Your Brand as a Cult
Do you see people putting Dell or HP stickers on their things?
No. Their brands are not cults.
As business owners and marketers the greatest achievement we could ever have is to see our brands followers be as devoted to our brand as the example above. Putting the mark of your brand on to other products in [...]
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Do you see people putting Dell or HP stickers on their things?
No. Their brands are not cults.
As business owners and marketers the greatest achievement we could ever have is to see our brands followers be as devoted to our brand as the example above. Putting the mark of your brand on to other products in their world could only be one of the highest marks of transcendence and flat out love for your brand possible.
By cult of course we are referring to the more positive definition of the word;
[usu. as adj. ] a person or thing that is popular or fashionable, esp. among a particular section of society : a cult film.
Apple achieved this cult status in its early years, when owning a MAC was to be a part of something special. This group of users fit the definition perfectly. A small niche of customers had an overwhelming affinity for this product. Now as the iPhone and iPod have redefined this company to the general consumer, you can still see some Apple computer users who still retain this passion and affection for this brand from those early days. Some could say that the power of this brand started in those early days and it is that strength that carries the brand today. You hear Seth Godin talk about his niche theories, and this fits the bill perfectly.
So what can we do to make our brands or our products, cult building? I don’t think there is a recipe for success for every business. But if you are looking for a few simple steps, it might look something like this.
- Define your section of society. That’s right. We can’t be everything to everyone. Define who it is your want to reach and target your product and resources about solving a problem for those customers. Cults are small passionate groups!
- Provide the best service and product possible to your target. Invest in the ability to support your cult whether it be in social media, forums, telephone support, events or community groups. Allow the passionate to communicate with each other and keep building momentum from within.
- The most important step, give out some stickers…