Zombie Loyalists summary

Every army started with just one soldier. This will be true of your Zombie Loyalist army, too. Your very first supporter will make the rest of your journey possible. This doesn’t mean that finding your first Zombie Loyalist takes lots of time and effort, though. On the contrary, there are a few simple strategies you can use to transform the average customer into your number-one fan!

The first thing you can do is to leverage the power of surprise. Get your employees to perform some random acts of kindness and watch the effect it has on your customers. It’s this kind of human attention that will compel customers to come back to your store!

With your first Zombies on board, it’s time to up the ante. Zombie Loyalists love nothing more than infecting other customers! All you need to do is give them a reason to do it. So now that your employees are well versed in providing small surprises, start rewarding a few customers with special favors. 

Our society has known a lot of terrible customer service in its time, so a little extra thought goes a long way. One couple, for instance, booked a couple's massage at a spa in Maryland and were asked by the receptionist if it was for a special occasion. They told him it was their anniversary, and didn’t give it a second thought.

What would you trust more – a glossy poster announcing that a new cocktail bar is the best in town, or the story your friend tells you about the great talk he had with the bartender over an amazing Tequila Sunrise. It goes without saying that customers trust their network more than they trust a brand’s marketing. So how can you get your customers to spread the word?

It all starts with good manners. Saying thank you to existing customers is a surefire way of encouraging them to recommend you. Many companies fear social media today, believing it to be the breeding ground of bad reviews and copious complaints.

Regular zombies are brainless; Zombie Loyalists aren’t. If your company stops caring for them, they won’t hang around just for the heck of it! And remember: though gaining Zombie Loyalists will lead your company to great things, losing them will drag you down.

This doesn’t mean that you should fear or – even worse – cover up mistakes. As long as you acknowledge that you messed up and are trying to improve, your Zombie Loyalist will forgive you.