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Normal Fans vs. Extreme Fans

Is Music Paying Too Much Attention To Uber-Fans?

image from news.bbc.co.ukA new Kelly Research survey that takes a look at nermal fans vs. extreme fans of radio may also provide a glimpse at all branches of fandom including music. Based on a 300 person nationwide survey of music radio listeners, 96% are "Normal" and just 4% are "Extreme" fans.

Normal fans can be very heavy radio users, but rarely visit the station's websites. Extreme fans are more likely website visitors, contest players, Twitter and Facebook followers. "Computers, Internet and mobile devices may have changed the communication devices used by the Extreme Fans, but they appear to be the same vocal minority that jammed radio request lines in the '80s," Tom Kelly explained.

1000 True Fans Or 25,000 Normals?

What lessons might be learned by the music industry?

Having 1000 true fans is a great place to start. But while active street team members and $250 premium package buyers deserve special attention, the "normal" fans deserve the attention of music marketers as well.  After all, if the radio survey stats transfer, they outnumber "extremes" 25 to 1.

For these fans, convenience (available when and where they want) and price matter. Value-added products may also motivate an otherwise lost sale from a "normal".  But normals are also more fickle – moving from artist to artist and favorite song to favorite song much more quickly. 

Free sampling followed a wide variety of changing products that range from inexpensive to premium may be the industry's only hope to capture the financial support of more music fans. From a 99 cents ringtone impulse purchase to colored vinyl all the way through signed limited platinum editions, all deserve a place on the virtual self.

Bruce Houghton on 01/06/2010 in Uncategorized | Permalink | Comments (5)
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5 Comments

  1. You have to be kidding me with this. The only reason any bean counter would have a problem with hard core fans is that their passions cannot be calculated with any existing logarithmic equations….and those recently unemployed “taste-makers” hate to have to follow the lead of the minority, who care more about music than anyone else.
    B U T….I think they should rule the world. The way things have been going they will.
    So…To answer the question, no, music isn’t paying enough attention to these superfan people.

  2. Every label I worked for valued taste makers hugely, especially in the early development stage of an act. They created the spark and testified to others, and if you did everything right, it scaled. Modern social media is in many ways an improved technical manifestation of “word of mouth”.
    The mistake the industry made was, once the act reached a level of mass appeal, they typically turned their back on the tastemakers, and spent 100% of their marketing attention on the mainstream. That’s where the big money was, but as mentioned in the post, the mass audience is fickle and quickly moves on. Many artists struggle to regain credibility amongst tastemakers once they hit it big.
    Artists can’t make that mistake anymore, they have to superserve the hardcore fans perpetually, or they risk losing them. Uber fans have a much greater long term value to the artist and need to be treated like the valuable asset they are.

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