It’s true… at least for 99% of wannabe entrepreneurs and their businesses. Customers don’t really give a s*** about you, your product or your business.

The good news? It doesn’t have to be that way and the alternative means better retention, more sales, raving fans and big profits.

Creating caring customers doesn’t have to be hard. Today I’m sharing the psychological secret that can systematically turn crowds of strangers into hordes of loving clients. Here’s how to make it happen…

Imagine building a business where your customers genuinely care about you. They care so much they open every email you send, look forward to any phone calls and act on any recommendation you make. In other words, they’re infatuated and they consider their relationship with your business a top priority.

Sound like the kind of client you want? Then you’ll need to make it happen with:

The psychological recipe

1. Sell a product that transforms people (and the way they think)
2. Require a significant commitment (i.e. make it “expensive”)
3. Turn away prospects who don’t want “transformation”

Here’s an example:

Last week I was invited to give a talk to an insurance & investment company. These are big corporate players – but the same principals apply, even for solopreneurs.

In the past, this firm has successfully sold savings products (per-week contributions) to people by picking a price point so low that no one could be bothered to say no.

Make something cheap enough and salesperson will have no trouble selling it. The prospect simply thinks:

“Thats peanuts! Whatever… I’ll do it.”

The bad news: These customers had terrible retention or “lifetime value” – they were dropping off and canceling their savings plans (as easy as just not paying) like crazy!

Why?… Because they just didn’t care. They didn’t care about the company OR what the investment they’ve signed up for.

The solution?

My job was to help the sales people at this company realise that they weren’t in the business of selling investments… They’re in the business of selling transformation.

They’re selling a transformation of the way you (the customer) think about your personal finances, savings and investment. They’re transforming consumer debt, stress and worry into security, foresight and optimism.

Second, I encouraged them to raise the price of their sales. Encouraging prospects to contribute significant dollars towards a savings plan would help the product be perceived as significant. The client would consider it as a serious investment and stick with the commitment to save.

Finally, the company had to turn away the prospects who would only contribute pocket change to their savings… They’d have to choose only to do business with people committed to transforming their finances.

What does this mean for you?

Psychology tells us that the more people care about a product, the more they’re willing to pay for it.

The most expensive consumer products are produced by companies people feel enormously passionate about.

As entrepreneurs, this is the position we need to be in. When we sell things for lots of money… we win! Better customer retention helps too.

The secret to creating customers “who care” is to sell them a transformation. To do this, we must turn away the lame prospects who don’t want to transform… they’ll end up being more trouble than they’re worth anyway.

• Blogger Johnny B. Truant does it by transforming the way people think about doing business on the internet.
• Ferrari do it, by transforming the way people think about driving from A to B (and how cool they look while in-transit).
• Micro-lending Kiva does it by transforming the way entrepreneurs think about fighting poverty.
• The best health clubs, airlines, cell phones, chiropractors and restaurants all do it.

You can do it too.

Sell transformation, have your customers make a significant investment and turn away everyone who isn’t committed.

I try to sell transformation to all of my clients, my consulting work costs more than piano lessons (but it sure is worth it). I also refuse to work with people who aren’t willing to radically shift the way they approach business.

What transformation could you offer? Let me know my leaving a comment below…

On a sunny day last week, I walked through the historic Sydney suburb of Glebe for no other purpose than to enjoy a cafe lunch and browse 2nd hand book stores.

What I was to discover, however, was startling proof of “The Entrepreneur’s Dilemma”.

This is a social-psychological phenomena that plagues innocent business owners – sowing the seeds of self-doubt and financial disaster.

Want to know what it is?

Unisex (isn’t the answer)

On my stroll, I walked past an interesting kind of store.

A sign (you can see it on the left) lured me towards the store’s proudly displayed merchandise.

Unisex is an interesting idea simply because male/female differentiation is one of the more traditional demographic gaps.

Today, more and more businesses are discovering that increasing the gender focus of their products is a valuable move. Coca-Cola, for example, recently made the decision to market Diet-Coke to women, while reserving Coke-Zero for a high octane, testosterone driven campaign for young guys.

However, there are plenty of things in the world that benefit from being unisex.

Wine (luxury or otherwise), travel and real estate seem like great examples of industries where gender is irrelevant and unmeasured. They’re unisex by default.

So what was so unusual about this cheap, “NEW” item of undetermined gender?

