Startups Rule #1: Nobody Cares

Rule #1 For StartUps: Nobody Cares

©2001-2017 Primal Branding®, Primal Code® and Thinktopia® are registered trademarks

Here’s the sad hammer of truth:


Nobody cares if you succeed.


In fact, most people expect you to fail.


90% of new products fail, not because they aren’t

better or more innovative or disruptive, but because

they have not attached themselves to people in

ways that make them care.©2001-2017 Primal Branding®, Primal Code® and Thinktopia® are registered trademarks

So you have to make people care.


You may be enthusiastic, have great attitude and a great business plan, but what you really need to

move from cult to culture is great narrative.


You need to create your own tribe. Then move it

from cult to culture.


How? Here’s how.


Create your story.


1. Every great narrative starts with, “Once upon a time…”, “One hundred years ago…”, so start your own creation myth. In the beginning, it’s all you have.


2. Next explain, “Why are you here?” Explain yourself. We don’t have time to listen, so make it quick: Think. Think different. Imagine. Invent. Be the best you can be. The ultimate driving machine.


3. Now make sure that we can identify you. Sure this can be your logo and a website. It can also be your unique product design, e.g. Beats, iPhone, Jibo, Hex. A unique sound, smell, flavor, texture, or packaging. Differentiate yourself.

Sight, sound, taste, smell, touch are all iconic sensations wired to create instant positive (or negative) impressions. These instantaneous memes are hard-wired to tell us spontaneously whether we should come closer or run away.


The taste of Chobani, the playing fields of Call Of Duty, the sensory-surround of virtual reality—the fragrant smells of Caldrea cleaning products actually make people want to clean.


The right icons can make people desire you.


4. Create positive, distinctive rituals. You are building a community, so know what things you want your community to celebrate.


If you want a positive ritual, get a hug. If you want a negative ritual, call your bank.


Another word for ritual is process. Make the way you do things even slightly different and it can sometimes create huge effects.


Make people (including your competitors) wish, dream and hunger to do things the way you do.


5. Language creates culture. Surround your new idea with a unique vocabulary that instantly identifies you. Example? “Iced grande decaf skinny latte.” More examples: “iPhone”. “Burners.” “LOL.”


When people start using your language, it means they want to become a part of your tribe.


And still, nobody cares.


6. Especially those people standing right over there. The cruel fact is that some people will never be a part of your Venn diagram. Not everyone wants to buy you or buy into you.


Acknowledge them, but don’t believe them.


Stand on your own side of the line and wave people over to come stand with you. “Be one of us. We’re not like them.” When people feel safe enough (or brave enough) to step over to your side of the line, welcome them. “Thanks for coming. You’re cool. We’re cool. We have fun together, don’t we?” Now celebrate.


7. Take me to your leader. Everyone wants to know who’s leading the way. Who’s your Alpha? Who has the notion and unprecedented sense of purpose to steer us into the next world?


These 7 pieces create your strategic brand narrative. They tell your story and hit the emotional touchpoints that create community. Each piece should be tweaked and made better over time, but all seven need to be there.


Create your own narrative stream and stand tall. You will trigger the emotional parts that make your ecosystem feel better than any other. Eventually, more and more people will care. Really care.


Some pieces will surprise and delight people more than others and that’s okay. You can adapt and adjust pieces (even measure them) so that it becomes a collaborative interaction among community members.


Most of all, it can help make people so excited about your community, they will help create it themselves.


Along the way, you will disrupt apathy and move people from “Who cares?’ to “I CARE!”


Perfect. You win.


©2015 ® THE SOCIAL CODE CIRCLE IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK

Now you’re ready for Rule #2: Have fun.


For a deeper understanding, check out PrimalBranding and The Social Code. Available on amazon.com And https://www.facebook.com/PrimalBranding


http://amazon.com

https://www.facebook.com/PrimalBranding

Patrick Hanlon.“I work with billion dollar brands to help startups become billion dollar brands.”


Recognized as the world’s leading brand evolutionary, Hanlon is ceo and founder of THINKTOPIA®, a

global brand and strategic innovation practice for Fortune 100 clients including American Express, Levis,

Kraft Foods, Johnson & Johnson, Yum! Foods, Wrigley, PayPal, Gap, the United Nations and others. His

book Primal Branding: Create Zealots For Your Brand, Your Company And Your Future was published by Simon &

Schuster/Free Press, is listed as one of the Top 10 books in marketing and branding. Primal Branding® is

the seminal book that triggered the evolving role of brands as belief systems and is mandatory reading at

YouTube, the largest social engagement platform on the planet. It is their recommended construct for

designing and attracting online social communities. Hanlon has been a keynote or guest speaker at

TEDx, IDEO, Unreasonable Group, New York University, American Marketing Association, American

Advertising Federation, Syracuse University, Urban Land Institute, and in emerging geographies

including China, India, Russia and South America.

Leadership & Management

Startups Rule #1: Nobody Cares