Creating Superfans – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode of the Creating Superfans podcast, I’m joined by the woman that Meta has called “the queen of CX”, and I am lucky enough to get to call a friend, Blake Morgan. Blake is a CX futurist and author of three amazing books on customer experience, including her newest, The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership. Blake and I are very aligned on the way we think about customer experience, so if you enjoy listening to me, I promise you’ll enjoy this conversation! 

You’ll hear us chat about:

• Why customer experience is a decision that you have to make daily
• The habits of the most engaged and successful leaders
• Case studies from customer-centric brands like In-N-Out, Trader Joe’s, and ADT

Get a copy of Blake’s new book here

Listen to the Modern Customer Podcast 

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Occasionally I read a book and think, "Damn! I WISH I had written this book!!" This is one of them. It’s called Give to Grow and author Mo Bunnell is the guest on this week’s episode of the Creating Superfans podcast! Mo is the founder and CEO of a global business development consulting firm, Bunnell Idea Group (BIG). Through his trademarked, science-backed system, Mo has helped tens of thousands of professionals at over 400 organizations grow their book of business efficiently and effectively. 

Mo and I chat about….

• His hacks for demonstrating curiosity and helpfulness to cultivate stronger relationships
• The power of reciprocity 
• The delicate balance between “winning the work” and “doing the work” 
• How to overcome the toxic lies that are inhibiting our business development goals

By the end of the episode, you’ll walk away with actionable strategies to nurture valuable relationships and drive positive change in both your personal and professional lives. 

Get a copy of Mo’s new book, Give to Grow, and check out the accompanying free resources here.

Listen to Brittany’s episode on Mo’s podcast, Real Relationships Real Revenue (season 5 episode 10).

Follow Mo Bunnell on LinkedIn.

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What if I told you the way that you think about recruiting, hiring, onboarding, training, and retaining your team members could be wrong?

My guest on this week's episode of the Creating Superfans podcast is my good friend, Joey Coleman. Joey is a two-time Wall Street Journal bestseller and the author of one of my favorite books, Never Lose An Employee Again.   He's an award-winning speaker who's worked with organizations ranging from small start-ups to global brands, such as Whirpool, Volkswagen Australia, and Zappos.  In today's episode, we talk about how your employees are a much bigger piece of the puzzle than you may have realized and the things that you need to do to get them to advocate on your behalf.

Show Notes:

4:15 -  The funny reaction Joey is getting when CEOs read his new book, "Never Lose An Employee Again."

5:09 - Why Covid has been the biggest influence on the employee experience throughout history

6:21 - Why the workforce will eventually decline

8:30 - Joey believes that employees are not driven by paychecks

10:33 - Employees should have good stories to share about their experiences working for the company.  How do you ensure that your team members are advocates of the company?

12:29 - What percentage of your new hires are coming from internal referrals?

14:03 - Joey's interesting experience as an intern that taught him a lot about workplace culture

20:01 - Many employers fail to understand the goals and aspirations of their employees, both professionally and personally.

22:21 - How corporations have set the wrong precedent for work/life balance

26:25 - The difference in workplace culture pre-IPO and post-IPO

27:52 - How Japan does business differently and how it relates to employee loyalty

32:52 - How immigration relates to employee experience, the future of our workforce, 

37:33 - Brittany shares one of her most recent newsletters about how to talk to your employees about challenging world events, especially in light of the Israel-Hamas War.

40:02 - 63% of customers want to do business with a company that says what the organization stands for. For employees, it goes up to 69%

44:28 - Find "Never Lose An Employee Again" on Amazon or anywhere else you buy your books

Visit Joey's Website

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Like me, Lauren Teague is obsessed with fandom and how it can act as a business lever for customer and employee experience.

Lauren was the original social media lead for the PGA Tour where she pioneered brand-to-fan engagement on Twitter and set the standard for all social media platforms today. Since then, she has spent 15+ years optimizing fan engagement in sports, B2B, B2C, healthcare, higher ed, and several more industries.

She's also the founder of FANWAGN, an online marketplace for sports and college fans to buy and resell beloved apparel. I had the pleasure of joining her on her Brand to Fan Show, and now I'm excited to share my interview with her. Lauren and I chat about the evolution of fan engagement on social media, how to harness your customer's voice through your content, and the many ways AI can multiply your social assets and help you run your business more efficiently.

