Lessons From Fifty Shades of Grey: How To Be Irresistible

Before the 2012 London Olympics dominated the social media sphere, Fifty Shades of Grey was the hot topic.  With film rights sold and a rumored movie adaptation, E.L. James’ Fifty Shades of Grey is about to be back on the radar.

Here are some reasons this scandalous read was so addicting and why its social media marketing strategy was successful.

• The author, E.L. James knew her audience. This book started out as Twilight fan fiction. Knowing what worked for this audience allowed James to write a novel that her readers enjoyed. Even those who were not impressed with her writing skills ate this book up.

Get to know your brand’s audience.  Create lists of influencers, experts in your field or people similar to your audience.  Re-post their content and create new content that your audience would relate to and find interesting.

• James also did her research.  James actually researched and examined the back of an Audi R8 so that she could get particular details right for the book.

Do your research.  Get to know your audience and then use that information to find interesting content relating to your brand and your audience. Also, find out what is popular that you could be posting about.  Keep your brand relevant and accurate.

• James used technology to her advantage. One reason this book quickly became popular was through e-books. The Ottawa Citizen said, “it allowed readers to indulge their curiosity without a trip to the bookstore.”

Know what technology and social media helpers would be beneficial to your brand.  Schedule posts in advance with Hootsuite or measure your results with Google Analytics so that your social media presence can grow with little effort.

• James was a little daring. And it made Fifty Shades inescapable and irresistible. A hotel in the UK replaced the Bible in its rooms with the book. There was a firestorm ignited over what this book means for feminism. 84-year-old sex therapists raved about the main character. Even clothing campaigns were based off the book.

Make your content interesting and a little outside the norm.  Make fans and followers curious and encourage engagement. Use unique forms of media, like photographs, to be a little daring. This will catch your audience’s attention.

Make your brand as seductive as Fifty Shades of Grey – to be as well known and desired as Christian Grey.  Let us help you develop the perfect “Christian Grey” social media strategy for your brand.  Learn more about our programs.