Whether you love or loathe them, both Donald Trump and Coldplay had an incredibly successful 2024. While their philosophies and ideologies are as different as night and day, both have demonstrated that staying fiercely consistent and delivering to the expectations of their audiences can deliver fantastic outcomes.
Political tour de force
Despite the controversies that often surround him, Donald Trump’s influence in the political arena has become increasingly and undeniably more formidable, leading to a convincing victory in the 2024 US election.
One of the keys to ‘The Donald’s’ undoubted success is an unwavering commitment to core messaging and how he connects with his base. He knows what his loyal supporters and, more importantly, the broader audience he is targeting wants. Trump has been resolute when focusing on hot topics such as immigration, economic growth and national security, which clearly resonated with a large proportion of US voters.
Coldplay trumps Swift
British rock group, Coldplay, also enjoyed a stellar year. Their album, Moon Music, debuted at number one in the US and UK charts, at number two in NZ. Alongside that, their Music of the Spheres World Tour even eclipsed Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in terms of the number of shows – Coldplay played more than 200 stadiums (and counting!) compared to Taylor Swift’s 149.
I was fortunate to be at one of Coldplay’s Auckland shows in November and they were unapologetic in aiming to give their audience what we wanted and expected. The concert was a fully immersive experience in which the band bombarded us with hits as we wore light-up wristbands, turning each of us into one-person discos and making us all feel like integral parts of the show. Confetti cannons, massive video screens, lasers, flamethrowers and fireworks all added to an experience designed to bring everyone together for two hours in a joyous throng.
Lessons for businesses
What can we learn from the achievements of these global titans? The answer lies in the simple concept of focusing on what you are really good at and delivering what your customers want. It also lies in the ability to adapt to keep your offerings up to date and relevant. Both Trump and Coldplay have continually evolved their approach to maintain success and achieve longevity.
For businesses, this translates to truly understanding what you do and your core strengths. Whether you run a cafe, a retail store or an IT company, you must understand, and stay true to, your unique value proposition. By honing in on what sets you apart and consistently delivering high quality products or services, you will build a loyal customer base.
Avoid becoming side-tracked into areas where you have limited expertise. In the technology space, we often come across businesses that designate remits as ‘critical’, such as IT to a ‘keen’ member of staff, when they are actually employed to do something else. While this might appear cost effective, it’s a huge risk and a false economy that detracts from the ability to focus on what they do best.
Success comes from staying true to yourself, adapting as conditions change and making meaningful connections with enough of the right people. Not everyone needs to like you, your music or your political philosophies; as a business, you don’t need to offer a huge range of services and spread your resources too thin, and you don’t need everyone to buy your services – you just need enough people to do so.
Related: How to make the most of technology
