Why Language and Insider Experiences Create Devoted Customers

The Unwelcome Tourist vs. The Loyal Insider

A few weeks ago, I called a company’s tech support line, hoping for a simple solution. Instead, I found myself feeling like an unwelcome tourist in a foreign land one where I didn’t speak the language and no one cared to guide me.

I described my issue in plain terms, but the agent seemed frustrated that I wasn’t using the company’s specific jargon. Instead of helping, they coldly corrected me. I was transferred, then transferred again, each time having to relearn and restate my issue in the exact “right” way for the next agent to understand.

By the time I finally reached someone who could help, I had learned the company’s terminology and internal processes. But all goodwill was lost. I wasn’t relieved I was exhausted. They had trained me, yes, but not in the way they intended. I hadn’t learned to love their brand. I had learned to avoid calling them ever again.

Contrast that with a company that welcomes you in, teaches you their language, and makes you feel like part of something special.

Why Customers Crave Culture

Companies with strong, unique cultures don’t make customers feel like outsiders they draw them in. They create a shared experience that makes people feel like they belong.

That’s why some brands don’t just attract customers they create devoted fans:

• Disney doesn’t have employees they have Cast Members, and they treat visitors like honored guests, not ticket holders.

• Trader Joe’s doesn’t just sell groceries they create a neighborhood market experience, where employees chat like friends and the environment is casual and fun.

• Harley-Davidson doesn’t just sell motorcycles they offer a lifestyle, complete with a community, rituals, and a language that riders understand.

These companies make customers feel like insiders, even when they’re new. They introduce people to the culture with open arms, rather than making them struggle to fit in.

From Customers to Fans: The Power of Belonging

A brilliant example of this is Harley-Davidson. In the 1980s, the company was struggling. Japanese motorcycles were cheaper, faster, and more reliable. Harley could have tried to compete on features but instead, they doubled down on their culture.

• They created the Harley Owners Group (HOG), a membership that turned buyers into lifelong riders with a shared identity.

• They leaned into their rebellious outlaw image, making a Harley more than a bike it became a symbol of freedom and independence.

• They embraced their distinctive engine sound, so much so that enthusiasts could recognize a Harley with their eyes closed.

Buying a Harley wasn’t just about transportation it was about joining a brotherhood. And when people started tattooing the logo on their skin, it was clear Harley-Davidson hadn’t just created a customer base. They had built a culture.

The Takeaway: Create Culture, Not Confusion

If you want loyalty, don’t make customers feel like outsiders. Build a culture that invites them in and makes them feel like part of something special.

1. Welcome, Don’t Correct – If your customers don’t use your internal language, meet them where they are. Help them understand rather than making them feel unworthy.

2. Create Insider Experiences – Design rituals, terms, and touchpoints that make customers feel like they’re part of something. (Think Starbucks’ secret menu or Tesla’s Easter eggs.)

3. Build a Community, Not Just a Customer Base - Give people ways to connect with each other, not just with your product. (Think Peloton shoutouts or Lululemon’s ambassador programs.)

The brands that win don’t just sell they create a culture people want to be part of.

So ask yourself: Are you building a brand that invites customers in? Or are you making them feel like unwelcome tourists?

-BBB

Some brands create movements. Others disappear. Why?

It all comes down to Story, Game, Culture & Insight.

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