Hey, Reader!
This morning, I’m speaking to the National Sporting Goods Association in Nashville about creating superfans in a competitive market. I’m excited to spend the day with team dealers, retailers, manufacturers, and industry leaders who are all navigating evolving customer expectations.
During one of my prep calls with the association, their team shared something that really stuck with me: Many of their members are doing things for customers today that they never would’ve imagined doing 10 years ago.
Not because they were eager to expand their offerings, but because their customers kept asking for more—and they saw those requests as opportunities to strengthen the relationship.
One example they shared was team dealers helping schools source things like custom cups, rally towels, or other spirit items that technically fall outside their traditional lane of jerseys and equipment.
Years ago, the mindset might’ve been: “That’s not really what we do.”
Now, the mindset is: “If it matters to our customer, we’ll figure it out.”
This reminded me of a workshop I led a few months ago for insurance professionals. One attendee was venting about how frustrated he was that clients kept reaching out to ask him about pet insurance.
“I’m so sick of explaining that I don’t do pet insurance,” he said.
And to be clear, I don’t think this came from a bad place. Like many professionals, he was focused on serving clients in his area of expertise—and feeling overwhelmed by other requests. I appreciated that he shared this with the group.
I asked him how many clients had mentioned pet insurance, and it was clearly no longer a one-off. So, I told him something that I think applies far beyond insurance.
When customers repeatedly come to you with a question, request, or problem—even if it’s slightly outside your exact offering—they’re telling you they associate you with that category and believe you might be able to help. Instead of viewing it as an annoyance, take it as a compliment!
But instead, this gentleman was inadvertently communicating, “don’t think of me when you think of insurance.”
I’m not saying every business should launch a dozen new services or try to become everything to everyone. But I am saying that the answer doesn’t have to be, “We don’t do that.”
It can be as simple as a referral/recommendation, a resource guide, an AI-generated blog post, an FAQ, etc.
With all of the tools at our disposal these days, it’s just as easy to redirect a client as it is to say “I can’t help you with that.”
My clients often ask me if I’m able to emcee an event for them in addition to delivering a keynote. And while I can emcee, it’s not my favorite thing — and I know I’m not nearly as talented at it as some of the brilliant humans who focus only on that. So, I’ve got a list of my favorite emcees (packed with all stars like Quinn Conyers and Rachel Sheerin) who I suggest any time a client thinks of me for emcee needs.
If you’re a real estate agent constantly getting asked about lenders, imagine creating a quick Instagram video featuring your top five mortgage partners. Then another with your favorite contractors. Then another with local cleaning companies. Then movers. Then painters.
Not only are you becoming more valuable to your clients, but you’re also strengthening relationships with referral partners who are likely to send business back your way. A win-win!
The sporting goods dealers I spoke with understood that. Their customers weren’t saying:
“Please become a cup company.”
They were saying:
“You’re the partner I trust when I need anything for my team. Today, I need this.”
Customers rarely think about businesses in neat little categories. They think about the people and brands they like working with.
The companies that create superfans understand that every request is an opportunity to strengthen the relationship, create more value, and become more top-of-mind over time.
Customers don’t always ask for exactly what you sell. Sometimes they ask for what they believe you represent: guidance, expertise, and trust. Don’t punish them for thinking of you.
I’m curious — what’s a customer request you’ve received that you’ve built a go-to response or solution for? Reply back and let me know!
Steal this Lesson from a Gas Station Chain
Speaking of evolving your business to better serve customers…
The latest episode of The SUPER AMAZING Show with Shep Hyken is all about how small shifts in language can create dramatically better customer experiences.
One gas station chain was frustrated because they were constantly running out of receipt paper. Their solution? Get more customers enrolled in their rewards program so receipts could be delivered digitally.
There was just one problem: nobody wanted to “sign up for rewards.”
So they reframed the ask.
Instead of asking customers to join the rewards program, they simply asked:
“Would you like your receipt texted to you?”
Same action. Completely different framing.
Enrollment numbers skyrocketed because they finally positioned the interaction around what the customer actually wanted in that moment.
Check out the full episode! 👇
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