Show Notes:
3:48 - Lauren shares her origin story
5:21 - How Lauren got started doing social media for the PGA Tour
6:07 - How Lauren developed her brand-to-fan philosophy
8:14 - Brands have many audiences that they reach simultaneously
11:00 - What Lauren learned when she did affinity mapping for a school district
14:57 - Why it's so important to remember that everyone on your team is in the experience department
18:32 - Lauren shares further details about her first few weeks on the job with the PGA Tour
20:12 - What Twitter was like back in 2008 when Lauren first started (without a smart phone!)
21:55 - Other ways that Lauren enhanced the fan experience for PGA Tours on social media
23:30 - What projects is Lauren most proud of from the PGA?
25:00 - The social media command center that Lauren advocated for to bring fresh content for fans
27:49 - What is Lauren's content multiplication system?
30:45 - Lauren's course all about repurposing content at scale
31:53 - How AI lets Lauren interact more with her customers
33:05 - What is FANWAGN and what inspired Lauren to create it?
37:03 - How FANWAGN creates a community through storytelling
38:40 - What is Lauren a SUPERFAN of?

LaurenTeague.com
FANWAGN

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Scott Harris is a Founder, CEO, and author. He’s the CEO of Experience.com, a company he founded in 2015 to redefine the way the world thinks about Customer Experience, Employee Experience, and the all-important interplay between the two.

Scott and I had the pleasure of working at Experience.com together, and he might just be the only person that’s more passionate about experience than me. In today’s episode, we discuss the ever-changing rules for success in the digital landscape and the importance of understanding the new algorithms that shape consumer behavior. After listening to our conversation, you’ll be better prepared to win online and transform your organization into an experience-led enterprise.

Show Notes

3:28 - Scott tells us about Experience.com

5:50 - Hows silos are ruining businesses today

9:40 - Covid impacted the way people buy and refer businesses

11:35 - Brittany shares her theory for why our buying processes have changed, and it’s not what you think it is!

15:03 - Scott cites the blue dot on Maps as an example of how algorithms are shaping our behaviors

17:18 - How technology drives our behavior 

18:06 - How Google has turned our habits into math and how companies can use the strategy to win online

19:16 - Scott breaks down the three components that Google looks for when serving you with search options

20:28 - Too many businesses are misallocating their time because they don’t realize the rules have changed

22:11 - You are what the Internet says you are

23:01 - How a loan officer might try to optimize their online presence

26:55 - The conclusion a prospect might jump to if your online presence isn’t updated or accurate

27:07 - If you have your location and product information on your profiles, what’s the last step that you need to beat out your competitors?

30:05 - A recent AI interaction that blew Scott away

35:09 - Why an experience management platform is so crucial for your organization

37:08 - “You put data in motion to power your business. If you’re not doing that, you’re behind.”

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Did you know that awkwardness is  your greatest asset for professional and personal growth? My guest today is here to tell us all about it. She's my dear friend, Henna Pryor. Henna is an author, sought-after workplace performance expert, executive coach, and award-winning, two-time TEDx speaker. Following two decades in the corporate world, a few career pivots, and a wildly successful leap to entrepreneurship, she shares her work from the stage and screen to expand on her belief that the key to most people's success is embracing their bumpy edges.

Henna and I discuss the importance of owning your uniqueness and how leaning into awkwardness can actually strengthen your relationships.

Show Notes

6:37 - Henna's origin story that led to her book, "Good Awkward."
7:51 - Henna's awkward story from 5th grade that still lives with her today
8:50 - Leaning into the awkward and embracing it changes everything
9:17 - How does Henna define 'awkward'
11:36 - The important difference between awkwardness and ineptitude
12:29 - The pratfall effect
12:57 - How the pratfall effect is similar to the service recovery paradox
14:13 - The key skill is to learn how to 'repair'
16:08 - People are almost untrained to deal with awkward situations now because we hide behind technology
18:18 - How technology has hindered certain interactions
20:08 - How Henna slowly embraced her uniqueness at her corporate job and boosted her performance
21:48 - The avoidance of awkwardness increases awkwardness
23:13 - Awkward versus vulnerable
27:58 - The one thing that Henna fought for when writing her book
29:40 - Henna shares some of her awkward experiences that ended up getting cut from the book
31:21 - The biggest takeaway Henna has from her research
32:15 - Henna's embarrassing moment from a recent TV interview promoting her new book

