The 1000 True Fans Concept (And How to Find Your Accounting Firm’s True Fans Fast)

Are you having a hard time getting the references you need? What’s the best way to get more repeat business? You might want to give the 1000 True Fans Concept a chance…

How many people do you think you need to influence to become successful? Do you think that your firm needs to reach thousands of clients?

Back in 2008, author Kevin Kelly wrote an article for Wired. He said that the internet age would redefine success. His idea was that your business could flourish – as long as you had 1000 true fans.  

This concept postulates that you only need to reach 1000 people with your messaging. Get them to trust you, and that will be enough to make your company successful.

But what is a true fan?

It’s someone who trusts your services. A loyal fan sees how VITAL your services are, no matter what. Call them true fans or superfans. It doesn’t matter. These are the people who will keep your business going strong.

Think of it this way. If you run a YouTube channel and want to sell a DVD with virtually free content on it, true fans will buy that DVD.

They are the people who use your services regularly. Because they recognise the value you provide.

They’re also the people who spread the word about your value. True fans are one of the best ways to maximise your referrals. And that’s so powerful we call it a sales and marketing Superpower.

If you can get 1000 true fans, then you’re off to a great start. If you set a goal of converting 84 new fans per week, you can build a reliable fan base in about three months.

You may think that this is all easier said than done. Granted, it’s not exactly easy to convert people into diehard fans. But sometimes you don’t have to. Imagine that they’re already out there, waiting for you to find them.

And the following six tips can help you do it in a couple of months.

Tip #1 – Use Social Media to Find and Make Connections

Social platforms offer fast and easy ways to make new connections. Facebook and LinkedIn are probably your best choices. For an accounting firm, it’s essential to pick a medium where you can communicate with your fans. And you usually need greater detail than a Tweet can provide.

LinkedIn is a perfect hangout spot for professionals in many niches. Facebook Groups let you meet a lot of people in your hunting niche. And it doesn’t take much to contact 84 people per week on either platform.

The trick is understanding where your ideal clients or future employees hang out. Find and join those groups. Then look for notifications or important conversations.

Next, you can participate in group discussions. Don’t just talk to people, try to help them. You can identify those you want to convert to true fans and contact them individually. And you don’t have to stick to business. Break the ice by offering a personal observation or two. For instance, you can make a good impression by congratulating someone on their new job. 

Social media platforms have no shortage of people who can become your fans. But opening up a line of communication is not enough. It’s essential to follow up on that initial conversation.

To build trust, you have to develop a relationship first. Interact as much as you can. Dedicate company time to it. Or you can also do it in your free time, too.

Tip #2 – Share Your Best Content with the Right People

Producing good content is always important. But do you know who to share that content with?

Let’s talk about LinkedIn articles for a moment. It’s a great platform on which to maintain an active presence. You can quickly find people who can see the VITAL services that you offer.

However, sharing too much content can seem spammy. Sometimes you can end up sharing your best articles or blog posts with all the wrong people.

That’s no way to meet your weekly target of 84 diehard fans.

So, after you develop some connections, you also have to identify the right people. You want to pair your solutions with the people who need them. You’re looking to develop deeper relationships. And offering personalised solutions can be a great way to gain that loyalty.

Instead of just creating more and more content, think about how you can leverage it for maximum effect.

Tip #3 – Be the Purple Cow

This concept is all about being remarkable and showing it.

It’s not enough to be great at what you do. You also have to stick out as a VITAL accounting firm. Others need to see that there’s something different and valuable about your firm’s services.

There are, of course, many ways to stand out from the crowd. Some firms choose to offer their services at the cheapest prices. Others want to offer very simple packages.

Those are the brown and black and white cows. 

But not your firm. You want to be the purple cow that sticks out.

Your firm provides unique solutions and transformational services. And you do it in a way that makes your potential true fans look up to you. This could be your knowledge, your wit, or anything that inspires.

Tip #4 – Leverage the Power of Authenticity

To inspire people, you have to get them to listen to you first. And authenticity is one of your biggest assets here.

If you’re authentic, you can build trust. You can convert followers into true fans. And you can’t always do that if you hide your true interests. Before you can project authenticity to your audience, you have to trust yourself. It’s important to develop and project self-confidence. When you lead, lead by example. 

Do you want to provide VITAL services and get 84 true fans per week?

You have to develop those services first.

Hone your skills and trust yourself to operate to the benefit of your clients. That authenticity is something that your audience will notice. After that, you’ll have a much easier time building trust. 

And after you’ve gained their trust, you can share your knowledge and truly convert them.

Tip #5 – Come Up with Great Content Ideas for Your Niche

Once you have people lined up to listen to you, what do you plan to offer them? How do you approach content creation?

To get the trust of 1000 people, you have to be on point. It’s not enough to have creativity. It’s also crucial to pick out the right ideas and topics for your niche.

It’s also essential to understand what each person needs from you. As already mentioned, you might have to take a personalised approach at times.

There are three steps to figuring out what content is best for you and your audience:

1. Identifying in-demand topics
2. Creating subscriber personas
3. Positioning your brand in a unique way

If you don’t talk about things that people want to hear, you won’t be able to reach them. They won’t open up to receive your advice and guidance.

To uniquely position yourself, you need to figure out what makes you stand out. Think about the things that your competitors fail to do. Offer solutions to problems that others can’t fix. Most of all, always know your audience.

Tip #6 – Focus on Pain Points

Knowing your audience means knowing their pain points. These are unique problems that affect your prospects’ businesses. And not all clients share the same pain points.

But all clients need to know that you can identify and redress their pain points. Keep in mind that some prospects don’t even know what’s wrong with their business. So you need to be able to identify pain points, even with minimal information from the prospect.

For some, you may have to point out their problems in your conversations. Others know what the problem is, but haven’t found a solution yet. Your job then is to come up with a signature solution to that issue.

If you focus on their pain points, it’s easy to keep prospective fans engaged. It helps them see that you know what they want. And this gets them to trust you as an authority figure. From there, it’s an easy path to building loyalty and a 1000-strong fan base.

True Fans Help Keep Accounting Firms in Business for Longer

You don’t need legions of fans and prospects to have a successful accounting firm. What you need more than anything are super fans. You need people who trust your expertise completely.

To get these fans, you have to interact with the right people on the right platforms. Tailor your content to reach your ideal audience. It’s crucial to remember that how you present yourself matters too.

It’s not enough to say that you offer excellent services. It’s more important to show people why your services are VITAL to them. And exactly what’s needed to fix their pain points. Soon enough, you can get 1000 loyal fans who will help your business thrive.