Fanocracy: Turning Fans into Customers and Customers into Fans | David Meerman Scott - Reiko Scott

A Wall Street Journal bestseller

From the author of New Rules of Marketing & PR, a bold guide to converting customer passion into marketing power.
 
How do some brands attract word-of-mouth buzz and radical devotion around products as everyday as car insurance, b2b software, and underwear? They embody the most powerful marketing force in the world: die-hard fans.
 
In this essential book, leading business growth strategist David Meerman Scott and fandom expert Reiko Scott explore the neuroscience of fandom and interview young entrepreneurs, veteran business owners, startup founders, nonprofits, and companies big and small to pinpoint which practices separate organizations that flourish from those stuck in stagnation. They lay out a road map for converting customers’ ardor into buying power, pulling one-of-a-kind examples from a wide range of organizations, including:
 
·         MeUndies, the subscription company that’s revolutionizing underwear
·         HeadCount, the nonprofit that registers voters at music concerts
·         Grain Surfboards, the board-building studio that willingly reveals its trade secrets with customers
·         Hagerty, the classic-car insurance provider with over 600,000 premier club members
·         HubSpot, the software company that draws 25,000 attendees to its annual conference
 
For anyone who seeks to harness the force of fandom to revolutionize his or her business, Fanocracy shows the way.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Reiko and David have captured the essence of how organizations, small and large, can organize and amplify the passions of their best customers. It's not difficult, but it's not common either: by building personal relationships and thus doing better work. A breakthrough in clarity and simplicity."
—Seth Godin, author of Tribes and This is Marketing

"Fanocracy is a deep dive into strategies to build a powerful culture that drives business success. It also explores the thinking of a new generation—one that values community, sharing, and justice. David and Reiko share surprising ideas you can implement immediately, such as letting go of your work and allowing people to make it their own, seeing the world as a gift and giving gifts in return, celebrating your customers’ stories, and the power of compassion."
—Tony Robbins (from the foreword)
 
“The intergenerational perspectives presented [in Fanocracy] demonstrate a unique approach to business development.”
—Booklist

"Our customers are no ordinary customers; they are die-hard fans who bleed for us. They love calling themselves Spartans - they bear Spartan tattoos and share their experiences with family and friends, bringing hundreds of thousands of new Spartans to the brand each year. Fanocracy will teach you how to do the same for your business."
—Joe De Sena, founder & CEO of Spartan
 
“In our three decades advising tens of thousands of CEOs and executives, I've learned that most spend too much time internally. A focus on the customer is THE essential component for scaling up to build an industry-dominating organization. In Fanocracy, David and Reiko offer surprising insights into how to put the needs of people ahead of all else, so that your customers become passionate fans of all you do.”
—Verne Harnish, founder of Entrepreneurs’ Organization and author of Scaling Up

“David and Reiko make the idea of fan culture real, accessible, and actionable for all business—big, small, nonprofit, for-profit, b2b... and yes, even yours! Most of all, they shine a light on the joy of growing a business when you're surrounded by customers who positively LOVE what you do.”
—Ann Handley, author of Everybody Writes and Content Rules

“The single most important force in my business is the relationship that I have with my fans. Yes, singing ability, songs, and industry support help tremendously, but the direct fan to artist friendship is the most coveted tool in the equation. Fanocracy truly emphasizes the importance and how-to’s that are necessary to maximize that all important friendship. I just read it, it’s FANTASTIC.”
—Ronnie Dunn, of Brooks & Dunn

"The world is not changed by people who sort of care. Or companies who sort of care. The world is changed by those who passionately, relentlessly care because your customers will too, and your brand becomes impossible to resist. Fanocracy shows how to change customers into fans, so your brand can change the world.” 
—Sally Hogshead, New York Times bestselling author and CEO of Fascinate®
 

About the Author

David Meerman Scott is an internationally acclaimed business strategist, entrepreneur, advisor to emerging companies, and public speaker. He is the author of ten previous books, including The New Rules of Marketing & PR (now in its 6th edition and in 29 languages) and Marketing Lessons from the Grateful Dead. In his spare time he surfs and travels around the world for great live music.

Reiko Scott earned a neuroscience degree from Columbia University and is now a medical student at Boston University. In her spare time she writes and publishes fanfiction based on her favorite fantasy worlds and loves to cosplay at Comic Con.