"Build a tribe, not an audience. Tribes defend; audiences consume." 

Hey ,

So...

Fun fact...

Steve Jobs didn't build Apple by creating better computers.

He built it by creating citizens.

#pausingfordramaticeffect

Here's the difference most experts miss:

Customers buy your product and leave.

Citizens buy your philosophy and stay.

In 1984, Apple's Super Bowl commercial wasn't selling computers.

It was recruiting rebels.

People who saw themselves as different.

Creative.

Rule breaking.

Those people didn't just buy Macs.

They defended them.

Evangelized them.

Converted others.

They became Apple citizens.

Today...

Apple has 1.8 billion active devices.

More importantly...

They have 1.8 billion people who identify with the Apple philosophy.

That's not a customer base.

That's a movement.

And movements don't need marketing departments.

Most experts focus on getting new customers.

Tribemasters focus on converting customers into citizens.

Here's why....

Based on my personal data collected over the past decade...

Customer lifetime value: $5K average.

Citizen lifetime value: $50K+ average.

Customer referral rate: 5-10%.

Citizen referral rate: 60-80%.

Customer price sensitivity: High.

Citizen price sensitivity: Low.

The math is brutal.

One citizen equals 10-20 customers.

Everything starts with who you target....

In The Way of The Tribemaster...

We focus on Seekers...

People who know they have a problem but don't yet have a solution are are actively seeking for it...

Once we attract a seeker...

We take them through 4 stages...

Stage 1: Customer

They buy your service for specific outcome.

Mindset: "What do I get?"

Stage 2: Advocate

They recommend you based on results.

Mindset: "This worked for me."

Stage 3: Citizen

They adopt your methodology as part of their identity.

Mindset: "This is how we do things."

Stage 4: Ambassador

They actively recruit others and defend your approach.

Mindset: "Everyone should know this."

Most experts stop at Stage 2.

They think advocacy is the goal.

But the real value lies in Stages 3 and 4.

After studying practices with highest citizen ratios...

I discovered thier thinking can be boiled down to just 5 core steps...

.

Step 1: Philosophy formation

They package expertise as distinct worldview, not just tactics.

In the Way of The Tribemaster we call that your DSS - a way of looking at the world based on your highest priorities.

And we focus on getting people to buy into the DSS not into our product.

Why...

Because once seekers buy into your DSS...

You don't need to sell them anything...

They will buy by default.

Step 2: Language creation

They develop proprietary vocabulary citizens use to identify each other.

In my world...

We talk about SolutionFrames, TribeCraft, Quantum Technology, Subconscious Remapping...

When citizens use your language, they're recruiting for you.

Step 3: Community architecture

They create spaces where citizens connect with each other, not just with you.

Private forums.

Virtual meetings

Alumni networks.

Annual gatherings.

Certification programs.

The strongest communities are citizen to citizen...

Not guru to follower.

Step 4: Identity reinforcement

They consistently remind citizens how they're different from everyone else.

"While others chase quick fixes, we build sustainable systems."

"Most people focus on symptoms; we address root causes."

"The majority follows trends; we create them."

This "us vs them" positioning strengthens tribal bonds.

Step 5: Mission activation

They give citizens a cause worth defending and advancing.

In IST we talk about relationships a lot.

Specifically buildling networks of true fans that give us leveraged sovereignty...

The ability to do what we love, with those we love whenever we want.

To create a life worth living and a story worth telling.

Citizens don't just buy services.

They join movements.

Once someone becomes a citizen...

Leaving becomes psychologically expensive.

They've invested in learning your language and frameworks.

Built relationships within your community.

Identified with your philosophy publicly.

Defended your approach to others.

Switching means abandoning all that investment.

This creates what economists call switching costs.

But psychological, not financial.

Here's what happens when you systematically convert customers to citizens:

Month 1-3: Philosophy and language introduced.

Month 4-6: Community connections begin forming.

Month 7-12: Identity reinforcement creates tribal loyalty.

Year 2: Citizens begin recruiting others organically.

Year 3: Movement becomes self sustaining.

That's pretty much what happened with The Highly Paid Experts Network...

Starting in 2015...

By the time we reached 2018...

We were doing a billion naira a year with citizens on 6 continents hosting monthly HPENCONNECT meeting...

It was no longer about the facebook group...

It was real people...

On the ground...

Committing time and resources to the spread of the Community Mastery Method...

And just in case you're just joining us...

That's what The Way Of The Tribemaster used to be called.

And just in case you're wondering...

Whilst we had 10000 members on the facebook group...

Everything was driven by a core group of 62 citizens...

Clients who were die hard fans of The Community Mastery Method.

#pausesfordramaticeffect

Modupe Ehirim...

Founder of The RightFit Marriage Academy...

And a die hard advocate of my method...

Has gone from a 20% referral based to 80% in 24 months using this system.

Same expertise.

Different community architecture.

#selah

Amazon has customers.

They shop for best price and convenience.

Apple has citizens.

They pay premium prices and wait in lines for new releases.

Amazon competes on logistics.

Apple competes on identity.

When you have customers...

You're always one competitor away from losing them.

When you have citizens, you're irreplaceable.

Most experts create content to attract new prospects.

Tribemasters create content to deepen tribal identity.

Instead of "How to" content for everyone...

They create "Why we" content for citizens.

"Why we don't follow industry best practices."

"How our approach differs from conventional wisdom."

"What makes our community unique."

Kinda like what I do here with the Certain Way...

You can't argue with the fact that my thinking challenges yours.

This content doesn't convert strangers.

It bonds citizens.

Here's something else that took me a while to understand.

The fastest way to create citizens is through certification programs.

When someone learns to teach your methodology...

They become invested in its success.

They've learned your language...

Adopted your philosophy...

And can identify others who share it.

Certified practitioners become your strongest citizens because their reputation is tied to yours.

Why does this matters in today's world...

We are living in a time where the drive is towards:

"Own nothing and be happy" as the World Economic Forum says

Every business is becoming subscription based.

Software, services, content, community.

In a subscription world, retention beats acquisition.

Citizens have 90% retention rates.

Customers have 60-70% retention rates.

Building citizenship isn't just about marketing.

It's about survival.

When you have true citizens...

Marketing becomes obsolete.

Citizens create content about your methodology.

Citizens defend your approach in conversations.

Citizens recruit others who share the philosophy.

Citizens pay premium prices without negotiation.

Your business becomes a movement that grows itself.

Most experts build businesses. Tribemasters build movements.

Businesses require constant marketing.

Movements grow themselves.

The difference compounds into unassailable market position.

Your expertise creates value.

Your citizenship system multiplies it exponentially.

This is The Certain Way.

All you have to do is...

Get out of your own way.

CTM

P.S. Tomorrow I'll tie everything together and show you how The Architecture of a Good Name creates the compound asset that outlasts everything else. The culmination of everything we've covered.