The sign was attached to a rack of shirts

This store was the kind of budget clothing outlet that hocks off un-branded beach clothes to passing student travellers.

Shirts (T-shirts especially) have always been potentially unisex, but no one ever advertises them as such.

Here’s why:

The store owner meant well in this scenario and the basic logic is simple: If you advertise shirts to both men and women, you should double the chance of a sale.

WRONG

When you try to appeal to anyone, you end up alienating everyone.

As you may be able to see from the photo below, the shirts are unusual… but there wasn’t anything wrong with them.

What is wrong is how full the rack was. Clearly the shirts were not moving out the door.

I can’t help but think that the store owner would have been more successful if he had put a sign up that said:

“Crazy hippy beach shirts – $5″

… because that would grab the attention of every free-thinker headed to the beach!

What does this mean for your business?

I got an email from a client yesterday, asking my advice on a proposed re-brand and new focus for her business.

As a financial advisor, she was considering the one of the following options:

1. Focus entirely on working with female business owners as a specialist advisor

2. Go after women in business, newly graduated students, young professional couples and families

Friends told her that she’d be very brave to go for option one’s niche focus. Others thought she’d be stupid to “limit” herself.

I cant help but wonder if the T-Shirt store guy was afraid of the “limitation” too.

At the heart of it, many entrepreneurs have a powerful fear of “potential loss” tickling the back of their brain. The thought of all those customers outside of your target market, who won’t buy from you, is kind of scary right???

Reality check: Be scared if you’re not in a niche

Internet marketing folks have known this truth for a while – but the lesson is just as relevant for today’s real world, brick-and-mortar entrepreneur:

By trying to target the “Mass Market” you put yourself in competition with the biggest brands in your industry. These are the corporates that have multi-million dollar ad budgets. You will not win.

The world (or even my client’s city) does not want or need another financial advisor – but an expert on helping female entrepreneurs plan their financial life might be useful.

I ended the email dialogue by challenging my client to target only entrepreneur mothers! This would take her niche to a whole other level – and give her an excuse to market to any number of coffee groups and day-care centres.

Besides, if she does a good job and word spreads… I’m positive it wouldn’t be a problem to work with the occasional non-entrepreneurial mum (or even… *gasp*… a dad).

It isn’t so much about the day to day reality of doing business – it’s about the story you are telling and the message it sends.

Let’s face it – occasionally some guys buy girl’s t-shirts (it’s actually a fringe fashion in some parts)… and women often buy small sized men’s clothes.

Let your prospect customers know who they are and why you’re right from them. Success only happens when you overcome the fears that prevent this.

What kind of message is your business sending?

Could you overcome your fear and target a more specific group of customers?

Let me know what you think – by leaving a comment (scroll down)

I rarely find videos relevant and interesting enough to share with you. This one however, is out of this world.

Click to read the rest of this entry – you’ll enjoy a severe shake up of your world view:

This video was originally designed for entry into a “presentation award” competition.

The folks behind it are Jeff Brenman, karl Finch and Scott McLeod.

What do you think the answer to the final question is?

To be honest, viewing this leaves me feeling positive anticipation and gratitude for being alive to witness all this… mixed with more than a little despair. I’m not going to explain WHY I feel despair (why would that reasoning be worth knowing?)…

I want to know your perspective – reply in the comment section below

Smart entrepreneurs know the value of landing that “big fish” client or customer. Check out the business networking tips cheat sheet here…

Business networking is the only proven strategy for reeling in that big fish. Networking is the 80/20 principal in action – just a tiny bit of time invested can generate 80% of your business!

The reason? The clients really worth having will never beat down your door to meet you and probably won’t respond to your advertising either.

If you’re in retail or there is no such thing as a “big-fish” customer in your industry, then you could use the following tips for establishing relationships with the best suppliers or strategic partners.

Business Networking Tip #1: Introduction Magic

Do not underestimate the power of a live testimonial – generated, of course, by an introduction from a mutual friend. Better yet, get introduced by a raving fan customer.

You may need to coach your “introducer” to announce you to the “big fish” like this:

Introducer: “Hey Big Fish! I wouldn’t normally interrupt but I just saw my buddy at this event and I absolutely had to introduce the two of you”

If the big fish trusts and respects your introducer, then you just got their interest and attention in 5 seconds flat!

