Why you need to forget customers and focus on fans

Michael Di Lauro tells entrepreneurs to stop concentrating on generating more customers for their business and instead focus on winning more fans.

Believe it or not, the last thing the world needs is another small business. Most new businesses are nothing more than a collection of me-too, cookie cutter look-alikes, each one indistinguishable, unoriginal and notable only in its insignificance.

Look at it from the buyer's perspective. Do you think that folk are wandering their neighbourhoods grumbling that there aren't enough grocery stores? Doubtful. If people do complain, it might be about the sameness of it all. "Oh look," they'll say, "How wonderful. Another coffee shop just like the one across the street."
 
Where's the differentiation? Where is the innovation and creativity in one more, franchised, outlet-ized, carbon-copied business? Hell, where's the fun?
 
Now look at it from a business perspective. How does a business that's no different from the one up the road compete? On price? "Buy from us," they announce, "we've got the best prices in town." Big deal. As soon as the competition lowers its price, their customers will make for the exits - and therein lies the rub. It's those damn customers, or at least how businesses view customers.
 
With too many entrepreneurs, there's a perception that customers are an invariable variable in the buy/sell equation. That means there exists a clearly-defined commercial relationship that ends the second after customers plop down their money. Then, once the transaction is closed, business owners are off to the next customer, and the one after that.
 
Of course, let's not forget the (supposedly) more sophisticated businesses that focus on customer retention, forever wondering how to get the same ones coming back for more.
 
See what I mean? The focus is on customers - and that's backwards. The way I see it, businesses shouldn't be focusing on getting customers. In fact, businesses shouldn't want customers at all. I say, forget the customers. Why? Because customers only want good value for money.
 
Picture your business as a mega-band (the kind that plays music and fills up stadiums everywhere). Do you think your audience wants to hear you (and every other band) belt out the same song every night? If you lowered the price of your CDs (or MP3s or shows), would your audience, all of a sudden, be happy about having to listen to the same songs all the time?
 
Think like a band and try to win what they're trying to win – fans. Fans create a buzz, they are loyal and viral. Best of all, they buy stuff – lots of stuff.
 
How does a business get fans?
Through originality, innovation, imagination, creativity and purpose – clear, unfiltered purpose. In essence, you'll get fans by being true to your purpose and identity.
 
Just like successful bands that have an identifiable style and a defined voice, your business should say, ‘here's what we're about. Here's what we believe in. Here's what we do. Here's what we offer that no one else does’.
 
The result is that people who like what you're about will flock to you. Those who don't, won't.
 
That's the nice thing about having fans - you won't waste time focusing on people who'll never buy from you. Instead, you'll focus on your message and your offerings and you'll communicate that to your fan base, who will then spread the word.

If you don’t believe me, look at Apple. Do you think their distinctive products and innovative spirit have created customers or millions of fans?

Michael Di Lauro is a certified management accountant who writes, advises and teaches business management and software. This article was originally published on our US sister site, AccountingWEB.com.