Sure, building 1000 true fans sounds simple enough, but how do you keep and engage them?

Because isn’t that the 2nd thought that crosses your mind?

It’s true, earning your 1st 1000 customers has no quick answer or growth hack solution, because if it was quick & easy, it’d be the antithesis of what it means to have a genuinely, deeply engaged customer.

It’s really about quality over quantity, of customers AND the experience they have.

It’s the 80/20 rule in action where  80% of sales will come from 20% of your most engaged customers.

It’s the distribution curve because statistically, quality customers lie at the right extreme of the distribution curve, not the lukewarm middle who might complain a lot, are price sensitive, and always have 1 foot out the door “in case something better comes along.”

It’s the technology adoption lifecycle where this time, it’s the left extreme of the distribution curve who are so enthusiastic about the innovativeness of your product, that they sit through the software bugs or the cardboard packaging.

Because they have faith in your mission, the product’s potential, and or the burgeoning community developing behind it.

In short, it’s about the long game.

Thought leaders have known this for decades, rarely talk about it directly, and instead show it through their actions:

• It’s why world class marketer, Seth Godin, writes a daily blog post for the past 5 years,
• It’s why author and growth advisor, Ryan Holiday, painstakingly built his mailing list by providing weekly book reviews for years
• And It’s why Tim Ferriss has volleyed over  his Five Bullet Fridays for hundreds of weeks to hundreds of thousands of subscribers

They don’t make money by doing this, but instead do it for the long haul, for the ongoing nurturing and engagement of their diehard fanatics.

Let me guess….

Wondering how to keep your 1000 true fans engaged but don’t know where to start?

Publishing hundreds of blogs posts, newsletters, or emails aren’t the only way.

The following ideas have been successfully proven and could be worth considering:

• Look for partnerships with co’s who share similar audiences (think Lyft + Grubhub)
• Experiment with both digital AND old channels (ex. mail a newsletter with a personal signature)
• Provide a one-off, free “office hours” of services or products (hyped through social channels)
• Engage customers & their loved ones (think Reddit sending gifts to users & their mothers on Mother’s Day; the added dimension could leave a memorable impression)

How do you keep your customers engaged? Share in the comments below.

~JK