5 Ways to Make Your Fans Feel Like Rock Stars Pinterest

Scene 1: You enter a party. No one greets you. No one offers you a glass of champagne. And to top it all off, you only know like three people there. You feel awkward. So you leave early and hope no one notices. Hint: they don't.

Scene 2: You enter a party. The host greets you and offers to take your coat. You're immediately handed a glass of bubbly and introduced to other party goers. You strike up a conversation with an interesting couple from Atlanta which is funny because you're from Atlanta. What a small world. And what a great party!

So tell me, friends. Which of the above parties would you like to attend: 1 or 2?

No matter if you're an introvert, extrovert, or ambivert, chances are you want to at least be acknowledged when you go out. Most likely, you even want to have a good time, right?

Why not take that party mentality to your social media accounts? Your fans should feel welcomed to your little corner of the internet — so welcomed that they not only want to come back, but they also love to share with their friends how awesome your “party” is.

The key is to treat your fans like rock stars!

Want Rock Star Status?

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Provide Your Followers with Value

The first step in making your fans feel like rock stars is providing them with content that's valuable. I've talked before about the 80/20 rule and that same principle applies here as well.

No matter if you're selling homemade soap or online fitness classes, you want to ensure that your fans find value in what you say on social media.

A great way to do this is find a parallel or common interest that your audience holds. For example, if your audience likes buying homemade soap, they also probably value living organically. Why not add some content that speaks to them on that level as well?

I've got an example below for you from Melyssa Griffin (whose content is bomb! Check it out if you haven't yet). Melyssa's audience is full of creative bloggers and businesses trying to make their way in this crazy online space. She understands what her audience wants to see.

And yes, she does want to sell her digital courses (her primary revenue stream) but she also understands the value of connecting with her audience and providing value in other ways.

Do you respect yourself? Do you trust yourself? 💛 I've been pondering the answers to those questions more lately after noticing that I kept putting off big goals because I could “finish it tomorrow” or “I don't feel motivated today” or “I'll just indulge this one time.” And in the moment, those things feel okay to say. It sounds like we're rationalizing with ourselves. But what happens when a friend of yours always flakes on you? What happens when they say one thing and then do another? Eventually you stop trusting and respecting them. So why is it that we flake on our goals and dreams (“I'll do it tomorrow”), yet don't realize that it's eroding our own sense of trust…with ourselves. So, this is my thought for today…for you and for me. The next time you feel unmotivated or want to give in to a vice that pulls you further from your goals, remember that pushing yourself to follow through isn't just about the goal itself. Nor is it about the success that goal could bring. It's about honoring the single most important relationship you will ever have: the one you have with yourself. ❤

A photo posted by Melyssa Griffin (@melyssa_griffin) on

She's not selling anything in this Instagram post. Nor is she promoting a new blog post or webinar. Instead, she takes the time to dig deep, get a little personal, and share something of value with her audience. She knows that they are working hard to build their businesses, just as she is. So Melyssa gives an important piece of advice: take care of yourself!

Any online marketer type person who stops a minute to be this vulnerable makes me like and trust them more. I'd rather be at a party full of genuine people than go to one full of fakes and braggarts.

Value the Opinion of Your Fans

This next example of a rock star brand comes from Buffer. I use Buffer for so much in my business because it's a pretty awesome-sauce social media scheduling tool.

And I'm not the only one to think so. My friend and fellow social media manager Cara Chace thought the same thing, so much so that she wanted to promote them as an affiliate.

Here's what happened when she reached out to them….

I've barely been able to hang in there this week, after 2-weeks of solo parenting. Just no time to share the behind-the-scenes of my growing business. (single parents, I salute you) But along those lines, there's one particular stand-out tool that makes my job soooo much easier, and saves me time – and that's Buffer. I asked them a few weeks ago if they have an affiliate program (they don't so they're not paying me to say this) and I talked about how much I love them and tell everyone about their social media scheduling…a little bit later I received some lovely swag and a beautifully written, heartfelt thank you note. THAT is how businesses should treat each and every one of their customers. Thank you for taking the time @buffer! #carachace #socialmediastrategy #productivity . . . . . #socialmedia #contentmarketing #mycreativebiz #mybiz #beingboss #bosslady #bossbabe #entrepreneurlife #solopreneur #mompreneur #thehappynow #thankyousomuch #makeadifference #itsthelittlethings #connections

A photo posted by Cara Chace ✴ Social Media (@carachace) on

While Buffer doesn't yet have an affiliate program, they still can show how much they appreciate those who appreciate them by giving back. Is a little swag bag going to turn a new fan into a raving one? Probably not. But it will turn a raving fan, into loyal-fan-for-life material.

It's all in the little things, folks. That's what keeps people at your party. Which brings me to my next point…

Thank Your Followers

Isn't it such a warm, fuzzy feeling when someone says, “Thanks so much for coming to my party. I'm so happy you're here.” So warm and fuzzy.

So wouldn't you want to give your social media fans a similar feeling? Here's an example from my husband Brent that shows how easy (and quick) it is to simply thank someone.

Any time someone follows you, messages you, retweets you, shares your post, or simply says “hi,” make sure to thank them for their time.

This goes a long way not only for big brands but for small businesses too. I'd say it's even more important for small businesses. Each and every person who follows you, even if they're not a customer, is important. You never know what could come of that interaction or who they could share their experience with.

Quick tip: Make your blog posts easy to share using a program like Social Warfare which allows you to tag yourself. Now, you'll get a notification for everyone who tweets your posts so that you can properly thank them.

Keep Your Fans Entertained

In today's internet-driven world filled with cat memes and 10 second Snapchats, our attention spans are nil! So use your content as a method of entertainment! Who says you can't be serious and funny all in one go?

I've raved about Regina‘s content before because I think she's doing such a fab job at making everyone feel special and important.

She doesn't stop at simply sharing articles on Twitter. That's the easy part. The hard part is going that extra step and figuring out how to make your party even more special.

The above quote is powerful enough on it's own. And Regina could have posted it by itself there. But instead, she tapped into the dork/geek nature of herself and her audience which added a level of humour to her tweet.

Now, that's a party I would stick around for! #LiveLongAndProsper

Reward Your Followers For Sticking Around

Now that you've got a tribe of rock star fans paying attention to what you have to say, reward them for sticking around.

Your reward can be as simple as giving them more ways to live an easier life. Take Afton Negrea's approach, for example:

She's constantly giving away free, value-packed info to her fans because she knows that they are rock stars. Afton's fans love her party-like community so much that they frequently share her content with passion and fervour.

I've created a list of ways you can reward your fans for coming to your party… For those of you new to my party, I have this thing with analogies where I add them in my content wherever possible. 🙂

  • RSVPs: Your mailing list
  • Party Favors: Free content upgrades
  • Open Bar: Lots of fun & entertaining content
  • Chic Decor: Pretty quotes and graphics
  • The Perfect Playlist: Humanize your content
  • A Savory Snack Bar: Appetizing, bite-sized content
  • Live Entertainment: Snapchats, videos, periscopes, blabs, etc.

I seriously could go on with this analogy for too long. So tell me, what are some of the ways you are going to make your social media fans feel like rock stars at your party?

Want Rock Star Status?

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About onlinedrea

Andréa Jones is a social media strategist who works with lifestyle brands to build their online presence through targeted social media and content marketing solutions. She's also the founder of SavvySocialSchool.com - a membership community with everything you need to achieve visibility, growth, and engagement on social media.