Clue#7: Creating a Crack Addiction

I've been toying with the idea that in order to be successful in business, you have to create a loyal following that goes beyond "customer satisfaction" and even a bit past "customer loyalty".

I call it "customer crack addiction".

Now, I mean this in the nicest possible way, with no offense to any crackheads that might be reading my post.

I examined other possible ideas and concepts. I've read Jeffrey Gitomer's book, "Customer Satisfaction is Worthless, Customer Loyalty is Priceless", and I agree with so much of what he writes.

At one point he draws the comparison to a marriage. Would you want your spouse to be "satisfied" or "loyal"?

Great analogy. But I think there's another level: "Addicted"

In my mind, I want my spouse to be addicted to me. He can't get enough of me. Would do anything to be close to me. I might draw the line at being obsessed with having me, but I think you get the idea.

The Bible tells husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church. In my mind, that means be willing to die for me. To lay down his life in order to save me.

Periodically, I ask my husband if he's willing to take a bullet, or give up a kidney for me.

I'm still working on getting him "trained". Hee hee.

But in business, you I believe you CAN create an addiction to your products and services. Before I share that wih you, though, let's take a look at the desired results:

Crack/Cocaine is a nervous system stimulant. It affects the brain, and leaves you in a temporary state of euphoria. Essentially, you feel SO GOOD while you're "high" on the drug that you lose touch with the problems and issues of your reality. I heard Tony Robbins explain it in his Personal Power series of 20 years ago. In basic terms, you are feeling immense pleasure and absolutely no pain while you are under the influence of the drug. You have no inhibitions, no fears, no doubts, worries. Nothing negative exists in this world.

NO WONDER people become drug addicts!

And how does the pusher work?
He gives you a taste for free. You might remember the commercals that ran in the late 80's/early 90's with the kid who was just supposed to give the 'stuff' away. Then when his friends came back - "THAT'S When I start charging?" said the kid.

Before this story takes a dark turn, let's bring it back to my business analogy.

We've all seen the thousans upon thousands of 'freebies' that are given away every singleday on the internet. Put you email address here and we'll give you our free ezine, our free special report, our free tip of the week, our free piece of day old limburger cheese...

I'm kidding about the cheese.

But you get the idea. Everyone's offering something for free to get you to give up your precious contact information so that they can barrage you with emails about the latest and greatest thing they want to sell you.

Here's where I start to huff and puff. I'm blowing the house down, folks.

I've built my newsletter over the past year to a sizeable audience. Thousands of you read my work every week. I'm humbled by that. And I don't charge a penny for it - and never will as far as I can tell. As long as email is free, my newsletter will be too.

But like cocaine, once you develop a tolerance for it, you need more and more to get the high you first did. And no, I've never done drugs, just so we're clear on that. I'm a just say no girl. If anything, chocolate is my drug of choice!

So you, as a consumer, have grown immune to the "click here for your free report" type marketing. And that's GOOD news for you.

Because it means we as sales people have to raise the bar and give you more value.

As far as I'm concerned, I want your business. I want to make millions and millions of dollars off my customers for decades to come. I want to create a crack addiction with you. I want you to be so excited about the products and services that I offer that you don't even blink an eye about opening your wallet to "get the goods" from me.

But like a drug addiction, you're not paying big coin for regurgitated crap. I'm not selling you baking soda or powdered sugar. This is a powerful, mind expanding, state altering product. Once you've tried it, you'll never go back to the way you were. It's not possible. You will have changed in your very core. You will be SO different because you will know things you may not have known before. You'll be so CLEAR on your mission and passion in your life, that you'll know what to do and how to take action.

But like any good "pusher" you first have to get a sample...

Some of you are giving some great guesses. Tell your friends to join in the fun, there's still time! The big announcement is tonight at 7pm. Post your guesses here, and watch this blog for more clues throughout the day!