One of the most coveted things a brand can earn is the emotional investment of their customers in the brand itself. That undeniable force that can make or break a business is why the Wall Street Journal bestseller, FANOCRACY – Turning Fans into Customers and Customers into Fans is a must read for marketers today.
Co-authored by best selling author and international keynote speaker David Meerman Scott and his daughter Reiko Scott, Fanocracy was 5 years in the making. David and Reiko have developed a blueprint of 9 steps for marketers to tap in to the most powerful marketing force in the world: passionate fans.
The book has a great Father / Daughter genesis story. While David’s experiences surfing and passion for live music were different from Reiko’s experiences with cosplay at Comic Con and as a Harry Potter fan, they realized how their ideas about fandoms were so similar. Why not explore those experiences further and write a book?
So what does Fanocracy really mean? The authors put it this way: “Fanocracy means an organization that puts the needs and wishes of fans ahead of every other priority. Applying the strategies in Fanocracy will make your company more likely to dominate 工作职能邮件数据库 your category and win business. And beyond the financial benefits, a Fanocracy spreads more joy and inspiration to the world at large”
I think we can all agree that the world could definitely use more joy and inspiration right now.
Fanocracy makes a good case for it too: “In a digital world where our lives are increasingly cluttered and superficial, we’re missing something tremendously powerful: genuine human connection. The relationship we build with our customers is more important than the products and services we sell them.”
Meaningful over mechanical and relationships and customer experience over transactions is a trend we’ve all seen coming in the business world and Fanocracy does a great job in three parts of establishing the why, outlining in 9 steps how and in the final section about enjoying Fanocracy.
There’s an old expression, “Facts tell, stories sell”, and this book is full of brand stories that serve as examples from Adobe and Air Jordans to Starbucks and Star Wars. Going beyond theoretical platitudes, the second section dives in to specifics, making Fanocracy a useful, practical guide.
Get closer than usual
Let go of your creations
Give more than you have to
Build identity to become more than the product
Be smart about influencers
Break down barriers
Listen to rehumanize
Tell the truth, especially when it hurts
Develop employees who are fans