Subscribe Feed (RSS)The Language of Your ‘Religion’
June 20th, 2007 by BarryMorris | Filed under Becoming Irresistible.Elvis, Harley Davidson, and Starbucks.
Three religions I’d join in a heartbeat. Actually, I’ve joined two of the three already. Bet you can guess which one has yet to snare me. 
Elvis, Harley Davidson, and Starbucks are just three examples of how businesses can be structured like religions and succeed beyond Wall Street’s most optimistic projections. Each is structured according to the religion model that we spoke of last time. Each has a common language and millions of followers who speak it fluently.
One of the hallmarks of any religion is the language that followers eventually convert to. For instance, those in the Harley-Davidson religion use phrases like saddle-up and the open road. Starbucks aficionados speak of double-shots, venti-quads, and no-foam. And of course, Elvis fans talk about The Colonel, 760 Union Avenue, and the Jungle Room.
No religion is without it’s sacred vocabulary. When I wrote Becoming Irresistible, I began a language of sorts. I coined terms like business mantra, becoming irresistible, and M.D.O. Unless you’ve read the book, you don’t know what I’m talking about. That’s part of the attraction for a religion; it’s an exclusive way of living.
Exclusivity can also drive people away. We’ve all had experiences, or know those who have experienced the negative impact of being excluded by a religion or other social group. I’ve been there ant isn’t fun. Most carry the emotional baggage associated with such an experience around for a long, long time.
The positive side of exclusion is that it drives people to join. For instance, when I accompany an unbeliever to Starbucks, they often end up buying a simple drip coffee because they don’t know how to order the Starbucks way. However, I step up to the counter and order a grand-triple-shot-extra-hot- no-whip-mocha with relative ease. My associate looks at me in wonder, much the same as I did before my conversion. The exclusivity of the language is an attractor.
How do you develop your own language? It develops by itself for the most part. We all begin our businesses imitating others. We call it tailgating. It’s natural. Then there comes a time, as confidence and experience grows, that you begin to differentiate your business from that of your mentor. When this occurs, small changes begin to make themselves known. You slowly invent terms that will become your own.
Followers also help. Psychotactics long taught the concept of attraction/conversion/consumption. Yes, that’s a mouthful. Jeff Simon, one of Sean’s followers, coined the phrase ‘attversumption’ and that became part of the Psychotactics core language.
Language is a core piece of your religion. Can you think of other examples of exclusive vocabulary associated with other business religions? Feel free to share your comments below.
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Speaking of coffee…
Here in The True North, Tim Horton’s is our coffee god. And, people use terms like “Double Double” which is two sugars, two cream. UCK!
So, do terms just happen? Or, should one set out to create them as differentiators?
Lyle
Hi Lyle,
As I mention in the article, most religion specific language develops from within the community: Attversumption, Business Mantra, etc. I guess you could set out to create your own, but the results would be words or phrases that appear too ‘clever.’
In my experience, ‘clever’ rarely works.
B
Ok, I thought I liked you until I saw the Elvis part!! Only kidding, although I don’t know about Elvis dude…
I am enjoying the blog and the articles on the site. I also read your blog about the 4 hour work week and although I am not close to that now, I do love the freedom that comes from letting my kids know when they come in through the door after school they have my full attention. Four hours a week might be pushing it right now because I would be bored out of my gourd! I work about 15-20 hours a week now and make what I made in a 40-50 hour week.
Here’s the story with Elvis: A few years ago my mother introduced 8 year-old Justin to ‘Elvis’ via a movie. From that moment on his curiosity was ignited. He read about Elvis’ early years, learned everything there is to know about him (there’s a lot of really cool stuff that most casual Elvis observers aren’t aware of), and then started collecting Elvis DVDs, iTunes songs for his iPod Nano, etc.
It culminated with a trip to Memphis to tour Graceland last Spring. (Justin set off the alarms in the auto museum when he reached out to touch one of Elvis’ Harleys.
But that’s another story. )
On that trip, I learned first-hand how the Elvis Empire functioned as a religion.
Whatever your opinions of ‘The King,’ you have to hand it to him - he created the language of Rock and Roll and, to this day, millions of die-hard Elvis fans -like Justin- would do anything to hear him again.
That’s the power of a religion at work.