Hey Cult Leader,
Let’s be honest for a second.
If you’re finding it tough to build a meaningful brand, it’s probably not due to your effort.
You may be posting a lot. Showing up when you can. Giving it your all.
Nope...
If you’re doing all this and still struggling, it’s probably because your audience doesn’t feel anything yet.
Not really.
They like you.
They applaud you.
But they don’t clamp themselves to you limpet-style like their identity depends on it.
And that’s a problem.
Because if your brand isn’t giving people something to belong to, they’ll quietly move on until they find someone who does.
I’ve seen it time and time again with coaches, creators, and founders trying to build community:
- They chase growth but neglect identity
- They ‘give value’ (yawn…) but don’t take a position
- They post often but never say anything that cuts deep
So in today’s Cult List, I want to show you how to fix that and what to focus on if you want to build belonging.
Let’s go...
Why they clap... and leave
If you've been slogging away to grow your business or brand, there's one part that can leave you confused:
Why do people who like and enjoy your content and posts never stick around or buy anything?
Keep reading and I'll share with you exactly why this happens – and how to fix it.
Because it is frustrating.
You’ve been showing up.
You’ve been consistent.
You’ve been generous with your advice and support.
And, at first, it looked like it was working.
People started engaging. Your follower growth was accelerating. You even got a DM or two with a platitude like "This really resonated for me..."
You had moments where it felt like you were finally breaking through.
But then, when it comes to the moments that actually mattered...
(You know, the bit where you ask them to take action, like buying your offer... )
Silence.
The people who swore they loved your work didn’t buy.
The ones who clapped loudest disappeared didn't buy.
Even the “interested” ones just drifted off.
And it hurts.
Not just because you care. Unlike some influencers, you’re probably not doing this for clout or dopamine.
You want to build something genuinely useful for those who need your help the most.
But what if you're taking all the action and, despite all the enthusiasm, your followers aren't sticking around.
Here’s the uncomfortable truth:
There’s an entire generation of creators, coaches and businesses chasing visibility, engagement, and reach.
They’re growing audiences that don’t belong anywhere.
No matter how smart their strategies are, they’ll never build a cult following.
Because they’ve skipped the part that matters most:
Identity.
Here’s what I mean...
The woman who bought everything
I know what it's like to feel this... because this still happens to me.
I’d write something devastatingly brilliant and witty (ahem...). I’d post it, get a few polite claps, a few kind DMs and then....
... Nothing.
No flurry of enquiries.
No buzz of excitement around my brilliant insights.
No sense that it mattered to anyone.
When it happens, it feels like performing to a crowd that smiled — then quietly exited the room before the encore.
When this used to happen, it was painful to me. Now I know better, I know not to worry.
And the perfect example was a female coach who joined this email list and was following me on my various platforms.
She never liked anything. Never commented. Didn’t reply to any emails. Never tagged me in stories.
I assumed she was a freebie hunter or lurker.
Then 18 months later, she kicks into action.
Joins a program. Buys everything I offer. Refers three people without me asking. And then introduces me on one of those referral emails as “the person who changed her entire direction.”
When I asked what made the difference, she eventually told me “You made it feel safe for me to be bolder and show up how I wanted to show up.”
That meant a lot to me.
Because it had nothing to do with tactics.
Something in my message, my position and what made me different from everyone else out there spoke to a part of her that was already there.
It didn’t create her identity. It activated it.
That’s what cult brands do.
Activating identity
To become a CultBrand you need to do more than trying to change how people think.
When you hear people talking about brands and businesses, they talk in terms of 'transformation'. What is the transformation you are selling?
Yes, that will help you sell something to someone. But it won't turn them into a cult follower.
Your goal is to change how people see themselves.
And that shift, from transformation to identity, is everything.
Transformation says: “I helped you grow.”
Identity says: “This is who you are now.”
And here’s the part most people miss:
Belonging doesn’t exist without identity.
If you’re not giving people a sense of who they are, you never give them a place they want to stay.
They’ll consume you, enjoy you, even applaud you.
But they won’t follow. They won’t defend. They won’t join. Because they’re still looking for somewhere they fit.
And, it goes without saying, that people place far higher value on shifting their identity than transformation.
What builds identity?
Not branding.
Not "value".
Not building a huge audience.
It’s:
- A Polarising Message that makes people choose sides
- A clear Enemy that shows what you stand against
- A deep, unapologetic Difference in what they see, hear and experience
- A shared language or set of rituals that your people feel aligned with
When you build your brand around these elements, people don’t just follow you. They feel a sense of belonging.
So if you’re wondering why people aren’t sticking, it's probably nothing to do with content or value or consistency.
