Did you know hardcore fans (the true believers) control the market and the fate of your brand?
Earth update: (Moving forward starts with knowing where you stand.)
Fact 1: Tribes define us. Always have. Conversations free us. Always will.
Fact 2: It’s already happened. The world is ours. There is no one else to blame.
Fact 3: Everything is getting smaller. The mass was removed. Relationships matter.
Fact 4: Attention. If you want it, wow us with something to believe in. If not — next.
Fact 5: Connect the dots: consumers < customers < people < fans < true believers.
Fact 6: Obsession is powerful when shared. Fandoms make (or break) their object.
Fact 7: Foggy? Then catch-up. Cluetrain, Seth and Hugh shine a bright light.
And so a new journey begins. One that brings us all closer to the truth — humans evolve faster than our surroundings. We are far more complex than your marketing. You create what we control. And, we’ve usually moved on by the time your institution arrives on the scene. In a cynical world the only real currency we have is love. (Lust is only credit.) For those select few who get it, we follow with all our heart. For those who don’t, brand-up on this:
Net Fandom – How 10K true believers will change your world!
Belief 1: In an always-on, micro-media culture there is no such thing as blind loyalty. Everything is earned. Each experience enables the next. Remember, the last one is always in danger of being just that.
Belief 2: Thanks to something called social media, we now share the good, bad and ugly of each experience with everyone we know. Especially, the bad and ugly.
Belief 3: Continual conversations combined with choice disproves the idea that customers own your brand. Ownership implies customers care enough to stick around during the bad times. We don’t.
Belief 4: Surprise and delight are now kinda expected, thus their effects don’t last as long. Goodwill is subject to shorter attention spans too. The bar has been raised, so you better wow us.
Belief 5: Again, connect the dots: consumers < customers < people < fans < true believers. You don’t stand any chance of winning if your focus is left of people. Deal with it and change.
Belief 6: All is not lost. We love brands that give us something to believe in — that inspire us to aspire for more. Do that, and we’ll lead the charge for you. We’re your forces of good — the true believers.
Belief 7: Love survives the occasional aggravation. Beliefs trump facts. And people listen to other people. Your true believers persuade the rest to follow. Welcome to Net Fandom.
Fandom [fan-duhm] -noun. ”A microcosm of core fans characterized by a feeling of close camaraderie, belief and purpose with others who share a common interest. A fandom can center around any area of human activity. The advent of the Internet has significantly facilitated fan association and daily involvement.”
Belief 8: A fandom is the single most powerful and passionate entity in this world. Cherish, if your world is so lucky to have one. Our network of influence, grassroots capabilities and contagious enthusiasm are unmatched. Just ask Obama.
Belief 9: Your Net Fandom can create movements or topple institutions, as we are a revolution of the mind. We know exactly how to start, spread and end that in which we love. Your marketing and advertising are illusions.
Belief 10: Yes illusions, but your marketing and advertising are very helpful to us in spreading the word. Think of them as connective collaboration — tools we use to convert people into fans. The mutual benefit being certain fans become true believers.
Belief 11: Your success and our fandom are symbiotic. Fortune and glory are directly tied to the engagement-level and love of your Net Fandom. As we grow, you grow. And most importantly, never confuse the opposite. Just ask General Motors.
Belief 12: Each has a specific role. You create and we control. As the creator, we look to you as the source of what makes the fandom tick. You have our utmost attention. It’s your creation we love and share. In return, we control your reach and popularity.
Belief 13: Your Net Fandom is worth far more than an army of consumers. Products are commodities, and customer allegiances can change on a dime. History favors a small group of true believers. Disagree? Let’s see how unlucky you become without us.
Belief 14: A brand (company, celebrity, politician, religion, etc.) only needs 10,000 true believers to be a cultural phenomena — to start a movement millions will follow. The same 10K keep the flame burning through thick and thin. Of course, the more the merrier.
Belief 15: A true believer buys a majority of what you sell. Volunteers for marketing, sales and PR. And complains the loudest when needed — while continually providing key input and growing your Net Fandom. Each is as valuable as anyone you pay six figures.
Belief 16: A true believer is the purest form of a viral expansion loop. Each of us recruits an average of 14 people per year to your brand (7 casual buyers, 5 fans and 2 true believers). Do the math — a 2X repeater that grows in conjunction with your Net Fandom.
Belief 17: As the creative source of your Net Fandom, you must also embrace the idea of open source. True believers want to use your work to tell their own stories. Sit legal, sit — as you remain the inspiration, determine the canon and receive the ultimate credit.
Belief 18: Acting corporate is the fast lane to losing your Net Fandom. We despise ivory towers, being handled and most suits. Be real. Speak human. And above all, be raw. All three are endearing to true believers. Think Kevin Smith, but don’t copy him.
This, and so much more!
Belief 19: You know us as Star Wars and Star Trek. But we’re also Apple, Google, Deepak Chopra, Gov. Charlie Crist, Iron Man, Miley Cyrus, Oprah, Rachel Maddow, Sugarland, UPS, Xbox 36O, Yo Gabba Gabba! — and thousands more… We’re everywhere.
Belief 20: We’re easy to find and love when you join the conversation. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and the rest of the social media toolbox have replaced major networks as the great aggregator of people. We’re happy to have a conversation on your website too.
Belief 21: Product features equal about 24% of the reason we love a brand. The total experience from the first buy through service to the next purchase is around 25%. Point being we primarily love a brand for how you make us feel. Yep, 51% is simply belief.
Belief 22: It’s time to tackle belief. If that scares you, you will fail. People want something to believe in. Something that makes sense of all the chaos. The paradox is your brand is not a deity. What we really want is for you to make us believe in us. Wow!
Belief 23: Revenue, assets, liabilities — oh my! (Let it go, Indiana.) In a market that changes on a dime, the only number that matters is your Net Fandom. We directly control your financial success. Invest in us, and the other numbers will be in your favor.
Belief 24: The Net Fandom for 24 floated the show in Season 2. Heck, we even turned cougar-bad into a badge of endearment. Our love complaints made it better. Hacks give us everything we want, but a creator who keeps us guessing while also listening is golden.
Belief 25: Backstory matters. A true believer wants to know every tiny detail. Who, what, when, where, why — and especially howseparate your Net Fandom from the casual customers of yesteryear. We love what you do as much as we love what you produce.
Belief 26: The bigger the universe you create, the more we believe in it. Both in fantasy and fact, we seek to interact with your world. That’s what fans do. The greater the engagement, the deeper our love. Each participation event increases your brand value.
Belief 27: A great story never ends. It gets expanded upon (if only in the Net Fandom), passed down from one generation to the next and eventually re-invented. The same goes for great brands. Together, new beliefs continually form…
Signed: a true believer.
Tags: brand, fans, Net Fandom, social media, true believers
