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“People will always talk, so lets give them somethin’ to talk about” Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga proved once again that she knows how to get attention when she appeared naked for art provocateur Marina Abramovic’s latest video.

But make no mistake – Gaga isn’t just creating controversy for its own sake. Underneath her wild outfits and outrageous behavior is a great marketing mind.

Read on and find out what you can learn from Lady Gaga’s naked approach to gaining publicity.

Don’t Be Afraid to Be Controversial

“If you don’t have any shadows, you’re not in the light.”

Lady Gaga isn’t someone who avoids controversy.

In fact, she actively seeks it out.

The most infamous example of Lady Gaga’s attention getting ways is her meat dress. Some may have thought it in bad taste (Like P.E.T.A., who condemned the dress), but it also caused enough attention that it now warrants its own Wikipedia entry.

The fact that not everyone likes what Lady Gaga does and says doesn’t stop her.

She is focused on her own core fan base of “little monsters,” and she knows how to give them what they want.

If you avoid taking a strong position, your marketing message will come across as bland and unappealing to everyone – when you are controversial, there will naturally be people who won’t like your message, and that is fine.

Instead of focusing on pleasing everyone, concentrate on the subset of people who are the closest match to your message – that’s the start of what Seth Godin refers to as a “tribe.”

Create a Community Around Your Brand

“My real fans understand what it is I do.”

Most entrepreneurs and marketers understand the importance of building a social presence, but Lady Gaga goes far beyond this when it comes to talking to her tribe.

Although Lady Gaga has over 39 million followers on Twitter, she direct tweets to individual fans.

It’s this kind of investment into these relationships that has produced such a loyal following.

Gaga has gone as far as developing her own social network called www.LittleMonsters.com, where her fans can interact, post fan art, and get the latest Gaga updates. Members of her tribe can identify one another using her signature greeting, the “monster claw.”

While we may not have the resources to create our social networking site, we can all invest more time in talking to our customers.

Become Part of a Larger Movement

“And now, I’m just trying to change the world, one sequin at a time.”

Being able to associate with something larger than yourself can be a compelling mission statement.

Lady Gaga isn’t just trying to promote her music, she is also trying to change the world – Lady Gaga views herself as an advocate for teenagers and other groups who may not have a voice.

Becoming part of something larger than you and your company can be very powerful.

Vacation rental site Air BnB isn’t just trying to sell you are a room for the night. They are improving the world through the sharing economy.

Or online shoe seller Toms, with its “One for One” movement that has transformed crass consumption into a noble act.

For very shoe that you buy from Toms, one is given to a child in need.

These companyies make the consumer feel like they aren’t just buying, they are also giving something back.

Deliver The Goods

“When you make music or write or create, it’s really your job to have mind-blowing, irresponsible, condomless sex with whatever idea it is you’re writing about at the time.”

Controversy isn’t enough if you fail to deliver a quality product. The fact is, Lady Gaga’s music is good.

Unlike a lot of other musicians, she doesn’t put out a lot of material – but when she does deliver, it is good.

Despite being arguably the most famous solo artist currently performing, she has only released two studio albums.

It is this final point where some businesses lose their way. Massive hype and brilliant sales copy won’t, by themselves, create a successful long-term business. For that, you need to actually produce something exceptional.

In your corner,

Charlie

P.S. More tips for growing your business can be found here!

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