6 Comments

1,000 True Fans? How about ONE True Fan

Mar 8, 2008
by

There is a lot of buzz about Kevin Kelly’s article, 1,000 True Fans and with good reason… it provides hope. But rather than talk about the article itself, my thoughts have more to do with the reactions I have read and what people should really focus on.

So many people have jumped on this idea of only needing 1,000 true fans as an easier path to follow. Instead of having to make X amount of sales to what has seemed like an almost infinite number of customers, they now have a solid and realistic number to focus on. Only 1,000 customers? I can do that, they think. While providing a hopeful scenario, it does not put their focus where it should be.

To modify the old saying, the journey to 1,000 true fans is made ONE true fan at a time. Think of every business contact as a potential true fan and then treat them accordingly. If someone reads your blog post and cares enough to leave a comment, do you wait days to reply or do you follow up as quickly and personally as possible? If someone contacts you for more information about a product or service, do you answer their question and then never contact them again, waiting and hoping for them to make the next step? If you sell a product or service, do you stay in touch with that person, nurturing the relationship, and putting in the time and energy to turn them into a true fan?

Think carefully before you let an opportunity slip through your grasp. To get to that magical 1,000, you still need to get there ONE true fan at a time.

Filed under: Customer Relationship Management + Internet Marketing + Online Marketing
  • http://blissfulgreen.blogspot.com Stephanie

    I LOVE and appreciate anyone and everyone who visits my blog. When they leave a comment, I ALWAYS comment back. Sometimes I will even visit a random blog and leave a comment and they usually visit my blog and comment back.

    There may be times where I wait a day or more, but I do have a life (believe it or not) outside of the internet. LOL I have a 2 year old and a husband and they need me too.

    Even when I receive an email asking about one of my businesses, I reply right after I read it.

    I believe that if you have just ONE true fan, that ONE person can tell as little as one other person and so on.

    How do I like to be treated? Fairly. I like to be heard. It's just like a marriage or a relationship. Listen. Hear. Follow through.

  • Heather D

    How incredibly simple, yet true. Making long lasting solid business relationships takes time, trust and perseverance, but if you had 1000 true fans…those people that trust and believe in you then you have certainly reached that place where every honest marketer would like to be, with a fan base that is not just numbers, but GOOD SOLID FRIENDSHIP-TYPE NUMBERS!

    Because really in the long run, it does not pay off signifigantly to have a bunch of strangers as referrals. What pays is people helping people.

    Great thoughts. Thank you!

  • http://new-media.lazaruscorporation.co.uk Paul Watson

    I think you're absolutely right, Chris – it's the artist's job to nurture that relationship with every business contact, blog commenter, etc because that's the way to turn a passing acquaintance into a true fan.

    I think Kevin's article is about setting your initial strategy, whereas your focus is on the individual tactics you use to achieve that strategy.

    I think the reason people focused on the more distant goal of 1000 fans, rather than on the immediate goal of nurturing a relationship with 1 fan is that some people work best when they've got their sights set on an objective. It gives them a road map, a goal, something to measure their progress against.

    At the same time, you're absolutely right – while you should be clear in your goals, you need to focus on the day-to-day tasks needed to achieve them.

    By understanding both the goal and the tasks required to achieve that goal then you have everything there to maintain your enthusiasm.

  • http://www.onlineartsmarketing.com/one-true-fan/ ONE True Fan : Online Arts Marketing

    [...] article is about a topic I plan to write more about on this blog, but for a teaser I invite you to read the post at ReveNews.com and feel free to leave a comment there if so [...]

  • http://www.onlineartsmarketing.com Chris O’Byrne

    Stephanie, what results have you seen from responding to every one of your commenters?

    Heather, you are very welcome!

    Paul, I think you are absolutely right. We need that realistic goal and 1,000 fans IS realistic, which is why the idea has brought so much hope to people. And we also need that down-to-earth plan of how to get there.

  • http://www.dianeclancy.com/blog Diane Clancy

    Hi Chris,

    I don’t know if 1,000 true fans is realistic … but one true fan sounds manageable! Great post!

    ~ Diane Clancy
    http://www.DianeClancy.com/blog
    http://www.YourArtMarketing.com