When you started your business, you probably had all kinds of visions of throngs of fans, mobs of people who just can’t get enough of everything you do, say, and sell. After all, you get it, right? You see the uniqueness, the specialness, and all the wonderful things about what you’re doing.
But, the question is: Do they?
To help create the bridge between what you know you have to offer and what the rest of the world sees as what you offer, here are a few major areas that, once solid, will go a long way towards bringing those throngs of fans your way.
1. Be an Attractive Person
No, you don’t have to look like Matt Damon or Jessica Biel; it’s not about that kind of attractive. It’s about being attractive in the way Martin Luther King Jr., Gandhi, or Nelson Mandela are attractive; they are people with such a strong inner light that they become magnetic to others. The power of their hearts drew (and continue to draw) people in… call it charisma if you like, but it’s less about your appearance and your personality as it is the (to quote MLK), “content of your character.”
2. Have a Clear, Resonant Message
Why do so many people shop at Whole Foods? Is it just because they have good produce and good presentation? Or is it because they stand for something that we can unite behind? And why was Blog Action Day so successful? Outstanding marketing? Or a Message that was so morally ubiquitous (I mean, who doesn’t love the planet?) that people signed up in droves? If the message behind your business is a clear, strong, and compelling one, people will sign up because it inspires them, it harmonizes with their values, and it makes them feel more like the person they want to be.
3. Care For Your Patrons
I know this one sounds like a “no duh!” statement, but think about it. How do you take care of your people? How do they know you care? How do you relate to people — as customers, clients, or as true patrons? Are you selling them something, providing a service for them, or championing their cause? I’m not talking about sacrificing yourself for them, but I am talking about relating to them not as peons or just cash sources, but as living, loving people with concerns, priorities, and considerations of their own.
4. Create Remarkable Experiences
For this one, you need go no further than name-dropping: Apple. Disney. IKEA. Harley-Davidson. Mini Cooper. (okay, I’ll go a little further… what do all these have in common? They create amazing experiences at every turn for their patrons. They don’t just hawk product; they craft encounters, create adventures, and promise excitement and rich experiences.)
5. Add Enormous Value To Their Lives
Think of a business that you love: now, what have they done for you? Has your life been measurably improved since you met them? My guess is that your answer is yes. If it isn’t, then I doubt you would have thought of them at all. It’s not that we love a business simply for our own self-serving reasons, but for the first four Reasons to stick, it all has to come down to a bottom line, and that’s Value (example: I don’t just love my Mac (iMac G5) because it’s gorgeous; I love it because it adds tremendous value to my work every day, by making it easy to do my work in a way that’s efficient, aesthetically pleasing, and a joy to interact with it).
Of course, each of these Reasons has a lot of nuances, strategies, and ways to implement them, but this should be enough to get your brains a’churning with ideas for revolutionizing your own business, eh? And, as always, if you’ve got ideas to share or questions to ask, that’s what the comment box is for.
Enjoy!
Image by MegElizabeth.
The “content of character” quote is completely true. When someone at work is happy and enjoyable to be around I want to help them more than some sour puss. They appear more attractive no matter how they look.
I also agree with number 4 create remarkable experiences. I think that’s the hardest thing to do as a blogger. There are so many places to find information that if they come across your site you need to grab the reader quick and impress them throughout the whole piece. Thanks for the reminder!
Kayce,
This is EXACTLY why I love your business and why I love you!
When a person/business integrates who they are with what they do for a living, they cannot help but attract to them clients (and raving fans!) they are meant to serve.
As for me, I can’t get enough of Adam Kayce.
By the way, I love my Mac (G4 Powerbook), too!
Adam, this was a post to begin the new year with.
Sometimes I wonder why some businesses (and business people) seem to be doing and saying the right things but leave me feeling kind of “blah” even a little depressed.
These points crystalize for me what’s missing: they don’t fully inhabit and “own” their business. When people do (and you’re a good example), I think the points you brought up fall into place. It’s easier to create a remarkable experience for people when you, yourself and your employees fully own and stand for something.
One of my goals for 2008 is to take more responsibility for what I stand for and how I express it. Little scary but also exciting.
Peace,
Judy
Karl, thanks… and it’s true, creating remarkable experiences can be challenging as a blogger; if blogging is all you do, then I’d focus on getting your design flawless and beautiful, and adding audio and/or video to help round out the experience.
If blogging is one part of your strategy, then there are lots of places you can create remarkable experiences with your services/offerings/etc.
Tshombe, you’re too much, brother — and I mean that in the best of ways! And a fellow Mac user, too…
Judy, thanks so much; you’re very flattering.
And the point you made is a good one; when there’s a disconnect between the outer and the inner of what someone’s up to, it often is felt, even if we aren’t sure how to put a finger on it at first. That unease, though, often translates into people staying away, rather than coming closer.
Wild stuff, isn’t it?
You ain’t seen nothing yet, Kayce. Wait till you meet me in person
Great post about passionate users and brands. I think enabling a community, whether that be Meetup groups, Facebook groups, Ning, or other community functions seems like a great next step.
Great way to kake your best customers feel special and appreciated.
Listen, listen, listen always helps too.