I’ve had one of those days where I feel like I’ve been hit by a bus.
So a little TLC was had. I woke up. Did a few things and then got back into bed and got watching one of my many favourite films.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s/Sorcerer’s Stone.
(Yes people are still mad to this day because of the swap of names)
Anyways.
With the doom and gloom of the internet at the moment, where everyone is worried about A.I. taking over their souls (It’s already doing it tbh)
Us creatives need to be looking to build a world people will throw their money at faster than first years rushing the Honeydukes Express cart. Chocolate frogs anyone?
And as it pains to be type this… There’s blueprint hidden right in the first film.
Buckle up. We’re getting a little sweary.
LESSON #1: THE DRAMATIC FUCKING ONBOARDING EXPERIENCE
Remember Harry’s journey from miserable cupboard under the stairs kid to actual wizard? That’s customer onboarding done right.
Hagrid didn’t send a goddamn email newsletter. He kicked down a door during a lightning storm on a remote island and said “YER A WIZARD, HARRY” Then whisked the kid to Diagon Alley. A hidden world of wonder where even buying a stick (wand) feels like a religious experience.
Business translation:
Make your customer’s first experience with your brand memorable as hell.
I get that we have to sell a product or a service but you need to initiate people into a world they didn’t know existed.
Create “Diagon Alley moments” where ordinary transactions feel magical and think to yourself how can you make that first purchase amazing. What else can you give them to make them feel special.
When someone discovers your brand, are they getting a form letter or are they getting Hagrid? Are you selling wands, or are you selling “the wand chooses the wizard” moments? The difference is everything.
LESSON #2: HOUSES, LOYALTY & TRIBAL PSYCHOLOGY
In the business world when someone is coaching someone or whatever people are always referred to as “Students”
When you attend Hogwarts you think just a typical school with students and magic, but what they actually have is Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws and Slytherins. Each with distinct values, aesthetics, and a built in rivalry system that makes people care about arbitrary differences more than they care about their actual blood relatives.
The Sorting Hat is low key the most brilliant customer segmentation tool ever created and you might just think it’s there for sorting but it gives them identity. Something to defend, represent, and wear on everything from scarves to underpants.
Business Translation:
Create tribal identities within your customer base.
Develop clear value systems that people can self identify with.
Foster friendly competition that drives deeper engagement.
People will forget what you sell them, but they’ll never forget what team you put them on. What’s your version of “house pride”? How can you make customers feel they belong to something bigger than a transaction?
Find that, and you’ve found brand loyalty that’ll stick no matter what it is that you do.
LESSON #3: ACCESSIBILITY LAYERED WITH MYSTERY
The brilliant thing about Hogwarts isn’t just that it’s magical it’s that it’s knowable magic with unknowable depths.
First years understand classes, points, and Quidditch immediately. But what’s in the forbidden corridor? What’s Nicolas Flamel’s deal? What’s with Snape’s whole… everything?
Rowling created a world with clear entry points and hidden trapdoors. You can enjoy the surface and be rewarded for going deeper.
Business translation:
Make your core offering immediately understandable.
Layer in mysteries, insider knowledge, and discovery paths.
Balance accessibility with the thrill of exclusivity.
Your business needs its own version of “restricted section in the library” energy.
Something customers can discover after they’ve mastered the basics. The goal is to create both casual fans and obsessives who will fight a mountain troll to learn more about what you offer.
The real magic of Harry Potter wasn’t just wizards and wands. It was creating a world so immersive that people would rather live there than here. Your brand doesn’t need actual spells (though if you have them, call me), but it does need to feel like a place worth visiting, again and again.
Do it right and you won’t only have customers. You’ll have first years arriving wide eyed at your platform, ready to spend seven years (and their Gringotts vault) exploring everything you’ve built.
And a lot of the way I’ve started to think about this is because of my main man Ben Settle
If you’re wanting another look into it all grab his book here
It’ll get you thinking about worlds instead of just offering your things and stuff.
Stephen Walker