singers come and go but Beyonce still remains. I think a large part of that is because she never tried to out do anyone but herself. Not only has she been innovative with her sound but she is also innovative in the way we experience her music.

Back in the day, when an artist would drop an album there would be all of these instore signings and performances on national tv to promote the album. Beyonce’s team realized that we do not live in that world anymore. Instead of spending millions on promotion they realized that she could simply announce to her disciples that she was going to drop and album and they would do all of the promotions for her.

That is innovative and you have seen other artists follow suit after her.

Right now, there are these Samsung ads that I hate. They spend the whole time telling you all the things their product can do that the iphone can’t. These geniuses even put iphones in the ads. They come across like a desperate ex trying to convince you why they are better than your new girlfriend.

Samsung is just a competitor.

Apple on the other hand never puts anything but apple products in their ads. They are the innovators.

Do not waste time trying to compete with your contemporaries. Spend all your energy on innovating.

5. Leverage your roots

There is a tendency for all of us to downplay where we are from in order to seem “professional” or “established”.

That is the worse thing you can do. No matter how big she gets, Beyonce will let you know she is still that girl from Houston, Texas that loves Popeye’s chicken. It works for her because it makes her unique and it helps her connect with her fans.

Where you grew up, the way you say certain words, and the foods you eat all make up who you are. They make your viewpoint unique and allow you to stand out from the crowd.

Instead of hiding your roots learn to leverage them in a way that give your brand/product/business a certain flavor that cannot be replicated.

Beyonce’s success is no mistake.

If you implement these 5 lessons you will not Beyonce, but you will be off to a good start.