NI - Kontakt » But does the term ?fan? ONLY re

I've been to 97 concerts in my lifetime. I know this because every ticket stub of every show I've ever seen since I was 12 lay under a sheet of glass on my coffee table. Some of the stubs are signed by my favorite musicians; some are tattered and torn from the pouring rain through which I stoo


But does the term ?fan? ONLY refer to a music lover, sports enthusiast or dedicated follower of a performing art? What about business?


Let's ask Webster. It defines a fan as an ?enthusiastic devotee or an ardent admirer or enthusiast.? They also have related words for fan like: addict, aficionado, buff, bug, devotee Wholesale Jerseys Free Shipping , enthusiast, fanatic, fancier, fiend, freak, lover Wholesale Jerseys From China , maniac, nut, groupie; admirer, collector, connoisseur, dilettante; authority Wholesale Jerseys China , expert; cultist, disciple, follower, votary; backer, patron, promoter Wholesale Jerseys , supporter; partisan, zealot; booster, rooter and well-wisher.


Aha! Interesting. So it isn't just painted faces and screaming audience members; it's simply someone who 'loves your stuff.? For example, maybe someone's been to your website before. Bought your products before. Worked with your people before. Stayed at your hotel before.


Then one day they come to you and say, ?You know, I just LOVE your stuff.?


If you ever hear those beautiful words come out of your customer's mouth Wholesale MLB Baseball Jerseys , congratulations - you have a fan. And fans are the most important people in your business.


Fans are better than customers because they're devoted to you and your company. They stick with you and come back for more. And most importantly, they tell all their friends to do the same.


So the question is: how can companies create and keep their fans?


Well, since the term ?fan? is most often associated with music, let's look at four great musical performers and bands ? and see what they do.


Riding with the King
B.B. King has been playing the blues since he was 18 years old. Recently, I saw The King in concert on his 80th Birthday Tour. Wow! That means he's been creating and keeping fans for over 62 years.


After the show, I figured out why he's known as ?The King of the Blues.? It's not because he's a precise Wholesale Baseball Jerseys , gifted guitar player. It's not because he sings with more soul than a church choir. It's because he's a storyteller. And his stories throughout the concert captivated 5000 screaming fans who will never forget "riding with the king."


And why? Because it wasn't a concert ? it was an experience. It was unlike any of the other 96 other concerts I'd ever seen. That's why I'll go see B.B. next time he comes through town. That's why I'll buy his next album. And that why I'm using him as an example in this article that I'll email to all of my clients and friends.


FAN CLUB RULE #1: Fans crave an experience.


The Best of What's Around
I've been a hard core Dave Matthews Band fan since 1994 when his debut album changed the face of ?jam rock? forever. And by hard core I mean: I've seen him in concert I-can't-remember-how-many times; I can play every song he's ever written on the guitar; I've bought every album, every DVD, every t-shirt; even joined his fan club online so I can get advanced notice (and priority seating) for upcoming shows!


But then, in February of 2001, something happened. Something that almost killed me. DMB released their 7th album, Everyday.


And I hated it.


I listened to the CD twice on the day I bought - and never listened to it again. The reviews were terrible. And all of my fan-friends agreed that it was the band's worst album to date. I was so disappointed Wholesale MLB Jerseys Online , I felt sick. After all, this was my favorite band in the world and they'd let me down!


Were they about to lose me as a fan?


No way.


Because I knew that someday, they'd win me back. Even the great DMB was capable of making a mistake! And sure enough, one year later, they released their 8th album, Busted Stuff. And it was unbelievable. I listened to it over and over again. Then I paid $72 to see them in concert for the umpteenth time.


And why? One word: loyalty.


FAN CLUB RULE #2: Fans will stick with you Wholesale MLB Jerseys Free Shipping , even when you make a mistake.


Gimme Shelter
VH1 once did a countdown of ?The Greatest Rock and Roll Bands of All Time.? Their number one pick: The Rolling Stones. And I remember watching the program with my dad (another dedicated fan) who said, ?I can't believe they beat out the Beatles!?


?Yeah, but the Beatles? last concert was in 1966,? I said. ?The Stones are in their 60's are they're still rockin!?


That why, three weeks later, I skipped school to stand in line outside of a record store for three hours freezing my butt off with $700 worth of my friends? ticket money in my pocket.


Because it was the Stones Wholesale MLB Jerseys From China , man. THE STONES!


The show was unparalleled to anything we'd ever seen before ? or would ever see in the future. My friends thanked me non-stop for three weeks. And I knew that everything I'd gone through was worth it.


Because that's what fans do.


Come on, you do it too. How many times have you driven that extra few miles just to eat at the restaurant you love so much? How many times have you gone to store after store, looking to re-buy

Warning. Don't stop now. You a. Wholesale Jerseys From China Wholesale Jerseys China Free Shipping Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Wholesale Jerseys China Wholesale NBA Jerseys Wholesale NBA Jerseys Cheap Wholesale MLB Jerseys From China Cheap Authentic NBA Jerseys Cheap College Football Jerseys Wholesale NFL Football Jerseys