TCM #017: The 4-Step Dance to Your First 1000 True Customers
Read time: 3 minutes
Hey one & all 👋 – Tom here.
Happy Saturday to 971 motivated ecommerce entrepreneurs.
Below is your weekly one short tip on marketing and revenue growth for your ecommerce business.
Enjoy & please hit reply if I can help in any way!
This weeks sponsor is... yours truly! 🫡
The Ecom OS Course & Community is finally here!
Check it out right here.
Once upon a time, not too long ago, I was sitting exactly where you are. I had a fresh-faced Shopify store and a dream in my pocket.
Fast forward a few years, and I'm sipping Coconut Mojitos in Cheesecake Factory on the regular while my store *almost* runs itself. Sounds like a fairy tale, right? I mean, who doesn't love Cheesecake Factory?
So let's get down to brass knuckles, shall we?
How the heck do you get your first 1,000 raving customers?
Here are 4 steps that will get there faster than a kangaroo on a trampoline.
1. (You've GOT to) Identify Your Ideal Customer 🎯
It blows my little mind how many folks running ecommerce stores skip this step. You need to know your customers better than you know the lyrics to your favourite shower-time song.
Who are they? What do they want or not want? And why do they want it?
As Ted Lasso says: "Be curious".
Inside the Ecom OS is an in-depth worksheet on Identifying Your Ideal Customer Avatar (ICA) if you ever need it.
2. Develop Products That Resonate 🔎
This one's a no-brainer, but no product starts from zero. You don't need to reinvent the wheel. Take an existing product in the market (that has a proven market fit) and iterate on it.
How do you know what your ideal customer finds irresistible?
That's where your ICA comes into play.
Knowing your ICA isn't just about knowing who they are, it's about understanding their desires, their needs, and their pain points. It's about knowing what makes them tick, what keeps them up at night, and what solutions they are desperately seeking.
This becomes your guiding light when it comes to developing products. It will help you create offerings that solve their problems, meet their needs, and fulfil their desires.
It's also worth noting that different ICAs buy the same products.
Don't believe me?
What do 21-year-old girls going to the gym to get fit & healthy, and 50-year-old male divorcees trying to get back into shape have in common?
They're both consuming supplements to speed up results, but you talk to them very differently.
Step 3: Construct a Brand Community 🏰
The third step is about transforming customers into brand advocates and bringing them into a platform where you "own" the relationship.
Engage your audience with a blog, by going live, a Facebook group, a weekly newsletter (hello!), or even a podcast.
You don't want to accrue customers – you want die-hard brand advocates who'll shout your brand name from the rooftops.
The more you can provide for your Ideal Customer (see how this keeps coming up?) by going deep into their needs and wants, the more they'll stick around.
Foster those relationships.
The rewards and brand value it creates are immense.
Step 4: Offer Unforgettable Customer Service 🎉
A happy customer is a repeat customer.
Great CS is the cherry on top of your ecommerce sundae that will truly make your brand stand out.
Most brands – how do I put this delicately? – still suck at customer service.
Deliver exceptional service, and you'll have customers who will sing your praises to everyone they know.
They'll become your brand ambassadors, your free marketers, and your biggest fans. That's why your customer service needs to be as smooth as a chocolate milkshake on a hot summer's day and as delightful as a surprise birthday party.
It's about little things like personalised thank-you notes, surprise samples, or just asking for feedback and actually implementing it.
These are the touches that transform a simple shopping experience into a memorable one, turning first-time buyers into loyal customers.
And loyal customers drive big profits and life-changing exit valuations.
There you have it! The 4-step dance to your first 1000 true customers. Cliche as it sounds – the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. So, pick one of these steps and take action today.
You don't need to do it perfectly, but you'll get more home runs when you actually start swinging the bat that's in your hand.
(I've got baseball on the brain – I'm headed to the MLB in London next week ⚾️)
Remember, I'm here to help you every step of the way.
If you're feeling stuck, shoot me an email and we'll tackle the problem together, or jump into the new Ecom OS Community and start taking some action. After all, we're all in this big, crazy ecommerce world together.
Keep being awesome & touch that grass,
Tom Brown 👋
P.S. Have a topic you'd like me to cover in the next newsletter? Let me know. I'm all ears. 📬
P.P.S. Ready for more? Here's how I can help you level up your ecommerce game:
- The Ecommerce OS: This is my go-to system for skyrocketing from $0 to $1M in revenue (while staying profitable). (Your exclusive 50% discount ends this weekend.)
- Team up 1:1: Together, we'll outline your goals, craft a knockout strategy, and create a tactical action plan to supercharge your Shopify store. (Join 200+ clients who have already upped their ecommerce game.)
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Catch you next week or over on Twitter.
