“Imagine if every client, customer, or patient felt so integrated into your business that they actually forgot what product or service you offer.” - Jared Yellin
I have always told fellow entrepreneurs and business owners to find a way for people to get more value from what they don’t pay for, than what they do pay for.
The level of retention that takes place when you find a way to integrate yourself into the life of your client, customer, or patient in a meaningful and EMOTIONAL way must become your insatiable conquest.
For example…
If you have a patient paying for a chiropractic adjustment, what are they NOT paying for that would potentially be even more valuable to them than what they are paying for…
If you sell your customer an ice cream cone, what are they NOT paying for that would potentially be even more valuable to them than what they are paying for…
If you offer a client business coaching services, what are they NOT paying for that would potentially be even more valuable to them than what they are paying for…
Remember, I never challenge you to do anything in life or business that I have either not proven OR am not doing and this concept of creating value outside of what you deliver is what has allowed SYNDUIT to scale to 40,000+ users in only a few short years and why CILA Labs has been able to launch 20 tech companies in four months!
This strategy is what builds a tribe, sense of community, and a movement - all of which - is what separates businesses with mediocre success from businesses with milestone impact and success.
I Will Never Forget Rita F.
About five years ago, I attended a convention with 35,000 people and 10% of the people were already using SYNDUIT in their business. It was such a unique experience for me because there was nowhere I could turn without someone knowing me, even when I had no idea who they were.
I had 100’s of conversations with people about how SYNDUIT transformed each person's life and business, but one discussion that really struck me happened with Rita F.
“I actually forgot that you are the marketing software company I use because you are my coach, mentor, and inspiration, AND for the record, I use your marketing software daily.”
It really struck me because my goal was always to make our intangibles more valuable than the tangibles, but she was the first person to help me see that we did it.
She FORGOT that she was paying our company for marketing software - although she uses it daily - because she always thinks of us as her coach, mentor, inspiration, etc. - all of which are intangibles that we don’t charge for, but take massive pride in because we know it’s a missing piece that our users need.
I remember coming back to the office after this convention with intense fire to double down on these efforts so that we were able to have even more Rita’s emerge with the multi-faceted benefits they experienced when in our tribe.
Rita’s comment made me ferocious about building a culture that was present for our movement, because the feeling of being one with something is often absent in the lives of most people.
We Have Now Made Rita’s Comment Our Norm And So Can You
Just the other day, I was talking with a Co-Founder of a CILA Labs portfolio company who told me that even if we never launch her product and/or it fails miserably, these 90-days working with our company has been the most remarkable of her life. I asked her to explain and this is what she said…
“When I said YES to partner with you, everything inside was telling me to retreat. I don’t have what it takes, I have a terrible money mindset, I am terrified of success, and I am even more scared of the spotlight. How in HELL would I be able to deliver on what's needed from me in this partnership. In less than 90-days, not only am I certain that I CAN step into the shoes I am needed to fill, but I WILL be doing this with extreme enthusiasm and even more certainty. This newfound sense of confidence is worth everything and it has already radically changed my life.”
Please recognize…
CILA Labs is a technology incubator that partners with people who have ideas that are solving a big problem. We are NOT a personal development company. We are NOT coaches. We are NOT therapists. We are tech entrepreneurs who are motivated to eliminate every inefficiency that exists in the world.
And a Co-Founder of a company we have partnered with has said that her entire life has revolutionized in 90-days!
Just another example of making the INTANGIBLES even more impactful than the TANGIBLES!
But here’s what you need to know…
NONE of this happens by accident…
NONE of this is just coincidence…
NONE of this is serendipitous.,..
The feeling we create and the value we produce is 100% intentional because of my personal ferocious desire to ensure that what people don’t pay for makes what they pay for 100x more valuable.
And I literally mean 100x more valuable…
I want someone coming for an ICE CREAM CONE and leaving with a TRANSFORMATION!
I want someone coming for an ADJUSTMENT and leaving with a METAMORPHOSIS!
I want someone hiring a PERSONAL CHEF and leaving with UNDENIABLE CONFIDENCE!
And once again - this is 100% intentional, scripted, and produced.
AND AND AND AND
I am absolutely CERTAIN that you can do this as well - there is nothing unique about my ability to produce this attachment and outcome OTHER THAN the intentionality I bring to it…
So, Here’s How To Become Someone People Can’t Live Without…
This is the goal - become a CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT HUMAN!
This is NOT an unhealthy need…
This is NOT a sense of dependency…
This is NOT a game of manipulation…
Rather - this is integrous and intentional and it will radically change the life of the client, customer, or patient who steps into this space.
And like I mentioned shortly before - I know how to do this with EVERY person I meet because EVERYONE falls into the following five categories.
It all boils down to an unmet need.
And most unmet needs are NOT communicated so it becomes very challenging for these needs to be fulfilled.
