It always happens.
Once business owners agree they don’t want customers,
The question always comes up;
“OK, so exactly how do I get fans instead of customers?”
To which I always reply that you get fans by not thinking about them.
In other words, focus on yourself and not on anyone else.
Seems weird?
Let me, then, use the same analogy as in my first post.
Pretend you’re a songwriter.
Would you query folk walking by your front door?
Ask them what kind of song they’d like to hear?
And write it based on the majority response? On the consensus?
I don’t think so.
Music is written from the heart. From passion, and talent, and creativity.
Why should business be different?
Way I see it, businesses need to tap into the same creativity, the same innovation, to get fans.
Put another way, to get fans (rather than customers) you must tap into your purpose, your passion, and your talent.
And then put it out there.
For acceptance.
Or rejection.
Because that’s precisely what will happen.
Some will like your message, desire your services, drool over your products.
They’ll “Get it.”
Those are the fans.
Others won’t relate. They won’t understand. They won’t “Get it.”
They’re the non-fans.
And that should be absolutely fine with you.
Your fans will flock to you.
They’ll identify with who you are, they’ll buy into what you do.
The non-fans, on the other hand, will ignore you.
And you them.
Because, one day, maybe later on, they will “Get it.”
Until then—and no matter what product or service you provide—it’s my belief that you must be true to who you are.
“Yeah but,” Some business owners tell me, “Doodads and gizmos are the hot thing, and I just want to be profitable… Make some money.”
Fine then. Go ahead. Sell doodads and gizmos. Go ahead and offer what everyone else offers.
But be prepared to get swept away when the bottom falls out of the doodad market.
And, if that’s not enough, be prepared to live a monotonous, passionless life.
A life where people who buy your products (or services) are as bored as you are.
Because that’s what so many customers are.
Bored.
If, on the other hand, you want something more.
Excitement, Innovation, Creativity. Passion (not words commonly associated with business, uh?).
Then find the sweet spot where your passion and talent intersect with what people want.
What they understand.
What they “get”.
And you’ll find fans.
How to find fans