Business Networking Tip #2: Calm down and play it smart

The over-eager, rapid-fire card dispenser  wins no friends. In fact, it’s kind of embarrassing just to watch.

About once a month, I stand above my rubbish bin (trash can) and sort through the inevitable pile of business cards.

Each card gets a half-second glance while by brain searches for recognition. About 90% end up as recycling.

Being a smart player in the networking game means waiting for the ideal moment to approach your “big fish”. Striking at that right moment means you’ll have a chance to chat and create a lasting impression.

Believe it or not, it is this “impression” – not the design of your business card, that will ensure you make it into the Rolo-dex.

Business Networking Tip #3: Trying to sell will murder your chances

People do not attend networking events to be solicited by each person in the room. As desperate as you may be to kick off a relationship with this important person, resist all temptation to blurt out your pitch!

Instead, learn to ask questions that uncover problems or issues that the person (or their business) faces. You can then position yourself as the potential solution to one (or many) of those problems….

… Take their card and leave them with the expectation that you’ll be in touch shortly to deliver the problem solving pitch.

Questions to uncover problems could include:

“What do you do?…… I see! How is your business approaching this “recession” thing?”

“What big changes in your industry do you see coming up in the next 6 months?”

… and the cheeky option when you have enough rapport:

“What is going on in your business that you’d rather be here at this event, than in the office?”

Business Networking Tip #4: The biggest mistake

If someone does hand over their card to you, do not interpret this an invitation to phone them. Certainly, never ever phone their mobile.

By phoning, you risk destroying the fragile relationship by coming on too strong and/or presenting an inconvenience they never wanted or asked for.

Email is the best bet. You can increase the chances of your message getting opened and read by telling them you’ll be sending it.

A really cool tactic is to drop off custom, beautifully printed material (with a personal note) to their company receptionist. The receptionist will pass on the papers and mention the fact that, unusually, you actually turned up to it drop off. Typically, the “big-fish” person will then invite you back for a meeting.

Business Networking Tip #5: Introduce others

Remember, networking isn’t always about you. You’ll quickly develop a reputation as a trustworthy and useful contact when you regularly introduce people who have great value to share.

Doing this requires you to get over any scarcity fears that you have. There is plenty of business to go around and helping out others isn’t going to harm you (quite the opposite!). If you struggle with this concept, you shouldn’t be attempting to network at all.

If your clients know that you are a great networker and have benefitted from referrals that you’ve provided, then you’ll get many more useful referrals from them. Everyone wins.

Summing it up:

Business Networking isn’t as easy as many people think. Firing out business cards indiscriminately without introductions is going to do more damage than good.

The simple recipe of getting introductions, waiting for the right moment, solving problems, polite follow-up and giving back will result in the biggest and best business opportunities available… best of all, it’s low cost and hardly takes any time!

Why do so many people say they’re interested in becoming “successful” entrepreneurs and do nothing about it?

How many folks are committed to financial freedom, yet consistently offer up twenty-seven reasons they haven’t “got-it-together” yet?

I’m sick of it and it’s time to have a rant.

Read on to find out what holds these wannabes back and what you can do to get results FAST…

I was having dinner with a great friend and client of mine last week, when these questions came up during conversation.

Like a responding to a super-market checkout operator who asks “how’s your day?”… I dismissed the questions with a standard, out-of-the-box answer.

Why do so few people achieve real success? Simple: Only a very tiny group get their head in the place that creates big success.

But like a super-market operator who follows you home and spies through your windows, the question continued to prey on my mind.

Making money

I’ve witnessed the simple recipe for biz success – actioned by total amateurs to produce astounding piles of cash (in record time). Sometimes, the folks driving all the money-making are also rewarded with freedom and control over their time as well!

So what is the simple formula – that most people need in order to quit making excuses and make money?

1. Get ignorant

2. Find a strategy that works

3. Mindlessly copy it

First off, embracing your inner idiot is important. Give up the notions that you have about how to be successful.

I’m sorry, but if they were valid, correct or useful ideas then you’d already be a millionaire right?!

The harsh truth: All those ideas you’ve got – and the reasons why you can’t action them – are just an advanced form of excuse making.

Get ignorant by admitting you’ve got everything to learn. The knowledge you currently possess has produced the results you’re enjoying today… right?

It’s time to learn something new – start by realising you don’t already know it all.

Finding a strategy that works happens when you realise you’re ignorant.

