Do you have a favorite establishment that you visit routinely? I do. Would you even go so far to say you’re a bonafide brand loyalist? Meaning, whenever possible (without being obnoxious), you sing the praises of your favorite brand to friends, family and colleagues? Yep. I do that, too. See the picture to the left for my vice.

And do you know why it’s my vice? It’s because this particular brand does something that no other business does for me. In addition to having a great product that speaks for itself, the employees of this company have befriended me. Before I even pull up to the window, they’ve greeted me by name, asked how my dogs are doing, commented on my new haircut and have my drink ready to go. They already know what I want before I even reach the window. (Which is helpful given my indecisive nature.) And that is why I’m a Dutch Bros. brand loyalist.

Is this something only restaurants, coffee purveyors and retail stores can do? Certainly not. Any business can cultivate brand loyalists, though it takes work. Lots of “going the extra mile.” But the benefits are endless considering you’ll not only develop deeper relationships with your customers that may very well result in creating lifelong customers, but it makes the job of marketing a whole lot easier.

Here are a four easy ways your business can begin cultivating brand loyalists or “friendomers.” Friend + customer = friendomer. (Yes, I did in fact just make up that word. Feel free to spread it liberally.)

Take some time to focus
Lines may form, call queues may build. Remain cognizant of performing efficiently but above all, give each customer as much time as necessary. Encourage your employees to engage customers in small talk and get to know a little about their lives – not just what kind of coffee they’re ordering or what service they’d like to add on to their account.

For example, if a customer calls in to make a change to their account before leaving on vacation, make note of it. Imagine how that customer will feel next time they call in and the employee helping them asks, “How did you like Fiji?” Do you think that customer will remember that conversation? You bet they will…

Incentivize Them
Customer loyalty programs are becoming the norm, so your customers have come to expect it. You may not win any loyalists for this step alone, but it’s a critical piece of the equation. We’re all familiar with them. In fact you probably have at least one or all of the following on your keychain right now: a supermarket, video rental, retail, gas, or coffee rewards card. If you don’t currently have some type of loyalty program in place, change that. ASAP. But don’t just do it for the sake of doing it. Do it in a way that really makes the offer compelling.

At Dutch Bros., not only do I keep my coffee punch card nestled securely in my visor flap, but I’m enrolled in the mobile VIP club that alerts me of generous weekly promotions. I actually anticipate those text messages. Can you imagine that? If you’d like to kickstart a loyalty program, you can either run a few appropriate keywords through a search engine and find multiple customer loyalty management companies that can help, or you can visit this resource list compiled by PR guru Kevin Laverty.

Better yet, Surprise Them
This is where it gets interesting…and with its unlimited potential, it could really help you build a diehard cadre of “friendomers.” Have you looked into Foursquare or Gowalla? If you haven’t I won’t judge, but I feel compelled to command encourage you to take a closer look at both. Both Gowalla and Foursquare are geo-location apps that are picking up serious steam among social media users.

Indeed, the growing popularity of smart phones and geo-location apps is a trend worth noting…so what are you going to do to capitalize on it? One great way to build a “friendomer”? Reward them with a free meal or deep discount on their 10th check in. If a customer holds onto the mayorship for more than a month, give them free meals until someone knocks them out of their position. There are loads of ways to have fun with this, and the potential is hard to deny. Jay Baer said it best in his post, Ignore Foursquare at Your Peril – An Analysis of Potential. It’s worth checking out.

This concept doesn’t just work for brick-and-mortar businesses though. If you’re a consultant or own a small creative agency and have been working with a client consistently, why not cut them a significant deal on the 5th or 6th project? Obviously they like your work. Go the extra mile to make them a lifelong client. Be more than a business partner. Be a friend.

Spread the Mindset
Sure you see the value of creating raving fans out of your customers, but that vision has to extend beyond the owners/management staff. Empower your employees to read between the lines and provide a little extra something to customers if the occasion calls for it. By all means, don’t encourage them to “give away the farm” but DO encourage them to recognize situations to connect with customers, and give them the license to act on those situations.

For example, one of your employees may have found out through a conversation with a customer that this is their 20th purchase with your company. Provide them with a toolbox of “incentive” goodies that they can take liberty in doling out to repeat customers. This simple act will speak volumes. And chances are, that customer is going to tell a friend about that interaction.

So does building a base of “friendomers” require some extra effort from you and your staff? Sure. But hopefully you’ll find the investment justifies the effort.

Let’s keep this list going. In addition to those mentioned above, what has your company done to build brand loyalty? Drop them in the comments…

For those who may not be “in the know,” South by Southwest (fondly known as SXSW) is coming up later this week in Austin, kicking off on March 12. There are three unique segments to this yearly event, broken up into the interactive, film and music portions. If my bank account was a bit more robust at the present time, I’d be attending both the interactive and music portions, but alas, I will only be attending the interactive portion, which in itself will be chock-full of valuable insights. There’s always next year to befriend Thom Yorke…if the rumor mill is true.

Techies covet this event, and often treat it as a yearly pilgrimage to feed their scientific souls. I however, will be approaching the event with a focused eye on social media and small business. It’s my goal to glean as much as I possibly can, so I can return to breathe new and improved nuggets of genius into this blog. Our goal after all is to create a reliable resource for those of you operating businesses on the front lines. Consider me your conduit to the brilliance that is bound to emerge from a long weekend of seminars, workshops and keynotes with the online world’s elite.

