What’s the Difference Between a Grateful Fan and a Raving Fan?
Everyone has heard the term “loyal customer” before, but what about “grateful fan”? This is Mark Bowling’s way of describing the type of customer who is not just loyal, but feels genuine gratitude toward a business. Although much of his new book Gravitude discusses gratitude within the workplace with a more internal focus, he doesn’t neglect the external: that is, cultivating gratitude among one’s patrons.
In today’s blog, we are delving into the difference between a loyal customer (or fan), raving fan, and grateful fan. Read on to discover which one will help your business the most in the long run and to learn a practical tip for improving your organization’s customer relations.
Loyal Fans
Simply put, customer loyalty is “the fact of a customer buying products or services from the same company over a long period of time” (Cambridge Dictionary). Who doesn’t want that, right? All business owners know what customer loyalty is–and many spend sizable chunks of their budget implementing different ways to acquire it. From rewards programs at your favorite fast food restaurants to customer appreciation events and much more, customer loyalty is widely sought after. Most people in business strive to build loyal customer relationships so they can make more money.
Raving Fans
Let’s take that to the next level. A raving fan goes beyond a loyal fan. More than a repeat customer, raving fans will (as per their name) not only rave about your company, but are also more willing to pay a premium for your product or service. The term “raving fan” comes from leadership expert and writer Ken Blanchard, who (with Sheldon Bowles) wrote the book Raving Fans [A Revolutionary Approach to Customer Service]. In Ken’s words, their idea is that “you don’t want to simply satisfy your customers. You want to treat them so well that they are blown away–that they brag about you. The way to do that is to think about the customer service experience you want them to have.” So, the higher quality the customer service experience, the more likely you are to have raving fans–people who not just remember to return, but who will tell all their friends and family about your business, too.
Grateful Fans
Last but not least, we arrive at grateful fans, a concept discussed in Chapter 13 of Gravitude titled “Gratitude Evangelism.” Mark describes a grateful fan as a customer who feels emotionally touched by a company that has anticipated and intentionally met their (the customer’s) needs. These companies are thinking beyond their own interest (beyond simply making more money) and instead thinking of the interest of their customers.
Even better than a raving fan, a group of grateful fans is the best thing your business can have. Grateful fans will be passionate brand evangelists and are naturally less concerned about price because they know and trust that your company is looking out for them in every way. “Empathy is at the heart of this mindset,” he writes. “It’s the drive to benefit others by putting ourselves in their shoes, contemplating what matters most to them.” According to Mark, “what matters most” could look like a lot of different things, from supporting a customer’s children to considering a customer’s time, respect, and/or dignity. It could also look like providing expertise free of charge or reimagining new and out-of-the-ordinary ways to acknowledge your customers.
Tip #1 on Cultivating Grateful Fans: Don’t Just Wait Until Christmas.
Many companies choose to honor their clients with notes or gifts around the holidays, but what if you found creative ways to show your appreciation throughout the year? Mark encourages you to take notes from the Random Acts of Kindness movement, where acts of benevolence are less forced and more random. A “random” gift is much more likely to be perceived as genuine by your customers.
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Interested in learning more ways to cultivate grateful fans? Chapter 13 contains eight different tactics that are each described with real-life examples. To read them–and start implementing them so you can foster grateful fans–purchase Mark Bowling’s Gravitude today!
If your organizational culture is an example of Gravitude in action, please contact me. I would like to feature your story in future blog posts.
Gravitude can be found wherever books are sold! My favorites are:
Barnes & Noble (still love to support the brick and mortar)
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