Do customers stand in line for hours on end through blizzards, hurricanes and earthquakes just to get their greedy little hands on what you are selling? No. No they do not. Unless Tim Cook, Michael Jordan and Kazou Hirai are reading my blog now the answer is going to be no for just about everybody. (Not gonna lie. I had to look that last guy up via the Googlin’ Machine. He’s the Sony CEO if you are as ignorant as I am.)
If you have not heard, Apple released this little thing called the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6+. I called it the iPhone Super the other day because I’m cool and I’m getting dangerously close to the age of 40 when people start saying things like that. Weirdos like my good pal Brian Fanzo (pictured above in the scraggly Pirates hat) decided to camp out so they could be one of the first to have the new iPhones. I will not be discussing the sanity of those who have chosen this type of lifestyle. I will be discussing loyalty. That is what it comes down to. Brands that have created services or products that get people to react irrationally to their releases have created superior customer loyalty. I still love you, Brian, despite your questionable life choices.
Here Come the Excuses
I can’t create customer loyalty because … waaaaaa! We may not say it out loud but these excuses find their way into our little brains anyway. I will emphatically dispel these excuses and you will be eternally grateful for it.
- But they have an unlimited budget … Guess what? No one except for the US Government has an unlimited budget and that’s only because they can print their own money. A company can have some serious cash flow and still not be able to connect with their clients. Having lots of money just increases the chance of self destruction if they do not know what they are doing. More money can mean you are doing it wrong faster.
- But they have the best talent … True. They are much better than you. You should just give up. NO. That is incorrect and I WILL NOT STAND FOR IT!!! Great companies do attract great talent, but we are seeing these guys at the top of their game. How did they get to that point? What’s the corny sports quote … “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.” Getting real: what separates the successful is not their talent but their refusal to give up.
I Want To Go To There
Let’s get this straight. You may never have people camping outside your door for days waiting for something they won’t care about at all in two years, but you can still be highly successful in creating customer loyalty. I believe there are a few things we can all do to help people stick around and like us.
It starts with you. Every great idea started inside of a person. A person that knew who they were and what they wanted to accomplish. The Greeks graced us many a year ago with “Know thyself.” This still rings true as individuals and ultimately as organizations. Figure out who you are and why you are here. That leads us to what we can do for others. If you need help “finding yourself” I’d love to help you offline. You don’t need to travel the world to discover your inner child or whatever. Just come to me. I will show you the way. For realz.
Steve Jobs had a good handle on “knowing the why” as Simon Sinek has taught us. Think Different has driven Apple to do just that and in turn it has attracted people that resonate with that message in some form. Techies are quick to point out that Apple does not innovate in the sense that they only improve upon what other companies have already done. This is very true, but who they are has enabled them to make lots of cash money by staying on point with their internal mission.
Grind it out. I touched on this earlier pointing out the successful don’t quit. Part of the success of Apple has been their ability to get it right instead of being the first. They don’t hit the market first but when their product hits the shelves it works and people like stuff that works. It’s weird. The idea of not quitting works hand in hand with knowing who you are. Once you’ve pinpointed yourself and what you can bring to the table that is unique, don’t stop moving forward.
Think of our little buddy the tortoise from Aesop’s Fables. He knew he was not Usain Bolt but he never quit. SPOILER ALERT! He won the race. “But that is fable,” you say. “It’s not real life.” Listen, 99.9% of humanity does not do it perfect on the first try much less the second and third try. Just keep grinding.
Make people love you. Be a real person and talk to people in a real way. You’ve found out who you are. Don’t over professionalize yourself so that you look like everyone else. Business etiquette is a real thing so don’t go waltzing into a client meeting in your overalls and trucker hat. If you had to take that advice to heart … well … I am sorry. Someone has failed you miserably. People really do enjoy talking and getting to know other people. The whole relationship builds business works. Try it out.
People will also love you when you meet their needs. So don’t be so selfish. Lend a helping hand. Warning: you may have to do something for others with no strings attached! Actually this is recommended. This should be a life practice. Give with out reservation. It’s a basic tenet of nature. Sow something and in due time you reap something of like kind. It’s neat.
I have solved all of your problems so now I will stop writing. You are welcome. I now leave you with a special GIFt.
CARPE DIEM!!!!
If you liked this post and it made you a better person comment, share, print it out and tape it on the bathroom stall.