1,000 True Fans Revisited: How Big of an Audience Does it Take to Make Money Online?
In 2008, Kevin Kelly, the founding editor at Wired, wrote a blog post called "1,000 True Fans." The article's premise was that to be successful as an artist or creator, you only need 1,000 true fans.
These are people who will buy what you create and promote your work to their friends. At the time, this was a controversial idea. In 2008, gatekeepers determined who got published and seen, and most people believed that you needed a massive audience to be successful online.
While the core concept is still sound, times have changed since the early 2000s. Since Kelly's original post, the internet has changed a lot in the years. In this article, we'll discuss why true fans matter and how to get more of them.
How big of an audience do you need in 2023?
So...what about this idea of 1,000 true fans — do you still really need 1,000 people? Less? More? As with most things in business, the answer is that it depends. Online business math is a bit different from the traditional offline model.
In the offline world, businesses usually need to reach a massive number of people to find their target market and make sales. (Only a tiny fraction of people who drive by a billboard will ever purchase what that billboard sells, for example.)
But online, you have the ability to target your marketing efforts much more precisely. This means that you can reach a smaller number of people and still be successful!
The math of online business
So, how do you find your target number?
The answer is simple: figure out how much money you want to earn in your business (your "revenue goal") and work backward.
Want to earn $50,000 in additional online income this year? Then you'll need to sell $50,000 worth of products or online business services.
If your average sale is $100, you'll need to make 500 sales this year. And if your conversion rate (the percentage of people who buy from you) is just 3%, you'll need to reach 15,000 people with your marketing efforts.
But what if your conversion rate is higher?
Let's say it's 20%.
In that case, you'll only need to reach 2,500 people to meet your goal!
The moral of the story is this: don't get hung up on the numbers.
Just focus on creating great content, building relationships with your audience, and selling products or services that they need and want. Do that, and the numbers will take care of themselves.
Your audience can be relatively small if you sell high-ticket offerings like private sessions, teacher training programs, or VIP Days. You'll want a bigger audience if you sell lower-priced digital products like ebooks or online membership. If you sell online courses, you'll land somewhere in the middle.
On the "And She Spoke" podcast, hosts Jeni and Sandy toy with tweaking Kevin Kelly's concept a bit. Why not shrink the fan base but crank up the price tag for your online goodies?
So, instead of 1,000 die-hard fans shelling out $100, you get 100 ultra-loyal fans dishing out $1,000. The math still adds up, but now you've got a fancy high-ticket program that even a cool hundred folks are down to pay for.
Curious about this newer concept? Tune into the And She Spoke podcast episode here.
What is a "true fan" and why do they matter?
A true fan loves your work and will buy anything you create. They are also the people who will promote your work to their friends and followers.
True fans are different than casual admirers or one-time buyers. They are the people who will follow your journey over time, and they are usually the ones who are the most vocal about their support.
While it's helpful to have a large audience, it's even more critical to have an engaged and supportive community of true fans. These are the people who will help you grow your business.
6 strategies to get more true fans
Building a community of true fans doesn't happen overnight. It takes time, effort, and consistency. Here are a few things you can do to start attracting more true fans:
Be active and present online. Post regularly, interact with other creators in your niche and make sure your audience knows what you stand for and how you can serve them.
Be authentic and transparent in your online communication. People can tell when you're being genuine, and they will appreciate your honesty.
Build relationships with other creators in your niche. Collaborate, guest post, and interview each other. This will help you reach a new audience and build a network of supporters.
Create free content regularly—interesting and valuable content for your audience. This could be in the form of blog posts, podcasts, or videos that you then share on your social media channels.
Use social media to build relationships with your audience. Share your work and get to know your followers as people through your comments and DMs.
Offer products and services that solve your audience's problems. If you can help people resolve a pain point, they will be more likely to support you.
By following these simple tips, you can start to build a community of true fans who will financially support your work for years to come.
Final Thoughts
The idea of 1,000 true fans is still relevant in 2023, but the specific number needed to be successful online depends on the revenue goal and conversion rate of your business.
As a creator, you should focus on creating great content, building relationships with your audience, and selling products or services that they need and want. True fans are critical as they are the ones who will support and promote the work of the creator.
Building a community of true fans takes time and effort, but by being active and present online, creating valuable content, building relationships with other creators, using social media to connect with the audience, and offering solutions to their problems, a community of true fans can be established.
Moreover, the idea of shrinking the fan base but increasing the price tag for online offerings is also an option that can be explored for a high-ticket program.
If you’re looking to build your visibility online from a place of impact and not exploitation, take a look at the Visible Program offered by And She Co.
