The post on Rituals by Church of the Customer really stuck with me.

Yes, it caught my eye because I am a Steeler fan...but also because it sparked some inspiration into understanding why people act the way they act around a product launch or an event.

Rituals are about belonging, being a part of the greater story. As the post describes "They are the shared experiences of a group. They create emotional glue."

So when Huba asked "For your business, have you devised rituals for your customer evangelists? What shared experiences allow them to build a worshiping foundation?"

Here is how I worked on figuring this out for old, current and new projects:

1. How are your customers interacting with your product? When, how, where and why? What is a 'tradition' vs. a new wave?
2. Are there patterns? Do they differ by personas?
3. How can you enhance existing interactions or make them more feasible? Online and off. Can you help spread existing rituals? How?
4. Can you develop new rituals that will bring your customers together?

Remember, rituals always start with your evangelists, whether it be one person or a group of 1000. It has to start with believers.

Here are some examples.

- Dressing up for the premier of a new Batman movie.
- Period Parties - coming back strong!
- Back to school shopping
- Frosh week
- Old school tupperware parties
- Food rituals around the Holiday's and Thanksgiving

How about everyday and weekly rituals?

- Drinking your morning brew. Is it Starbucks, Timmy's?
- Commuting to work. Esso? Shell?
- Are you showering using Dove or Khiels?