If you are reading this, then I suspect you already know the answer….
I was reading this post over at CK’s blog and was struck by the way communities organize themselves organically.
Of course, the article interested me straight away as it was about Buffy the Vampire Slayer (in my view, one of the best-written series ever made) … and the way that the Buffy Community continues strongly several years after the end of the series. (I work with a number of Buffy fans in our office and the passion still remains!)
But as CK points out, your community is a "standing army" of believers (they believe in your product, your service etc). They are passionately committed to your work or output. They will trial it, test it, provide feedback. They will even stand-by you when you over promise and under-deliver … well most times they will. Really, your community is your safety net.
Sometimes this means that your community will be seen as a collection of weirdos (even your CEO may take this view) … it is precisely this passion that sets them apart from the mainstream. It is this passion that makes them camp overnight to order the new Xbox360 or PlayStation console. It is this evangelistic streak in graphic designers that is harnessed so well by Apple. It is this single-mindedness that creates a market for elite racing bikes for use on suburban Sunday roads.
From the outside, a strong and active community is seen as a collection of weirdos. It’s easy to see why … dilated pupils, intense conversations, sleepless nights, spurious talk of "what-if" scenarios, compulsion, tension and even secret handshakes. Sound like anyone you know? All bloggers look into the mirror and repeat after me "One person’s passionate community is another’s collection of weirdos … and that’s ok".
Thanks to Ann Handley for suggesting this topic!
Photo originally uploaded by f.p.o..
Gavin,
Great post. I’m also reminded of the Star Wars fans that still go to conventions, dress up and the like. We had one here in Indianapolis last summer and I couldn’t believe it. Grownups acting like children, having journeyed from all corners of the planet.
I want to take your message to heart and build this kind of culture behind my company. Massive undertaking, but surely well worth the effort.
Gavin let’s be honest, how many CEOs that have never read a blog are thinking right now that all bloggers are ‘weirdos’? In this sense, I think another term for ‘weirdos’ is ‘customer evangelists’. Or ‘passionate community members’.
As you point out, neither term is derrogatory, in fact both are the exact groups that companies need to be focusing on! So are these ‘weirdos’.
Thank you for your post, Gavin. In my younger days as a rocker, we called brand evangelists groupies, and in the ’60s and ’70s alternative rock would have died without them. So call them weirdos, evangelists or groupies, doesn’t matter. What matters is that they are passionate about the brand and help drive it toward success.
If you are human, then by default you are WEIRD.
Good thinking and fun graphic (from one weirdo to another
. Yes, to have such a passionate, unconditional fan army at the ready is truly a brand coup.
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Those brands that embrace their customers have long shown ROI. Those that don’t? They have stale relationships with their customers. And what’s so interesting is that embracing your fans at the product-development stage is now trumpeted as the new best practice–so those weirdos are getting their due, finally.
What I reviewed in my post was that due to such committed fans, the show’s producers were able to take a 60-minute television show (a repeat episode from 5 years ago) and preview it on the big screen…to a full-house two nights in a row. And now they’re looking at holding monthly showings–and only use WOM and some web listings to promote it.
So: no production costs + sold-out show + negligible marketing expenses + selling DVDs…wait, tell me again what’s weird about this revenue model? These brainy marketers are keeping a brand alive–a brand that has been off the air for 3 years.
P.S.: What’s more, the fans are so passionate that since I’ve written the darn post, the Buffy fans have found me and are subscribing to my blog. I’ve explained to them that my blog is a marketing focus. They’ve told me if I like Buffy, they trust my taste. So in addition to marketers, my blog has a Buffy following. I’m no fool, I’ll embrace this passionate fan base
“P.S.: What’s more, the fans are so passionate that since I’ve written the darn post, the Buffy fans have found me and are subscribing to my blog. I’ve explained to them that my blog is a marketing focus. They’ve told me if I like Buffy, they trust my taste. So in addition to marketers, my blog has a Buffy following. I’m no fool, I’ll embrace this passionate fan base
.”
A lesson many companies could learn from.
You folks are weird!
Can I be my company’s WOG? Weird-O Gatherer
As I tell my kids, it’s a compliment to be called weird, because it’s a LOT better than being called boring….
To Mike’s point…it’s obviously a matter of time before some social media company hires a CWO (Chief Weird Officer)!
And here I was hoping that I’d finally grown out of being called a weirdo (junior high rears its ugly head, once again!). Now the whole darn blogosphere knows. Thanks, Gavin
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At least Ann will be joining me in November for the next Buffy Sing-a-Long in NYC. Ann, you now understand that I’m holding you to this…mark my words, it will be the best time you’ve had all year. In fact, any and all weirdo marketers are welcome to come sing with us.
I embrace my weirdoness. My weirditude. My weirdiosity.