You only need a small customer base to build huge rewards for your business. Being a Sharing Superhero means you’re first in line to the spoils since everything you do is dedicated to long-range customer relationships.

Can you feel the force?

In one of the most influential blog posts I have ever read over at The Technium, if you cosset and caress ten hundred customers to the point where they’re threaded into the tapestry of your business being you have a perfectly successful business.

If you can assign people to customer care roles where they show genuine concern, instead of just being good at reading scripts and saying no, then you can grow this. However, many companies have tried to succeed and aimed high, only to find they built their business on everything but the actual balloon and basket.

The long tail of today (a concept from Chris Anderson of Wired) means we can all find ways to succeed, even with more options available. People are still people, and we tend to have similar interests, hobbies, and wants. So if you become passionate about something, it’s likely that thousands of others around the globe will also share that same interest.

So as you thirst for world domination and exponential growth, it’s vital to remember that phase 1 – and perhaps the only phase of customer expansion you might ever need – starts with a relentless focus on that first 1,000. Walk in their shoes, belong where they are, understand their habits and concerns and be a leader in the world they crave.

What’s more surprising than this small number is the empowerment that tribe generates. Once those folks start loving your way, their power to raise your business way above your boldest expectations will be fully realised.

1,000 is achieveable. 1,000 is a number you can work with; your chief customer officer, whether that’s you or a colleague, will love you for setting your primary goals at that level. It’s perfect. And once the 1,000 is attained, you just need to work harder at making them happier. Then it’s time to turn on the celebratory tap and let the good times roll!