Building a Following: What’s Loyalty Got To Do With It?
There’s a lot to be said about how to build a following - especially a loyal one. The most obvious of which is that it has everything to do with leadership.
The irony is that most people look to specific business strategies or sales tactics believing that will do it - and while offering great sales or prices might build a following - it’s almost certain that that following is more loyal to low prices than they are to you.
The only thing more certain than that is the fact that they’ll leave you for the next guy whose providing just as much value, for just a little less. So if sales and prices aren’t the key to building a loyal following, what is? And how is it that so many entrepreneurs with almost a cult-like following actually tend to offer the highest-priced goods and services?
The reality is that building a loyal following is more about relationship building than it is about anything else. Great leaders know that relationship building is the foundation to their great leadership - because you can’t do it alone - and great leaders know that peoples loyalty is a gift.
“A large following isn’t worth much if they don’t actually follow your lead.”
For those of us building an online personal brand, presence, or persona, you already know that the internet is a fickly place. One day you’re HOT shit and the next day you’re falling off the top of a pedestal you hardly realized you were on - because if you had, you might have paused to enjoy it more. Because things tend to change quickly online and people tend to get distracted easily by “the next new thing” they’re being coerced into supporting, there are some things to be aware of so that you, and your personal brand, don’t get swept out with the riptide. Doing the following will help you build a following that’s loyal to you, your brand, and what you represent - and they will reciprocate with you give to them with their loyalty, support, and purchases.
Check Your Mindset
Don’t get overly concerned with growing your following to the extent that you ignore your existing followers. A small, yet loyal following is worth a thousand times more than a large transient following. When it comes to your business, loyal readers convert because you've built a relationship with them.
Know what you stand for
What are your values? Are you clearly communicated them through your brand? Whether you realize it or not, you have a set of values which can be applied to your niche. Your own unique set of values comes through in your content whether you intend to or not, so knowing what you stand for helps your followers to identify your values and gives them a chance to align with them - or to unfollow.
Create meaningful content
By creating meaningful content, you continually give your followers a reason to come back. Do you give your followers something they can take away, or are you just asking for them to give you attention? What is your intention? If it’s to enrich the lives of others through your content, make sure that’s what it’s actually doing. “Meaningful” can manifest in many ways through your content, does it make people laugh, does it educate, does it inspire? Analyze your followers reactions and engagement - even better, ask them.
Develop a growth strategy
Do you have a plan for how you will grow? Do you know what growing your following would entail? Is “growth” more followers or more engagement? A strategy helps you identify what works and what doesn't. Your plan will be in constant evolution. Knowing what you want to achieve, and mapping out a plan will help you stay focused and be able to understand when it’s time to make changes/pivot.
Be consistent
Be consistent in both the frequency of your posts AND in your message. Overall, stick to your values, your direction and show up on a regular basis. This is why knowing your values and taking a stand is so important! We all evolve, but there is a line - and if you need to cross it because you learned something new or had a personal revelation that changed your beliefs about a topic relative to your stand - then own it and be transparent about your growth journey. Your followers want to see you model consistency in your stand and message.
Give your followers a name
I’ve not personally done this as of yet but I have noticed many personal brands who have engaged this strategy. If you think it seems cheesy, think again. From a psychological perspective, it gives your follower base a sense of camaraderie and belonging to something larger than themselves. It also promotes your own sense of attachment to your community.
Engage with your most engaged
Engaging with everyone who comments on your content can be fun but can also become unsustainable over time and as you grow. You have to decide if you want to spend your time engaging with follower comments or creating more quality content. Don’t sacrifice high-quality, consistent content for engagement. Engage with your most loyal follower and create meaningful interactions that make them to feel special.
Promote your followers
There are a lot of ways you can promote your followers - also known as sharing your audience with your audience. This might seem counter-intuitive, but it works. Some of my strongest relationships online are with people who promoted me or my content to their audiences. As a result, they helped me grow my audience. I reciprocated in kind and we became loyal followers and supporters of one another’s work. You can do an interview, post their thoughtful comments to the rest of your following, or promote them on social media.. when in doubt, ask them what they would prefer and work with them to select a piece of their content that makes the most sense for you to share with your larger audience and the best means or platform for you to share it.
Give your followers what they don't know they want (yet)
Sometimes it's good to ask your followers what they want to see but it’s important to recognize that what your followers say they want often is not what they really want.. Your goal is to be the one who surprises them with something they never knew they wanted and probably didn't know it was what they were looking for.
Drop what doesn't work
Even with all of these tips, building a loyal following takes time and some trial-and-error as it continuously evolves. If something you try doesn’t work, drop it, tweak it, or try something new. What can you put into action to serve your followers? Taking action on that right away will do a lot for building a loyal following.
If you’re looking for a place to find like-minded individuals where you can build collaborative relationships and get support for your relationship and business pain-points, become a member of the Edgy Entrepreneur Community on Facebook and join us for Unf*ck Your Mindset Friday at 12:30pm EST on April 22nd where we’ll discuss this topic in more detail, answer your questions, and help you unpack this topic further.
Stay Edgy-
Coach Oriana Guevára, MHR, MBA
Co-Founder, The Edgy Entrepreneur
© Edgy Entrepreneur, LLC. • 51 E. Jefferson St. #3292, Orlando, FL 32802 • www.edgyentrepreneurs.com
