10 No-BS Rules for Creating Raving Fans of Your Business

Dan Kennedy, one of my marketing mentors, is famous for his trademarked brand of No-BS advice. He has also, more controversially, used a farm-related analogy to the description of his customers.

Most marketing authors use the phrase, “community” or “tribe” to describe a group of happy customers, but Kennedy refers to his customers as a “herd.”

It’s easy to understand what he means. However the phrase rubs many people the wrong way.

Like most experts, Kennedy insists that you build a tribe of raving fans in your business. But he’s the only one that teaches us to “build your herd and put a fence around them.”

Kennedy is not being condescending about customers. He’s simply suggesting we should be good shepherds to our flock. We should build a fence around them to protect them from the predators out there trying to take their money and ‘fleece’ them.

Regardless of what you call your customers, Kennedy has 10 time-tested tips to build your tribe and create raving fans of your business.

1) Start by brainstorming about your best customer.

What do they need? How can you add value to their lives? How can you repeatedly serve them and keep them inside your community gates?

Identify where to find your best customers – the ones with the interest, desire, and ability to purchase your products and services again and again.

2) Create a winning sales message for your customers.

Use the classic AIDA formula to get their attention, create interest, stimulate desire, and finish with a compelling call to action.

3) Create great products.

It seems a little backwards to create your product after your sales message, but that’s what the best marketers do. They figure out the marketplace first. Then once you’ve created your sales message, you can create the best products for them that solve their problem.

4) Once they’ve bought, deliver a personal touch as soon as possible.

Include videos in your autoresponder, get connected with them on Facebook, host a webinar, have your customer service team follow-up with them on the phone, or invite them to an in-person event. Deepen the relationship as soon as you can.

5) Build and foster an irreplaceable relationship with them.

Coach. Care. Connect. Correct. Communicate with your community from your heart, delivering the wisdom that you would want to receive if your roles were reversed.

Deliver small, fast victories that your customers can use to build momentum and maintain their motivation.

Research shows that people quit if they don’t see progress. Make it easy for them to get started and keep going.

6) Ascend your customers up the ladder.

Show them you have what they need at the next level to take their success to the next level.

7) Incorporate high-value and done-for-you services.

Figure out ways to deliver automatic assistance or software that makes their lives easier.

This makes unplugging from the community painful, and gives them another strong reason to stick around.

8) Get them to join your community and get engaged.

For over 10 years I’ve been telling people about the power of getting online support. Last month The New York Times agreed with me in a report called, “Friending Your Way Thin.”

A study of Instagram users found that, “People who connected with 10 or more friends online lost more weight than people who did not connect with friends online.”

It’s not enough to just get your customers to buy and join your member areas and social media pages, but you must also get them to engage with one another.

9) Recognize your customers and elevate their status by making a big deal when they contribute to the community.

Weight Watchers has done an excellent job of this.

10) Emphasize your mission.

Never forget that people want to be a part of something bigger than themselves.

Just as cows want to be in a herd, humans want to organize in tribes, especially ones committed to a greater good.

That’s why so many of our Early to Rise readers have been attracted to my 10 Million Transformation Mission.

Men and women from all over the world, with diverse backgrounds and expertise are contributing to our goal of helping people change their lives physically, financially, and emotionally.

We are doing everything we can to transform our tribe, from the inside out, so that we can create raving fans of our business.

Are you?