But here’s the KEY…
99% of people fall into ALL categories and it might be challenging to know which one is their most unmet need, so my recommendation is to go in order…
Allow me to explain… (btw - this will become a training course, book, and potentially a seminar in the future because mastery around becoming someone who people CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT is a complete WIN for all parties!)
Unmet Need #1 - Sense of Belonging
Most people feel very isolated in life even if they have tons of friends, family, colleagues etc. There is no such thing as too much of a sense of belonging, so if/when your business creates this feeling for your clients, customers, and patients, then you/your business becomes something people can’t live without.
The easiest way to achieve this outcome is to host events (in-person and virtually) to unite your tribe, which will help each person realize that they are part of something much bigger than just a transaction in your place of business.
I don’t care if you are a hardware store, coffee shop, chiropractor, or a virtual coaching program - you can and must host interactive events so your people can meet one another and your business then creates a sense of community and belonging.
Unmet Need #2 - Desire for Contribution
I have yet to meet someone who does not have the desire to contribute even if they are naturally reserved and introverted. They yearn to have their ideas heard and implemented if their ideas make sense. The problem is that 99.9999% of businesses don’t create a feedback loop mechanism to deliver on this unmet need and as a result, the unmet need is still unmet.
Create space for people to contribute to what you are building, because when you do it will develop a sense of ownership around the specific initiative or idea and this person might just step up and step in to help which directly supports your business growth. But without meetings, Zooms, etc. to get the contributions most people feel like your business is a transaction versus a tribe.
Unmet Need #3 - Yearning To Be Seen
There is incredible power in integrous acknowledgment with no ulterior motive other than to make the receiving party see what you see. I find that most people feel like they blend in and don’t stand out and when you are able to express gratitude and SEE THEM FOR WHO THEY ARE, it creates an insane bond between you and this person.
This bond becomes transformation for them and wildy impactful for your business, but it starts with communicating what you see and NOT holding back emotion even if your internal voice is trying to have you temper your feelings. Feelings are meant to be used and distributed which will directly support your ability to help people see what you see in them!
Unmet Need #4 - Longing To Be Cool
This fourth unmet need is one that I often get laughed at, but I am telling you right here and right now, I deploy this with such precision that it creates an immediate bond and I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT!
We have this silly joke at CILA Labs because one day I asked the team…
“Is it possible that there are more people thinking about me at any given moment than Rihanna?”
They could not control themselves and it has nothing to do with the arrogance of this question because they KNOW I am not being arrogant, but here’s why they were (and still are) laughing…
1 - I dated myself - no one is thinking of Rihanna anymore!
2 - They think I am ridiculous.
3 - They boldly and proudly for the record said YES, but to use Beyonce next time.
Listen, WAYYYY more people are thinking about Beyonce and Rihanna - that I get - but there are 1000’s thinking of me because I am fulfilling their unmet need for COOL!
COOL is not an immature desire…
COOL is not a superficial need…
COOL is not silly!
It happens to be VERY VERY VERY real because COOL and CONFIDENCE are brothers and COOL and CERTAINTY are cousins.
So when you feel cool, you also feel confident and certain which are needs yearning to be filled.
My trick - LISTEN more than you SPEAK, acknowledge the person for what they have done, learn how to share your evolutionary story where it builds excitement, and drive the relationship to the outcome everyone wants.
Once again - I am a master of helping people feel authentically cool and the reason I make this my mission is because of the confidence and certainty that will also begin to emerge.
Unmet Need #5 - Aching For Love
The final unmet need, which you might not ever reach with most people because it’s too emotional raw for them to get there, is their insatiable desire for LOVE!
I know 100’s of people in marriage for many years who don’t feel loved…
I know 100’s of people who would do anything to have this experience…
I know 100’s of people who feel incapable of being loved…
And when you/your business can step into this unmet need by figuring out the language of love that this person needs - you will become LIFER for them. And I mean it - when you can crack the code on making someone feel LOVED because they ARE loved - that person will NEVER forget what you have done for them.
I can’t even express how powerful it is to step into LOVE with someone who is yearning for this unmet desire to be fulfilled.
Now What?!?!
Start at UNMET NEED #1 and deliver.
I guarantee that you notice a financial difference in your business…
I guarantee that you notice an exponential increase of referrals to your business…
I guarantee that you notice incredible retention statistics in your business…
And this is just unmet need #1 - as you continue to go deeper into the unmet needs of any one person - you will become even more integrated into their lives as they are integrated into their business and the outcome becomes…
I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT!
Which is where the title of this article emerges from…
3
2
1
TOGETHER
Is a chant that we boldly declare within our companies, but also within our tribe because we want people to realize that TOGETHER we achieve more and we are TOGETHER so that means we will ALL achieve more!
But just to repeat - this is NOT a thinking exercise - this is a DOING plan - so take action and let me know the outcome of your efforts.
I guarantee it will make a world of difference on a personal and professional level!
Live with Intention,
