I write in a couple of niches
and I’m very much aware
I am ‘borrowing’ these readers (customers)
for a while.
They have read books in these niches
before I started writing similar books
and they will read books in these niches
after I stop writing similar books.
I was fortunate.
I didn’t have to gather these readers
into easily accessible groups.
That had already been done.
That drove home
the fact that
these weren’t exclusively ‘my’ readers.
But even if I had been the person
to gather them into a group,
they wouldn’t be exclusively ‘my’ readers.
They had always existed,
always been reading.
“The realization that
the tribe is already there,
just waiting for you
to contribute,
is energizing.
And the fact is that
while we get
the benefit of the doubt
—that the tribe is open
to hearing from you—
they’re not yours.”
They are not ‘your’ customers.
You’re merely borrowing them
for a while.
Treat them well.