Why is the internet obsessed with Elon Musk?

A quick Google search results in about 4 million results for Elon Musk. Type his name into the search bar, and one of the first suggestions is “Elon Musk quotes.” People are lapping up everything he says because it has such tremendous power and experience behind it. There are myriad platforms on which people are asking questions like “Is Elon Musk more innovative than Bill Gates/Steve Jobs/other revered entrepreneurs?”

There’s no denying that Musk has backed extremely risky yet successful projects — Paypal, SpaceX and Tesla, to name just a few. The man is his own brand, and simply putting his name on a project results in enormous pull, because he’s built a reputation for himself.

Once we look at the figures behind his success, we can begin to understand why the internet is obsessed with this visionary. But instead of aimlessly searching up “Elon Musk quotes” on Google in the hope of finding a nugget of wisdom, take a look at Musk’s strategies with Tesla specifically that will help you with your own entrepreneurial endeavours.

Lesson 1: The first principle of good marketing is to build a product that matters. Tesla is a futuristic car, and buying this car is the consumer’s way to own a slice of the future. Done.

Tesla employed an unconventional, “no marketing” marketing strategy. It didn’t focus on all of the selling points of the electric car because the most obvious ones were already apparent to its customer base. Instead, with simple YouTube videos like “Charger prototype finding its way to Model S,” Tesla showcased futuristic technology that would intrigue potential customers and let word-of-mouth do the rest. This video has received more than 4.5 million views.

Tesla showcased futuristic technology that would intrigue potential customers and let word-of-mouth do the rest

Lesson 2: Find a new way to sell what’s already being sold — Tesla’s advertising capitalised on humanity’s natural intrigue with futuristic technology. It lets that wonder do the rest of its advertising.

Tesla now has more orders than it has supplies of parts to execute those orders.

Lesson 3: Never underestimate the power of good marketing. Create your own unique brand, and the crowd will follow. When you build a credible image for yourself, your audience will look to you as a thought leader, and the sales will soon follow.

That’s what you can learn from Elon Musk. Utilise the internet’s obsession with him, and observe his strategic behaviours to make the most of them for your own business.