Can your members become fans? David Meerman Scott says yes

When David Meerman Scott and his daughter, Reiko Scott, set out to write “Fanocracy,” they started with one question: Can others benefit from creating the kind of fandom that entertainers enjoy? 

The answer they found, in short, is yes. 

By looking into scientific research that explains how humans experience physical closeness and empathy as well as by interviewing organization leaders from various industries, David and Reiko were able to stitch together the tactics that anyone can use to allow space for fandom.

“Fandom is not just for entertainers. Fandom is for everybody,” David said. “And it’s a lot more fun to build a business around fans than it is just to sell stuff.”

We caught up with David, who’s perhaps best known for authoring “The New Rules of Marketing and PR,” in December. Reiko was studying, so she wasn’t available, but David hopped on a video call to dive into how fandom works and why it could be so helpful for associations. 

Watch the interview to hear David use real-world examples, from the association industry to government programs and even a car insurance company, to understand how you can harness the power of fandom for your own organization.

"Fanocracy" is due out Jan. 7.