The term ‘tribe’ has become a bit of a business buzzword recently. I’m still trying to work out whether I like it or not, but I know that a lot of you do so I’ll go with it. For me, the word tribe describes a niche audience, people who will come to you because they know you offer what they need.
On reflection I think I prefer talking about ‘my people’. I’ve been part of a fantastic group coaching programme recently and I’ve found myself describing the coach and the other members as my people quite a lot.
Anyway, none of us are here to get into a debate about semantics just now. Whatever you call them, your tribe, people, gang, or fans are all people who like you. Who those people are will depend on your business but the way you speak to them is incredibly important.
I know, I know, you’ve heard it all before. Start a blog and new customers will magically drop into your lap from the sky. Your life will be transformed because suddenly everyone on the internet will be beating a path to your door.
There are some hotels whose names will be recognised wherever you go in the world. You could be in New York or on an island somewhere in the Pacific and people will have heard of the Ritz, The Dorchester or Claridges. You might think that your regional hotel will never be able to reach those heights, but there’s no reason why you shouldn’t try and bring a little fame your way.
Did my last blog (catch up 
When you start talking about niching, people start to panic. It’s a natural reaction. Why would you deliberately narrow your audience when there’s so much potential business out there? You’d have to be crazy to turn good customers away, right?
I’ll forgive you if you’re wondering what on earth gamification is and what it has to do with you. Potentially, quite a lot. Gamification is everywhere, from coffee shops to online courses.
In any industry, there can often be a bit of a gap between a customer making a purchase and actually using the product. Even in my business a fair bit of time can often pass between the initial meeting and delivering the first piece of work. It can be hard to make your customers feel looked after.
You put so much effort into marketing your business. You work out who is most likely to buy from you, what they like and where they spend their time. Then you carefully craft your marketing message and put it where they’re most likely to see it.
Who really needs a travel agent these days? After all, almost anyone can search online and find their perfect holiday in a few minutes. Or find flights and hotels separately and save themselves a heap of cash.