A promotional page is a one-stop, easy to access, easy to use, handy place on your website with everything a person would need to share your business with others. The idea is to make is easy for customers, fans, family members, friends, collaborators, supporters, influencers, affiliates, bloggers, complementary biz owners, or any other awesome. Here are some guidelines for creating a duck for your customer service strategy: 1. Make it simple 2. Make it cheap 3. Make it unique and indicative of your company’s culture 4. Make it something that customers will adore 5. Make it easy for the staff to carry through So there you have it, a simply ducky response to making you.

Cults – ok, I’ll admit they are pretty creepy.

Usually what comes to mind are names like: Heaven’s Gate, Sung Yung Moon and Jim Jones.

When we see cult members selling flowers at airports or soliciting funds in subways, collectively we wonder: “What the hell happened to that guy”? Personally I am amazed at how fragile we are. How quickly opinions and even long standing values can be changed through “cult like” influence.

Truth is most people go with the crowd – they don’t want to admit it – but in most circumstances the masses can make the individual do things they would never do. Joe Frances, the founder of Girls Gone Wild realized this years ago. Using peer pressure tactics Joe is able to get young girls (from very decent homes) to expose their breasts (and other body parts) for his video cameras. Joe is now a billionaire. As a father of two beautiful girls, I can’t say that I approve of his tactics – but I recognize the marketability of his product. As a fierce defender of the first amendment I strongly believe that he should have the right to do what he does.

Talk to someone who works for Pepsi, The Trump Organization or Apple Computer and you will find out first hand what a “cult like” following is. Companies like these have managed to do something amazing – they have gotten both their employees and customers to “drink the cool-aid” (sorry for the negative reference ) and really become advocates of their brands.

Don’t believe me? Ok – try this sometime – call up a friend who owns a Mac Computer and tell him that there is a new Microsoft Operating System coming out. Tell him the new Microsoft System is better. Go on – just try it. The reaction that you will get is what we all should be striving for. It is a level that goes way beyond customer loyalty. It is a “cult-like” following.

A “cult-like” following when initiated properly can be the most powerful way to build your business or brand. Follow these instructions and you will be able harness its power. These instructions are readily available on the internet. I post them here with the intent of helping clients build business.

How do you start a “cult like” following in 5 easy steps:

Step 1. Create a we vs. them situation

Everything in this universe is inversely related. Hot and Cold, Day and Night, Tall and Short, Fat and Thin, Smart and Dumb, Rich and Poor, Love and Hate.. Ever notice how we tend to not leave much room for stuff in the middle? Our natural state is to choose sides.

So

Step 2. Make them choose sides

Once a side is chosen it is very difficult for your follower to change their mind. The position gets adopted and you will be well on your way to having an advocate working on your behalf.

Step 3. Create a common enemy

Part of being on your side is recognizing that there is a common enemy that we must fight! It could be an evil boss (btw, the boss may actually be a nice guy – but that will not help your position – he must be evil!!!). It could be a disease (how much money has been raised for AIDS research because a large group felt the need to fight a common enemy). Perhaps it is your competitor – are you a Mac or PC? Create a common enemy and your followers will have a purpose!

Step 4. Ask for sacrifices

No – not their first born (although it has been done). Once someone is firmly on your team, ask them to volunteer to help. The idea here is to create a community. Ask someone to sacrifice and make them accountable for their efforts. Some of your followers will be lost because they wont want to make the effort – but the ones that stay are really going to serve your purposes.

Step 5. Continually reinforce behavior

“Cult-like” behavior is constantly being reinforced. Dale Carnegie said: “Be hearty in your approbation and lavish in your praise”.

Once again – I am not an advocate of destructive cults – let me be clear – these instructions are not meant to advise someone on how to start a religious or destructive cult. I believe, however, something can be learned from those that have utilized these tactics.

Many good “cult-like” behaviors have been used to cure disease, save the environment and educate children. “Cult-like” tactics are used in winning elections. I can’t tell you how many arguments I saw on line at the polls last November! Talk about a “Cult-like” following.

Truth is we have all be influenced by these tactics. What product, service, team or club do you feel connected to in this way? Think about it.

How can you put a strategy together to gain a following that will elevate your business and help your followers at the same time?

Who doesn’t want an engaged, qualified, and loyal cult following? If you’re looking to build an evergreen brand, this is essential. You can’t just go for the low hanging fruit, which takes the form of “fly by night fans.” These might be people who like your page because they think your pictures are pretty, but don’t actually know what it is you do or stand for. Although their engagement might feel good, it won’t help you build a timeless social presence.

Do An Avatar Analysis

Hone in on a specific character profile, and focus on creating content that they’ll find extremely useful. If you want to create an engaged and loyal social tribe, you must first know exactly who it is you’re talking to. If you think you can just go based on your own interests, personality, and current hot topics, you’re mistaken. This is a great way to scare potential followers away. You need to build a consistent brand message.

Use The Avatar Analysis To Guide Your Brand Voice

What words do they use? For example, talking to a millennial sounds way different than talking to a golden ager. Don’t blur those lines. What’s the everyday language of your ideal follower? Make a list of acceptable words and phrases. On a large scale, this might sound foolish, but the more granular you get with your avatar research, the better.

How To Create A Cult Following For Your Business Organization

Test, Test And Test Some More

If you’ve solidified a different social media direction, make sure you measure your results. Commit to one week of regular posting, and make sure all this content consistently uses your brand voice. After one week, reflect on your results. If engagement was low, you can assume that this is a voice that doesn’t click well with your followers.

Scale The Conversations

Figure out what conversations resonate with your followers. Then scale those topics. For example, let’s say you post a photo on Instagram that totally takes off. It inspires comments, likes, reposts … the entire gauntlet. So why not bring that same conversation over to Facebook? Now, don’t just do a simple copy and paste. Rewrite it with the Facebook user intent in mind.

Reward Your Followers

Give your followers a reason to engage. Run social contests. Create valuable, evergreen content. Thank them for their continuing support and involvement. Above all else, acknowledge them. Take time to engage them in conversation. Don’t put yourself or your brand up on a pedestal.

Integrate Social With Other Methods

You can’t just rely on social. Counting on any one marketing method or channel is dangerous. I used to own an online clothing store, and 80% of our traffic came from Facebook. I was roping in 1,000+ unique visitors a day, but let me tell you this. If Facebook got shut down, I would be totally out of luck. My business would’ve taken a nosedive. So find 2-3 marketing methods that resonate with your audience, and master them. For example, if you’re marketing to millennials, text messaging might be an awesome solution. If you’re trying to reach business savvy professionals on the go, Twitter might be a great option.

The Core Benefits Of A Cult Following

How To Create A Cult Following For Your Business Needs

• Your followers will be loyal to your brand.
• Selling products/services will be that much easier.
• Regular high engagement makes easier to identify a content problem and nip it in the bud.

How To Create A Cult Following For Your Business Entity

Sure, there’s more to building a cult following than these basic tips. But, start here. Master these suggestions. Then you can move on to some more intermediate methods.