Audit your fandoms

Rob Hardy -

I gave myself an odd job title for this year. I’m a true fan archeologist.

My job is to dig up the tools creators use to bond with their fans. I want to understand the process for becoming someone’s absolute favorite writer, musician, YouTuber, etc.

But here’s the funny thing.

I haven’t had to look far for some of the richest strategies. I found them hiding in plain sight.

There are a handful of creators for whom I’d consider myself a true fan.

There’s a political podcast called The Fifth Column that kept me sane during the crazymaking news cycle of 2020.

There’s André Chaperon, who singlehandedly upended my marketing worldview, and gave me new tools for building meaningful business systems.

There’s Don Hertzfeldt, whose odd experimental animations always take me on an emotional journey, and leave me pondering the big questions of life.

I started examining my relationships with each of these creators. And in so doing, I uncovered dozens of strategies that contributed to me becoming a superfan.

You might be tempted to look outward for advice on how to create true fans. But I’m willing to bet you already have a wealth of tools stashed within.

The process for uncovering these tools is simple.

First, identify your own true fandoms. Then, dig into why and how those creators resonate.

Here are a few questions to get you started.

  • Who are the creators for whom you’re a superfan?
  • What makes those creators different/special compared to others?
  • How does their work make you feel? Why?
  • What was the moment you said, “Oh shit! I think I love this person?” How can you create similar moments?

Work through these, and you’ll discover a treasure trove of ideas for how to resonate with your own fanbase.

There’s one additional, and delightful benefit to this strategy.

When you start using the tools that resonate with you, you’ll attract others like yourself. Auditing your own fandoms is the ultimate shortcut to “finding the others” as Seth Godin would say.

So, get digging my friends. There’s gold in them there hills :)