When it comes to your idea, business, or service, there are three types of people you will encounter, and the good part is only 1 type matters.

People who do not like your idea (Non-Customers)

People who think it is a good idea but will not use it (Non-Customers)

People who like it, will use it, and will pay for it (and their friends who haven’t heard yet) (Customers)

A lot of innovators spend too much time worrying about the first two types of people that they begin to lose the ones that matter most. Some people will simply not need your product, and you will not convert the ones who do not, and if you do, it will be at the expense of the third set; your loyal customers, and then you are back to square one anyway.

So worry about the people who like, will use, and will pay for your idea. Make their experience the best it can possibly be. Treat them wonderfully, give them more than they expect, and you will have a successful idea. This is where the 4th group of people come in and they really matter. The people who had not heard of your product, but now they have and they love it, so they mix in with the third set. The idea is to expand your product by getting it out to the friends of the people who like it.

I wrote a post about the 1% rule, meaning that if 1% of the people in the United States alone like your idea, you will make a lot of money, and hopefully do something that matters at the same time. Even if you captured .05% of the people you will do very well, assuming your pricing is correct.

As I write this, one brand comes to mind that a lot of you may not have ever heard of. Johnny Cupcakes is a brand that continually rewards the people that loyally follow him, his brand is fresh and creative, but most of all it gives back to the people who support it. I have known about this brand for four years now and only once in my life have I saw a Johnny Cupcakes T-shirt or any other Johnny Cupcakes apparel in public. What does that tell me? It tells me that there are a lot more people that do not wear Johnny Cupcakes clothing then do, but in the end his company makes around four million per year. Why? repeat customers and their friends.

Worry about the people who support you, give back to them, make them feel special, because they are special. They are your loyal supporters, and you need them, and only them to be great. If you have them, they will bring others to you.

Do not worry about the rest of the people because more than likely you will end up selling out, making an inferior product, and alienating your loyal supporters. And you will do all of this for a group of people who may or may not like the changes you made. In the end you lose your loyal customers and your originality, and probably any chance you had to successful.

Stick to what you do, and the people who support you, grow slowly, and worry about what you can do for your customers, instead of what they can do for you.