Shonda Rhimes is a highly accomplished writer and television producer who has created countless popular TV shows including Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, How to Get Away with Murder and The Catch. Highly regarded as one of the world’s most famous and popular TV writers of our era, as an African-American woman, she has broken down countless barriers and achieved immeasurable success in a cutthroat industry.
In 2007, she was named by Time Magazine as one of the Top 100 People Who Help Shape the World. Rhimes is a creative genius who has pushed boundaries with her gripping, fascinating storylines that keep audiences on the edge of their seats. On top of that, she is a magnificent leader who now manages large groups of people, and has worked relentlessly to achieve the high levels of success that she has attained to this day.
Listed below are some key business lessons that we can learn from this highly intelligent, hardworking and passionate woman:
1. Never Give Up
When Rhimes first started out, she was working from home in her pyjamas trying to make a living, writing scripts and TV series that weren’t being accepted by executives. Much of her work, including medical drama, Off the Map, was cancelled the same year it began, but Rhimes persevered and is today a leading executive who has had more than 200 people working for her.
As a business, you need to know what your strengths are and work on them relentlessly until you reach the levels of success that you have been aspiring for. Never give up; know that failure is an opportunity for learning and also, a stepping stone towards greater things.
2. Use Social Media to Generate a Loyal Fan Base
Each week, when new episodes of her shows are aired, Rhimes and her team, including the writers and actors, hold live Twitter chats with fans and viewers. This is a fantastic way to keep fans engaged, ensuring they really feel a part and parcel of the shows. When viewers interact with the team, they feel as if they have a voice, and this voice is what encourages them to return to the shows, week after week, and therefore remain committed for longer.
Rhimes truly knows how to maintain brand awareness and as any business can contest, strong brand awareness leads to strong brand loyalty. Aside from using social media to boost brand awareness, you should also focus on offering exceptional customer support, creating a business blog brimming with outstanding content, targeting your precise consumers (through the development of buyer personas) and taking advantage of word of mouth marketing.
By adopting all or some of the above-mentioned techniques, you stand a far better chance of achieving lifelong success from your brand and pushing your business to unimaginable heights.
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