Get your copy of Good Awkward

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In honor of Customer Experience Day (10/3), I'm thrilled to be joined by my good friend, and fellow CX expert, Jay Baer. Jay is a Hall of Fame speaker, New York Times best-selling author of 7 business books, founder of 5 multi-million dollar companies,  and a trusted business growth advisor to 40 of the FORTUNE 500 brands.

In today's episode, Jay and I chat about his new book, "The Time to Win," and why speed and responsiveness are crucial for succeeding in today's experience economy. Jay explains why EVERY business needs a 'fast pass,' how to close the uncertainty gap with your customers, and the complex correlation between speed and trust.

Show Notes:

4:30 - Jay talks about his love for Tequila and how he has become a Tequila influencer on Instagram
6:05 - The intentional design of Jay's new book, "The Time to Win"
8:51- When you lose out on speed, it's often invisible
9:52 - Why customers perceive responsiveness as a sign of respect
10:55 - How businesses end up ruining their profit margins when they're too slow
12:54 - How speed contributes to the emotional connection your customers have with your brand
16:07 - Jay explains the Goldilocks Zone of speed
17:25 - Why being too fast can decay trust
21:35 - Why every business should offer a 'fast pass' option
25:54 - Expectations about time are more important than speed itself
28:04 - Jay shares his experience of ordering leather sneakers online and how the company exceeded his expectations
30:16 - The big mistake a sofa company made that completely eroded Jay's trust
35:13 - Do NOT overpromise on speed
36:07 - Brittany shares her experience at BNA airport and the problem with inaccurate signage
39:02 - A brand that Jay is a superfan of

Jay Baer's website
TheTime to Win

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On this episode of the Creating Superfans podcast, I'm joined by Andy Cockburn, the co-founder and CEO of Mention Me. Mention Me is an award-winning referral marketing platform that helps brands harness the exponential power of their fans through referrals. 

Since 2013, Mention Me has delivered more than 6m referrals totaling $1.8b in revenue for 500 brands, including Puma, Charlotte Tilbury, and Michael Kors. Andy shares fascinating insights on the psychology behind advocacy and why your highly satisfied customers may not be telling their friends about you. We also chat about the importance of measuring the extended lifetime value of your customers and the steps any brand can take to make advocacy the center of their business growth.

Show Notes

[00:03:41] How does Andy define an advocate and why are they important for every business
[00:05:18] The three challenges to customer advocacy
[00:07:04] The difference between intention and action when it comes to referrals
[00:08:34] How social capital and social risk influence a customer's willingness to refer
[00:012:32] What might hold a customer back from promoting a brand on social media?
[00:13:08] How younger and older generations differ when it comes to the psychology of advocacy
[00:14:38] The origin story of Mention Me
[00:16:32] The crucial difference between a  customer's lifetime value and extended lifetime value
[00:18:46] Andy shares an example of an online florist who was blown away at the referral data they discovered through Mention Me
[00:20:08] How can a business owner get started on tracking extended lifetime value and building a referral network?
[00:21:25] What is earned growth rate and why should your business be tracking it?
[00:23:42] What is a "good" earned growth rate?
[00:25:44] Brittany shares an anecdote about a charity she worked with and the most effective method for asking for donations
[00:26:55] How to tell your story to boost your referrals
[00:28:39] The best time to ask for a review or referral
[00:29:02] How to stay connected to your customers even if your industry has very unpredictable purchasing cycles
[00:30:10] The genius way that Mention Me enables customers to refer each other
[00:35:06] What is a brand that Andy is a superfan of and why?

Visit Mention Me's website
Brittany's blog post on Earned Growth Rate
The Ruckraft that Andy is a superfan of

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In this week's episode of the Creating Superfans podcast, I'm joined by Charles Ryan Minton, a customer and employee experience expert, keynote speaker, and best-selling author. Ryan has worked with high profile brands such as Hilton Hotels Worldwide, Marriott International, and InterContinental Hotels Group.