It's because you haven’t given them something that leads them to tell themselves:
“This is me”
“This is where I fit”
“This is who I’m becoming”
That moment doesn’t happen by accident. You have to design it and be purposeful in how you build a cult following from it.
Your audience does not stay with you because you give them information. There is an abundance of information out there.
They stick around because they see themselves in what you’ve created, so start focusing on identity to build belonging around your brand.
If you’re stuck, start broadcasting…
When people ask where to start, I usually say:
Start with your polarising message.
And that’s not wrong. It is the starting point for building your cult brand.
It’s what people quote.
It’s what separates you from the vast expanse of mediocrity and forgettable brands and businesses.
But here’s what I’ve noticed from speaking to more than 100 coaches, consultants, and creators over the past year:
So many are trying so hard to get it right… they’re doing nothing else.
No content.
No conversations.
No movement.
Just obsessing over the “perfect” message behind the scenes, waiting for that one line that unlocks everything.
Honestly, I get it. Heck, I'm probably responsible for their obsessing over it because of the level of importance I place on getting it right.
If you care about building a CultBrand properly, and making it meaningful, lasting, and bold, then of course you want to get it right.
But if this sounds like you, I want to offer something that might just give you permission to push ahead:
(Whisper this....)
Sometimes, you don’t have to get it right before you start.
Sometimes, you have to start before you’ll ever get it right.
Broadcasting is not something you do after you’ve nailed your message. Broadcasting is also a way to help you find it.
So if you’re stuck… start showing up.
Here’s why jumping into your broadcast - even if it feels too early - can help you unlock your Polarising Message:
1 - Clarity comes through articulation
Clarity around your message doesn’t come from thinking. Clarity comes from saying, writing and articulating.
You can't polish a message that hasn’t been spoken aloud or published.
You don’t know what resonates until you put it into the world.
Broadcasting forces you to distill, simplify, and choose. It’s the fastest path to clarity.
2 - You’re invisible until you’re consistent
No one builds a cult following by waiting in the wings, planning and strategising.
The longer you wait to start showing up, the longer you delay trust.
Broadcasting builds familiarity. Familiarity builds credibility. And credibility builds belief.
3 - Your people are waiting to recognise themselves in what you have to say
Too many people are waiting for perfection... but here's the thing:
Your followers don’t want perfect. They want real.
When you show up a bit rough around the edges, a bit unsure and still in the process of forming something, they connect.
Why? Because maybe that’s where they are, too.
Broadcasting doesn't need to be about teaching from the mountaintop. You can also speak from the journey.
The thing is you don’t need to figure it all out before you post. You just need the structure that helps you keep going until it lands.
That's why I developed the Cult Broadcast System that sits within CultBrand Academy.
By focusing on consistency and simplifying the process and rhythm of broadcasting, it helps you build a visible, consistent presence that builds trust and creates the platform to share your message.
If you want to find out more about the Cult Broadcast System, hit reply and comment 'Broadcast' and I'll send you more details about what is included within the Academy.
The Cult Challenge is coming...
It’s been aaaaaaagggges since I last ran a Cult Challenge...
And yes, it’s finally coming back.
The new challenge is shorter, sharper, and built for one purpose:
To force you into bold action that grows your cult following fast.
No happy clappy whooping and dancing about (I'm British, of course). No endless lists of tasks to complete when you're already too busy. Just pure momentum.
I've stripped it right down to what actually works:
- Daily motivation
- Plug and play frameworks
- And real outcomes you’ll create by the end
Plus lots of fun and laughter in the process to show you that building a brand and marketing your business doesn't have to be dull af.
Keep an eye out. Full details drop soon.
Review How To Start A Cult and win prizes
Enjoyed How To Start A Cult? Want to win prizes? Then you're in luck.
Leave a review for How To Start A Cult on any of the below platforms and you can enter a draw to win prizes every month.
Here's what you need to do:
1 - Find How To Start A Cult on Amazon, Audible or Goodreads
2 - Leave a lovely review and take a screenshot to show you've left a review
3 - Send your screenshot to support@jodyraynsford.com with the subject line 'REVIEW PRIZES'
The good news is that you only need to enter once and you're eligible for the draw forever.
A quick thought to leave you with... say it before it’s perfect
Yes, this is another little reminder that if you’ve been holding back because you’re waiting for the perfect Polarising Message, I'm giving you a pass.
Stop waiting.
Start now.
Start speaking.
Start sharing.
Start broadcasting...
... even if it’s rough, messy, or half-formed.
Because clarity doesn’t come from thinking.
It comes from doing it, saying it, and refining it in public.
The longer you wait, the longer your people wait to hear something that could change everything for them.
So say it.
Not because it’s finished.
But because it matters.
Laters!
Jody
