Friday Buzz: The Taylor Swift School of Outreach

“You Belong With Me” isn’t just the name of a Taylor Swift song—it’s also the country-pop superstar’s M.O.

And it’s one that any association pro could learn from. Swift’s known for going the extra mile to impress her fans—to the point that she even mails out Christmas gifts to her fans and does all the hard work herself:

Considering that she’s one of the few artists who can still sell millions of records these days, her engagement strategy is worth taking a few hints from.

For example, nonprofit marketing expert Pamela Grow recently pointed out  (opens in a new tab) that what Swift does to impress her fans translates easily to donors.

“Forming and maintaining long-term relationships with your donors matters now more than ever,” Grow said. “Take the time to let them know how much you love them and that you wouldn’t be where you are without their help.”

In other words, show your audience that you notice and care about them, and they’ll stick with you.

Playing Up the Differences

Be Different, Not Better: http://t.co/2J8mvW0GGb  (opens in a new tab) — New post up on @AssocMarketer  (opens in a new tab) #assnchat  (opens in a new tab) #assnprofs  (opens in a new tab) #associations  (opens in a new tab)

— Crypto Bahay (@Cryptobahay) February 6, 2015  (opens in a new tab)

Sometimes, being the best doesn’t matter quite as much as having the best message.

MultiView’s marketing manager, Austin Dicharry, says that the most successful organizations win in the marketplace by having effective messaging that makes them stand out. But being unique is only part of the battle—those differences have to be worthwhile.

“It may seem obvious, but developing a different offering is simply not good enough; in order to garner the interest of valuable prospects and members, organizations must also highlight the differences that make them valuable,” Dicharry writes on Association Marketer  (opens in a new tab).

What makes your organization different, and how do you convey why that matters?

Other Links of Note

How gratitude affects donations: According to The Nonprofit Times, giving a thank-you call to a donor raises the odds of that person donating again  (opens in a new tab) by 47 percent. Not bad, huh?

RadioShack is filing for bankruptcy, ending a century-long span for one of America’s best-known electronics stores. The evolution of the brand is probably best seen in its logos, which you can check out over at Bloomberg Business  (opens in a new tab). How many redesigns has your association undergone?

In case you need help charging up your Instagram feed, this infographic shared by SocialFish should do the trick  (opens in a new tab).

(Christopher Polk/Getty Images)