The "Special Treatment Switch" that deepens relationships with fans and The "Spirit of Words Switch" that sustains partiality

Hello. Thank you for reading the second installment of the "Fan Strategy" column.

Fan marketing is what's needed in today's world. We're introducing practical methods for building strategies from a fan's perspective—not just to sell products, but to make goods, services, and content truly beloved.

Last time, we covered the fundamental question of what a fan truly is, and emphasized activating the "companionship switch" during that initial connection with fans.

The "Special Treatment Switch" for Deepening Relationships

Let's say the "companionship switch" is activated, you successfully ignite the fan's interest, and they start to like your product, service, or content. However, if handled poorly, that "liking" risks remaining superficial.

 

What you need to activate here is... the "Special Treatment Switch"!
Meaning, providing a special experience.

In my case, a special experience happened when I happened to run into my favorite artist while traveling to their tour. I was wearing their band's T-shirt, so they recognized me as a fan. Normally, I would have been ignored, but they warmly shook my hand. Having this kind of special experience flipped a switch in my heart.

 

You might be thinking, "Does special treatment mean favoritism?" But there are different kinds of special treatment switches. Here are four types.

・"Because it's you" experiences

"Just for you" favoritism can sometimes create feelings of inequality among non-fans. When setting conditions, focus on designing benefits specifically for fans rather than excluding others. Saying "Exclusive for customers spending over ¥XX,000" sounds exclusive, but "All customers spending over ¥XX,000 receive" makes recipients feel special while maintaining an impression of fairness.

・High "Rarity" Experiences

For fans, "rare" might not be something measured by money. Seek out rarities that delight fans—things only available now, only available here, or offering a glimpse behind the scenes.

・One-on-One Experiences

Even for solo artists, one-on-one communication with fans is rare. This exclusive interaction becomes a secret weapon for making them feel special.

・Experiences that show "humanity"

Whether the sender is offering a product or content, glimpses of "humanity" can be incredibly heartwarming experiences for fans.

However, there's a caveat to flipping the "special treatment switch."
It requires sincerely maintaining regular call-and-response interactions. Just like in personal relationships, it's hard to trust someone—whether a friend or business contact—who rarely responds when you reach out. They certainly won't become a fan. First, build daily trust. Only then should you activate the switch.

The "Spirit of Words Switch" to Sustain Favoritism

 

Let's say the "Closeness Switch" and "Special Treatment Switch" have been activated, and fan enthusiasm has peaked. Getting this far is already challenging, but trials continue. Why? Because the recipient is always fickle. Their interest might shift elsewhere, or even if they're temporarily enthusiastic, they can cool off.

In other words, the next challenge is "maintenance."

That's when you need to activate the "Spirit of Words Switch." This involves getting them to declare their fandom. Essentially, it's getting them to put it into words and announce to others that they are a fan.

 

"Recognizing themselves and others as fans" strengthens their foundation as fans.
Because when you tell someone else, "I'm a fan of XX," about something you vaguely liked, you become conscious of being a fan. Once conscious, you start thinking more about the creator, and recall them when considering other products, services, or content. Declaring it makes you aware, naturally increasing your points of contact.

Furthermore, when others recognize you as a fan, information starts coming your way, or you get reminded of it through some opportunity, like someone saying, "You're a fan, right?" Each time this happens, your awareness of being a fan grows even stronger.

The "word-power switch" is a concept that's easy to grasp, but incredibly difficult to flip. Other switches just need to spark something in the listener's heart, but declaring your fandom involves drawing in third parties.

In everyday life, it's hard to just randomly say "I love XX!" out of nowhere, right? To get people to declare their fandom, creating an environment where it's easy to say is crucial.

Of course, a boom is the clearest indicator, but trends aren't that easy to create. It's more about broadly "creating opportunities and making it easy to say 'I'm a fan' when those moments arise." Specifically, leverage timing like new product launches or current events. Creative approaches like crafting catchy phrases to make it easier to say also help.

If it's difficult to express in real-life relationships, encouraging online declarations is another approach. The lightest form of declaration might be "following on social media." By following and staying connected, the recipient is constantly reminded, "Oh, I was a fan of this." Furthermore, if they share it with friends, it becomes a way to put their "I'm a fan" into words.

This time, we discussed deepening and sustaining fandom after that initial awakening. The book offers more detailed practical methods and case studies, so please take a look.
Next time, we'll introduce the switch to keep fans who tend to drop off.