MackCollier.com

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Why have customers when you can have fans?

There’s a question I’ve been wondering about recently. Why do the people that buy most company’s products look like this:

Customers

And the people that buy the products that most rockstars sell look like this:

Sarahconcert2

Why do companies have customers, and rockstars have fans? This was the key question I posed last month at Social South during my What Rockstars Can Teach You About Kicking Ass With Social Media session.  I think the ‘easy’ answer is to say that rockstars sell an entertainment product, and that it’s much easier to create fans for such a product, as opposed to just customers.

But I think there’s much more to it than that.  In my session, I outlined four reasons why rockstars have fans, as opposed to customers.  I also looked at how companies can use social media to replicate the methods that rockstars use to move from having just customers, to having passionate fans.

And that’s what I’m going to do this week.  Each day we’ll look at one of the four reasons, starting tomorrow and running through Friday.

Coming tomorrow: Reason #1 – Rockstars are fans themselves.

About Mack Collier

My name is Mack Collier and I am a digital marketing and content strategist located in Alabama. Since 2006 I've helped companies of all sizes from startups to global brands such as Adobe, Dell and Ingersoll-Rand, create customer-centric programs, content and experiences. A long-time internet geek, I've been online since 1988 and began using social networking sites in 1991 when I joined Prodigy. Today, I help companies understand how new technologies like web3, crypto and artificial intelligence can integrate with existing marketing strategies to lead to exceptional customer experiences.

Comments

  1. Tami McCarthy says

    Mack,

    Love the question. Can’t wait to see the rest of the details unfold. Rockstars are essentially artists who are compelled to entertain. They express themselves through their music and thrive at the roar of the applause. Finally, social media enables companies to start to interact with customers like people, and connect with them like fans. I love the Digital Age!