You’ve cut through the bull$&%# and you’re not making excuses. Now you have to find someone who has done what you’re wanting to do.

In Neuro Linguistic Programming (an entire field devoted to this process of “copying for success”) there are libraries full of books on how to copy genius strategies – no matter what industry or weird field they’re from.

Mindlessly copying the experts is something 99% of the wanna-bes miss.

Many believe their years of intellectualising and non-action give them a license to “do things differently” yet get the same results as the millionaire guru who they’re copying.

I see this all the time with businesses with proven cold-calling marketing strategies.

Franchise owners freak out about making the calls and convince themselves that since they’re so special, they’ll be successful super-stars without ever picking up a phone.

Again, I call bull$%#*

There is a reason Richard Branson, Robert Kiyosaki and Donald Trump have become ultra tycoons – thinking you can do it different and somehow “better” is at best, woefully ignorant.

In Rich Dad Poor Dad, Kiyosaki talks about his background.

This guy spent years working for Xerox developing “sales skills” and learning how to consistently perform, despite being outside his comfort zone.

Why then do so many dreaming entrepreneurs think they can launch their idea into a big business without any sales and marketing experience?

Ultimately, it’s a tough learning curve building your own business.

Any one else who tells you otherwise is either lying, or trying to sell you something.

Quit making excuses and follow the simple formula.

It’s worked for hundreds of people (who are now probably lying on a beach somewhere) and it sure beats sitting around trying to think of reasons to explain why you’re not producing results.

Rant over.

What makes a cult a cult?

My definition revolves around the scary “I sold my house and gave the cash to my leader” mentality of the truly trapped.

I guess a cult is defined by the behaviour of its members… or in cases where cash changes hands, I guess we could call them customers.

In the world of business, achieving “cult-status” is kind of like the holy grail of marketing. Apple computers did it and they made no joke about it – officially dubbing sales executives “Software Evangelists!

Cult-Status means that your customers are very much a unique, separate group of people to the competition’s customers… they’re either “in” or very much “out”.

Cult-Status also means that people who are not in the market for your business/product will not understand your customers (they may even fear/ridicule their dedication). The geekery of the IT world lends itself well to cult marketing.

If your business turns customers into cult-members it means your sales results will reflect the cult’s fanatic loyalty.

To model a highly effective, Cult Business, I thought we could take a look at FergBurger of Queenstown NZ:

FergBurger is a gourmet burger joint that has achieved a international cult-status with thousands of fanatical customers.

Living in Sydney, I have heard the praises of this little NZ success story song by travelers from Sweden, Canada and South America.

In Queenstown recently, I couldn’t resist a fergburger or two… I witnessed a non-stop, super busy restaurant turning over thousands every hour (they’re open 21 hours per day).

So how has FergBurger achieved this Cult-Status… and what can smart entrepreneur’s do to replicate this result?

Exclusivity: FergBurger offers something that McDonald’s does not. Total scarcity and exclusivity. It’s location (right at the bottom of the world, really) makes it very easy to lust after from America or Europe. If everyone could go down the road to get a Fergburger (as you might with Starbucks), the magic would be lost!

Positioning: Whether by luck or clever planning, FergBurger positioned itself to enjoy a healthy boom when it offered late night, outstanding food to Queenstown’s young and drunken party animals. This NZ town’s population triples in peak tourism seasons – the influx of internationals fuels FergBurger’s international profile.

No compromising: FergBurger offers a burger called “The Big Al” – featuring a half pound of beef, two fried eggs, bacon, “heaps” of cheese”, salad and a “wad” of aioli. This is a serious burger for the seriously hungry. Want a salad? Then don’t join this cult.

Shocking quality: … shockingly, unbelievably awesome quality. These guys simply do not cut corners. Simply google “Fergburger” and you will find oodles of websites referencing it as “the best burger in the world”. It really is that good… good enough to shock you and any expectations you might have.

So here’s the thing: If you can create a product and business that offers jaw-dropping, un-compromised quality to a cleverly positioned group of potential customers with absolute the need and desire and then create exclusivity to the extent that everyone feels the need to tell everyone about it…. well, you can have Cult-Status too.

It isn’t that hard. In the world of fast food (not exactly a hotbed of innovation), Furgburger did it by simply selling the best burgers in the world to the starving folk of partying Queenstown.

How can you create one (or more) of these four, Cult-Criteria in your business? Post a reply in the comment section below…