David Meerman Scott (Fanocracy)
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This episode of Marketing News Canada features author of Fanocracy, David Meerman Scott. The book is his eleventh piece and has become a Wall Street best seller. It talks about the art of turning “fans into customers'' and vice versa. Most marketers know him from his book The New Rules of Marketing and PR. It was published back in 2007 in twenty nine different languages. Since then, he says the world of digital marketing has become very dark. “I believe that the Facebook algorithm is the most dangerous thing ever created.”
David explains that Facebook’s online marketing system can put people “into buckets.” Facebook makes more money the longer an individual stays on the platform. This conundrum kept him circling back to the notion of fandom and how it’s superior to Facebook’s impersonal approach.
David has a huge passion for live music. In fact, he’s been to 804 live shows in his lifetime. Over the years he’s become enamoured with the culture of fandoms and the value in customer loyalty. He started reaching out to companies to talk about the process of gaining fans. He learned whether you’re a sports team, a K-pop group, or a napkin company, you have the potential to build a fan base.
He co-wrote Fanocracy with his 24-year old daughter Reiko. Their first draft was written with only one voice. They both agreed it wouldn’t work if they were writing one voice from the perspective of two different people. David felt it was important the book had the experiences of both a millennial mixed-race woman, and an older caucasian man. It showed that the ability to experience fandom knows no age or gender.
David uses the word “fan” to describe a brand's loyal customer base. He explains that it comes down to humanity, and developing a smoothly run organization to engage with the community in question. Reiko’s undergrad was in neuroscience, so they took a neurological approach to the book. Through their research, they found that our brains are “hardwired to want to be a part of a tribe of like-minded people.” David said we are most comfortable and safe around people who think similarly to us.
Something unique about fandom culture is that you could offer someone a better deal (financially speaking) and they may decline out of loyalty to their brand of choice. This phenomenon is fascinating in that it goes against a traditional business mindset. So what are the signs of a true fan you ask? David claims that one way to tell if you have true fans is if people are “eagerly sharing your companies goods and services.” Are they telling their friends about it? Are they wearing your logo on a trendy t-shirt or putting a sticker on their laptop? According to David, all these qualities make up a true fan that can help grow your business into something beautiful. Considering these questions in the early stages of development for a brand could be the difference between a one-time and a lifetime customer.
Check out the full interview below to learn more about Fanocracy.
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