Being an interactive event, I’ve had the agony pleasure of sifting through five days of events running from 9 a.m. to midnight, and I think I’ve successfully whittled my schedule down to a good mix of sessions and interactive panels.

I wanted to take a few moments before I go about over-packing my bags to review some of the sessions I’m anticipating the most:

Social Media Marketing for Your Business with Tony Adam and Chris Winfield. Now that many small business owners are immersed in the basics of social media, perhaps it’s time to graduate to a more advanced, strategic approach. This seminar proposes to help attendees do just that.

Customer Service Goes Social with Melanie Baker. A recent study just revealed that social media adoption by U.S. small businesses has doubled since 2009. Given that compelling statistic, it’s clear that more and more businesses are engaging with customers online. Moreover, customer service via social media is changing the way businesses relate to their customers and vice versa. I’m very excited to sit in on this one and hope to bring some key insights back to this blog.

Video Search Optimization Strategies to Grow Your Business with Bill Leake. It’s no secret that Google loves blogs and multimedia. In fact, you’ve probably noticed more and more relevant videos popping up in the top of your search engines, right? This is one area that is growing rapidly for both B2C and B2B businesses. This will only increase moving forward so it’s worth keeping an eye on this emerging practice.

Marketing: Unmasked: Insider’s Tips + Tricks for Success in Small Business Marketing with Stephanie Frost and Erik Wolf. This discussion is based on a book written by the discussion hosts. It delves into all things small business, and will likely provide an overview of the topics touched on inside of the book including small business marketing, social media, SEO, branding, advertising and more.

How to Unplan Your Business Idea with David Sloly and Ian Sanders. I suppose this one stuck out to me because the notion the title suggests is so opposite of what we’ve been taught and practiced throughout the years. Clearly these guys know how to grab attention with a sensationalized title. Consider me curious…

So, for those of you who can’t make it this year, are there any questions you’d like me to ask on your behalf? I’d be happy to investigate some of the topics you’re most interested in and report back here. Also, be sure to follow the Newtek crew on Twitter during the Interactive conference at #NewtSXSW.

I know, I know. Lyle Lovett probably isn’t the easiest connection to make when it comes to considering the traits of highly successful brands. I suppose the thought struck me last week when I had the absolute pleasure of seeing him live on the Cayamo 2010 music cruise (aka my dream vacation/floating music festival).

I’d never seen Lyle perform live before. I know he’s a musical icon, but had never paid him much attention until I learned he would be one of the headliners on the boat (sharing the stage with other musical greats like Emmylou Harris, John Hiatt and my personal favorite, Brandi Carlile). Needless to say, while I wasn’t a fan before boarding the ship, everything changed when I disembarked.

After seeing him live and witnessing his easy-to-love stage presence, it’s understandable to see why he has such a loyal fan base. When I stopped to observe the jam-packed performance hall, all eyes were on Lyle, smiles abound. I could tell this audience was in the palm of his hand, myself included.

So what is it about Lyle that has created this die-hard, loyalist fan base, and how can business owners apply his success to their own practices?

Lyle is Authentic

While Lyle and his “large band” were certainly a sophisticated, well-polished group of musicians, the entire experience was authentic – completely genuine from start to finish.  He was incredibly gracious, transparent about the song creation process and warm. He made a vast performance hall feel more like his living room. And it doesn’t hurt that he’s got tons of charisma.

Business translation: Don’t be afraid to be informal and honest with your customers, treat them more like friends and family than simply customers, pull back the curtain and explain your company’s background and processes whenever possible, and make every customer feel like your only customer.

Lyle is a Collaborator

More than just a collaborator, he’s the epitome of generosity and a model of respect. He’s not afraid to share the limelight and clearly loves drawing from the talents of others in an effort to create an even better show. Not only was he incredibly welcoming and gracious to those who shared the stage with him, but the resulting musicality was all for the benefit of those in the audience…again, myself included. He certainly gained a new fan by collaborating with some of my longtime favorites.

Business translation: Don’t be afraid to seek out partnerships that will not only further your company reputation, but can potentially introduce your products and services to new audiences. Obviously, be strategic in seeking partnerships that complement your brand, but do invite others to your sandbox, and invite partners that will provide an even greater benefit to your customers.

Lyle is a Pioneer

He is a new breed of singer-songwriter. He successfully broke the mold of traditional country music, tying in bluegrass, big band, folk and jazz. For this reason, he has the respect of not only the music community, but his incredibly diverse fan base.

Business Translation: I’m not saying you should be all things to all people, because in business, that can be very tough. What I am saying is this: bring something new and exciting to your industry. Reframe a product or service in a new package that creates buzz and excitement among your customers.

Whether you’re a Lyle Lovett fan or not, there are some key lessons to be learned from his success. While we can help you reach your customers with an effective website, or help you sell your products and services online through our various ecommerce solutions, it’s up to you to keep these straight-forward, no-nonsense business traits top of mind in your day-to-day practices.

And P.S. If you’re a music lover and cherish the greats like I do, book your Cayamo cabin for 2011. Take a look at this video of Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt filmed onboard a past Cayamo cruise if you need more enticement…