Steal a Page From the Cult Leader Playbook. Your Prospects Will Thank You.

Military basic training is intense.

Most people who haven’t been through it will think in terms of grueling physical conditioning. But it’s so much more than that.

“Boot camp” is essentially a process of resocialization, an intentional campaign in which recruits’ social values, beliefs, and norms are re-engineered. The goal is to cause new soldiers to unlearn what they know and relearn the way of the corps.

Beyond physical conditioning, psychological techniques are used to shape attitudes and desired behaviors so that recruits will obey orders without question and kill their opponents in battle, all while facing the prospect of imminent death themselves.

But the most important shift is from an individual in general society to a member of a unified group of warriors. While broader unifying concepts of patriotism and nationalism may already be in play, recruits are intentionally bonded with other members of the military in general and their unit in particular.

Combat veterans will tell you that their greatest motivation was protecting fellow soldiers that they fought alongside with. When it comes down to the trenches, you’re not fighting for a flag; it’s the brother or sister beside you.

The Magical Effect of Group Action

Acting together is a powerful thing. Even when group membership already lends itself to a shared identity, unity can be amplified when people take action together.

For example, football fans of The University of Michigan share an identity around the team. This group identification also extends to the school itself for students and alumni, but nothing beats sportsball when it comes to bringing people together around a collegiate brand.

On October 1, 2016, at a Michigan home game against Wisconsin, fans took action together in a way that has further bonded them ever since. And all it took was the guy in charge of stadium audio for “The Big House” trying something new.

He played the song “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers at the end of the third quarter. The sold-out crowd not only sang along, but they kept singing even after the music was cut. “Mr. Brightside” has been a third-quarter crowd ritual ever since.

It’s an odd choice when you think about it. The song is about infidelity, and has nothing to do with football. None of the band members have any association with Michigan. And none of that stops the crowd from joyously singing together.

Or consider the fact that during the first-ever World Cup halftime show featuring Madonna, BTS, Justin Bieber, and Shakira, the runaway highlight was the entire stadium chanting along with Seven Nation Army performed by the Muppets(!) and the New York Philharmonic.

Tens of thousands of people singing the exact same lyrics, or dancing in unison to a favorite artist, creates a powerful, vibrant emotional bond. It’s called collective effervescence.

That’s a sociological concept coined by Émile Durkheim describing the euphoric energy and sense of unity that emerges when a group of people gathers for a shared purpose or ritual. It makes individuals feel they are part of something bigger than themselves, much like a religious experience.

Military boot camp and crowd singalongs are drastically different examples of unified action that drive home an important point. Group unity can occur across a broad spectrum of experiences, ranging from life-or-death to life-affirming.

And ultimately, unity can make the difference between having no audience and becoming a profitable solopreneur. It’s already what’s at the core of many successful brands.

Take a Page From the Cult Leader Manual

Marines will tell you that the United States Marine Corps is indistinguishable from a death cult that puts the Manson Family to shame. The context and aim of the former make it acceptable and even admirable, while the latter group of murderous hippies were unacceptable and terrifying.

Unique language, ritual and symbolism, and a desire to belong led by strong authority figures make the two essentially the same type of group phenomenon. But ultimately it’s the unified activity the group engages in that strongly bonds members and leaders together.

Now think of SoulCycle and CrossFit, two commercial organizations often accused of being “cultish.” And it’s true that all the basic elements of a cult are present in both, combined with the potent glue of unified fitness activity.

Remember, all unified groups operate on a spectrum of fanaticism, and these two fitness brands intentionally incorporate indoctrination, ritual, and symbolism into their memberships, both for marketing and retention.

Nike, Harley-Davidson, and Apple are considered the top “cult” brands in the world. With impactful advertising messages and the right products, fans of these companies run, ride, and compute in a way that facilitates a shared identity with each other and the brand itself.

If talk of cults makes you squeamish, let’s dial it back to the idea of a movement.

That’s a group of people with a particular set of ideas working together through a series of organized activities toward an objective. It’s not the same as a cult, but it’s in the same ballpark.

All sorts of unified groups — from a cult to a movement to a spin class — require leadership. And that’s what a “leading” expert provides to prospects. But you must lay the groundwork before you can lead your audience into action.

As a leader performing the role of mentor, you have to understand who your prospect wants to become, what motivates them, and how to concurrently elevate their individual status while satisfying their need to belong.

The ultimate goal is to prompt a specific type of action, and that’s a purchase. But that action is often sparked by first leading prospects to engage in other activities.

You want people to act in general. That means not only buying from you but also succeeding at solving their problem.

When your audience takes action that leads to their success, they’ll attribute that success to your advice, products, and services. And that’s the beginning of a powerful marketing flywheel that leads to higher status and credibility for you, which, in turn, leads to a larger audience and more sales.

You have to lay some important groundwork first, and that’s what Leading Expert Launchpad shows you how to do, step-by-step. But once the foundation is there, you can design aspects of your business to naturally create even deeper unity.

Spark Unity with an Action-Focused Audience

Some people want to attract an audience to be the focus of attention and adulation. But the most effective audience-builders put their people first.

In fact, they think of their following as a team they’re a part of and responsible for, just like any good leader.

Once you’ve established initial credibility and exposed people to your new or reframed ideas that depart from the status quo, it’s time to find ways that inspire action. And before you get mass purchasing action, it helps immensely to spark other unified activity.

Here are three ways that work:

1. Challenges

Email challenges done well are a smart way to build an engaged email list. Essentially, you offer to guide someone through the process of solving a problem or achieving a goal through a sequence of content lessons delivered by email.

Some people do 30-day weight loss, exercise, and meditation challenges. Other challenge examples include getting your first 100 email subscribers, creating a website with Claude Cowork, or learning how to bake sourdough bread.

The idea is to solve one aspect of a prospect’s total problem before offering a solution to the remainder.

Challenges are a great way to build a list, but not everyone understands the true power of attracting prospects in a way that allows you to establish your credibility while leading people through a unified process.