As a Hotel Executive, Ryan created environments where employees felt valued and empowered, leading to record-breaking revenues, profits, and some of the highest recognition in hospitality.

In our conversation, you'll learn about:

• how employee enablement affects morale and retention
• why employees should act like they're "on stage" while working
• the heartfelt story behind the title of Ryan's book, "Thanks for Coming in Today"
• what led both Brittany & Ryan to walk out of businesses recently 

Even if you're not in hospitality, the tips and insights you'll hear can be applied to any industry for fostering a positive workplace, maximizing your customers' first impressions, and improving the customer experience from the inside out.

Show Notes

[00:01:45] Brittany shares how she first met Ryan and discovered his book, "Thanks for Coming in Today."
[00:04:05] What led Brittany to walk out of her Acupuncture appointment
[00:05:16] Why customers shouldn't see your behind-the-scenes operations and how Ryan obsesses over these first impressions
[00:08:05] How Ryan transformed underperforming hotels through employee enablement
[00:10:10] The most important aspect of any leader's job
[00:11:56] Ryan's small gestures that significantly improved the employee experience
[00:14:27] Why employee enablement is so crucial for morale and retention
[00:16:31] The first thing Ryan looks to improve at any company
[00:18:31] A pet peeve of Ryan that many organizations make and why it's a poor reflection on your employee experience
[00:21:42] Everything speaks - even the welcome mats, signage, and the status of your bathrooms.
[00:24:30] Brittany's great experience at her dog ophthalmology appointment
[00:28:46] The story behind the title of Ryan's book, "Thanks for Coming in Today."[0035:21] Ryan and Brittany have a major disagreement about Costco and both share their respective experiences

Buy "Thanks for Coming in Today"
Visit Ryan's Website

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In today's episode of the podcast, I have TWO special guests: Bridget Hilton and Joe Huff.

Bridget and Joe are obsessed with experience - but not in the same way that I am. They're all about how to embrace the human experience. In fact, they call themselves experiential billionaires. Determined to unlock the secrets of their power to transform lives, they have spent years interviewing social science experts, conducting the largest study on life experiences ever done, and turning themselves into experiential guinea pigs.

Together they have trained to be samurai, stood face to face with hungry lions on safari, built schools for kids in need, worked with A-list celebrities, helped give 50,000 people hearing,  and explored the experiential riches life has to offer. In our conversation, we talk about their new book, Experiential Billionaire, the top experiences they've had, and the actionable steps you can take to build a truly fulfilling life and die with no regrets.

Show Notes:

[00:01:54] Bridget and Joe share what it's like to officially be published authors.
[00:03:26] Bridget and Brittany share how they know each other and their "three careers"
[00:05:01] Joe recounts a vulnerable experience he had with this dad that led him onto the path of becoming an experiential billionaire
[00:07:41] Bridget shares her background growing up in Flint, MI and working the 'worst' jobs in the music industry.
[00:8:39] How Bridget got the idea to start an electronics company (LSTN Sound Co.) that would provide hearing to tens of thousands of people
[00:11:33] Where did the name 'experiential billionaire' originate?
[00:12:46] The entrepreneur irony of being broke while running a 'multi-million dollar' business
[00:13:31] How Bridget and Joe's social impact led to a ripple effect of experiences
[00:19:31] The difference between the younger generation and the older generation when it comes to the experiential billionaire mindset.
[00:20:48] What percentage of people regret not doing the things they wanted to do in their lifetime
[00:22:34] The connection between strong relationships and meaningful experiences
[00:28:01] Has Bridget ever met the woman in the YouTube video that inspired LSTN Sound Co.?
[00:30:06] Joe gives us the top five experiences he's ever had, including amazing trips across the country and some of the most vulnerable moments with his family.
[00:31:47] Joe caveats that the journey of achieving something has to be as enjoyable as the result itself
[00:33:18] Bridget shares her top five experiences she's ever had, including giving the gift of hearing to young children, seeing all 50 states, and going through a mental health crisis.

You can get "Experiential Billionaire: Build a Life Rich in Experiences and Die With No Regrets" here.

More on Experiential Billionaire, including the Treasure Maps Card Deck, merchandise, and FREE instructional guides here.

Bridget Hilton's Website

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