By Scott Ginsberg
“I can’t quit you!” Remember when Heath Ledger said that to Jake Gyllenhaal in “Brokeback Mountain?”
That’s exactly what you want: Customers who can’t quit you.
Here’s why: If you can get to that point, you no longer have customers. You have fans. And fans are light years beyond “satisfied” or “loyal.” They’re insistent.
Here’s the secret: If you want to make it impossible for people to quit you, you’ve got to become addict-able.
Here are six action items to boost your addict-ability today:
1. Start with yourself. Think of the five Websites you’re currently addicted to. Ask yourself: Why are they so addictive? How did you become addicted to them? What brings you back every day? Make a list, extract the commonalities, and then emulate those attributes in your own business. You’ll become more addictable immediately. Where do you get YOUR fix?
2. Update content regularly. Websites are like newspapers—nobody wants to read them if they’re two years old. Whether it’s videos, pictures, music, articles or recipes, you need new content regularly. For example, I receive e-mails about once a week from viewers of my video channel who write, “I think I’ve seen every video you have!” And I think to myself, “Awesome. Thank you. Glad you liked them. There’s more where that came from…” Remember: familiarity leads to mental laziness. As a result, people’s brains filter out unchanging backgrounds because, in their minds, there’s no need to pay attention. When was the last time you refreshed YOUR content? Is your Website a dinosaur?
3. Have depth. Don’t just post a few videos or pictures and call it a day. Have dozens. Hundreds. Thousands. The more the better. The goal is to gently and respectfully suck people into your vortex of content so they lose track of time. Think Vegas. Think casinos. “No windows, no clocks.” I’m reminded of this strategy when I receive e-mails from readers of my blog who write, “I just spent the last hour reading a month’s worth of articles!” And I think to myself (with a slight Mr. Burns accent), “Exxxxxcellent.” Remember: Less isn’t more—more is more. When was the last time someone told you, “I just spent the last two hours on your site!”
4. Be a destination, not a Website. A Website is not going to get people to come TO, hang out AT and tell their friends ABOUT anything. It needs to be much more than just information. It needs to be interactive. It needs to be participative. It needs to be updated regularly. It needs to be the source, the go-to-place, the El Dorado, the Mecca…for a certain kind of people who want a certain kind of information. In short: a destination. Websites are so 2008. Why would someone come to (and stay at) your Website for more than 60 seconds? Why would someone return to your Website consistently?
5. Make passion palpable. The more your Website (destination) revolves around passion, the easier it is for you to win and the easier it is for your visitors to win. The challenge is to create an interactive environment where healthy participation naturally emerges. An environment that enables, supports, and rewards authentic dialogue; that’s the best part. If you create the right kind of environment, the right atmosphere, the right space, and the right energy, the people involved will take care of themselves. How does your Website build community? How many of your customers are talking to each other?
6. Addict-able comes from Obsess-able. The word “obsess” comes from the Latin obsidere, which means, “to occupy.” Hmm. Interesting. I wonder if all this blather about “Website hits” is a misnomer. Maybe “hits” don’t mean anything. Maybe “hits” is an acronym for “How Idiots Track Sales.” Perhaps what’s more important is how long people stay on your site, if they come back regularly, and if they’re the right people. To quote Seth Godin from Meatball Sundae, “How many eyeballs isn’t as important as whose eyeballs.” How could being obsess-able help you become more addict-able?
REMEMBER: The easiest way to make customers say, “I can’t quit you!” is to make yourself more addict-able.
So, ask yourself: “Who’s addicted to you and your business?”
© 2010 HELLO, my name is Scott! Adapted from –Able: 35 Strategies for Increasing the Probability of Success in Business and in Life, by Scott Ginsberg, with permission of the author.
About the Author(s)
Scott Ginsberg aka, "The Nametag Guy," is the author of 12 books, including The Approachable Manager and -Able: 35 Strategies for Increasing the Probability of Success in Business and in Life, from which this article is excerpted. He is a professional speaker, award-winning blogger, and the creator of NametagTV.com. For more information, visit: http://www.hellomynameisscott.com/