How to Start a Cult: Building A Community Around Your Brand

Starting your cult or, community, for your brand may sound easy. However, it's easier said than done. While every entrepreneur has the idea to start their own community for their brand, most entrepreneurs are not able to create the following that they want.

But don't worry; to create that community you want, you just need the right tools, or should we say, the right message.

To start your cult, you have to start with a strong message — something that sets you apart from competitors. Look at the Dollar Shave Club for example. One might see them as cheap razors, until they came into the market and started competing with the big brands.

All because their message was "You shouldn't be paying more than a dollar for razors." Since that message was so strong, people decided to spend more than a dollar at the Dollar Shave Club.

Having your own strong message is key. While every entrepreneur has their own message, sometimes it isn't working, because it's the same as every brand's message. Brands try hard to put their mission in their message and try to get others to agree with that. However, brands should develop a message that attracts the right people and repels the wrong people.

To do that, you must create an enemy--what is your message an enemy of? You must have a specific enemy or you're never going to attract the right people. Next, find a difference between your enemy and your message and make that your "hook".

There, you'll be able to create a community who will be able to bond and connect with loving your message and hook while also hating that specific enemy.

BY JETTA M. HOLIDAY
MARKETING INTERN AT LM