The Power of Red Velvet Ropes

Personally, I've never been to a nightclub. I don't really thrive in that type of environment. But I know enough that they almost always have the glorious VIP section. That isolated area closed off by the Hollywood red velvet rope and guarded by scary-looking bouncers who can end your life with one punch. The area where people get the absolute best treatment in the club.

No waiting in line.

Special service.

Better seats.

When you see these VIPs having the times of their lives, it makes you think, "Man, I want to be a part of that." You kinda get the same feeling when you see fraternities, sororities, and social cliques like the "cool lunch table" back in high school. This behavior all boils down to a people's need to belong. People always look for connections with other people to feel accepted and supported. It's a part of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.

You may be asking, how does this apply to business?

Let's take the iPhone for example. Apple created an iPhone community by giving the phone unique features like the blue text speech bubble. When you're texting someone and see that beautiful blue text bubble, it makes you think, "Ah a fellow iPhone user, I don't have to see that inferior green text bubble."

Here's another example from the copywriting industry. Copy Chief, a private membership platform where thousands of high quality copywriters learn and hang out. The creator, Kevin Rogers, does a great job of creating the need to belong to get people to join. In the sales page, he uses powerful words like "copywriting elites," or "connect with industry leaders." He even included a picture of Copy Chief members wearing shirts that say "Nobody Writes Alone."

The takeaway here is this:

Create your own community in your business. Give your community a unique name. Make it sound exclusive. Make it a community that people would sell their kidneys to be a part of.

And I get it, not everyone that comes across your business is going to be a fanatic. But it's not impossible to turn them into one either. With the power of email, slowly but surely, you'll build your own raging fan base.