All You Need is 1,000 TRUE Sneezers

I was reading a post from Dustin Britt from Matchstic and I decided to comment on it. It may seem irrelevant, but I think the topic is great for discussion. The question that he presents is definitely one worth discussing. Here’s a snippet from his post…

Is Apple starting to oversell itself? I go to BestBuy, and there are now Apple computers for sale there; I go to Walmart and can buy an iPhone. And the way I feel when I see an iPhone at Walmart vs when I see one in the Apple Store or even on Apple’s website is a totally different vibe. Is Apple in danger of becoming Starbucks by starting to sell their products in places that don’t embody the same customer experience? Are they ultimately devaluing their brand by making this move?

THIS IS MY TAKEAWAY…

There has always been the issue of greed. For instance, a king bites more than he can chew in an attempt to conquer new territory, which results in an uprising and he loses everything. This has always been around and will always be. Companies will continue to fight for new markets and will compromise their brand, their customers, and their reputation to do so. However, those brands that stand firm and remain loyal have the opportunity to build legacy for generations. Terms such as marketing segmentation and target audience have become nothing more than vocabulary words in the textbooks of irrelevant business school college professors. Why? Because the goal of business today is EVERYONE instead of SOMEONE.

As Seth Godin would say, “All you need is 1,000 TRUE fans.”

These are the people who not only believe in your company and your product; they are the ones who spread the word. They are the Word of Mouth Agents. They are the Sneezers. These are your passionate followers, die-hard fans, and loyal customers. These are the people who stand out in line for hours to get the latest versions of your product. These are the bloggers and writers who talk about you and make others aware. To sacrifice your Sneezers for the sake of trying to reach “EVERYBODY” is not only dangerous, it is deadly.

Seth Godin said in his book – Purple Cow, “In a crowded and busy world, fitting in and not standing out is the same as being INVISIBLE. When the Sneezers stop sneezing, they eventually stop looking, and when they stop looking – you’re invisible.”

The temptation for every entrepreneur, leader, CEO, and company is to chase the currency and not the legacy. To compromise quality for quantity. And the result of this greed and gluttony is invisibility.

How does this relate to your business, organization, or church?

What are you doing to remain loyal to your Sneezers?