Some businesses could not care less if they have customers or they have fans. In the world of public relations, this can be a dangerously myopic approach to communication. While most business will always have more customers than fans, it is important to have both – and to understand the distinction between the two.

Customers and Fans

Customers are simply those who buy your product or use your service. They may even prefer your product or service to another, but they are not necessarily dedicated to it. Even those who walk by other options to choose yours could not be considered fans. Fans are those who don’t even look at the other choices when they walk by. They are totally sold on ONLY your product and are willing to tell other people all about it.

Pepsi drinkers vs. Coke drinkers

This is an easy analogy of the difference between customer behavior and fan behavior. A customer may want a soft drink, and they will be content to buy whatever is on sale. A fan will not care if they have to pay more. They will choose a Pepsi product every time or a Coke product every time. The same goes for PC or MAC people or Chevy vs. Ford people.

The Us vs. Them dynamic

Notice in that last example, I used the term “vs.” to describe the relationship. Fans not only choose one or the other, they often feel adversarial to the other option. Now, you might be thinking, “Seriously, Torossian, I hate those little peeing Calvin decals. That’s ridiculous.” Maybe. But not to fans. To fans, they are identifying not as customers but as part of a tribe. Which brings us to…

See also  Cultural Diversity in Customer Service

The social (media) factor

Fan environments are, by nature, tribal. Think about the sense of solidarity you feel at your team’s home games or when you see someone driving “your” car or wearing “your” brand. Immediate connection, right? That tribal feeling extends to every aspect of a fan’s interaction with your brand. Nurture that feeling of connectedness and you will not only gain a customer, you may generate generations of brand loyalty.

Understanding the difference between customers and fans, and how to generate the former while cultivating the latter, can be a difficult and challenging hill to climb. But the team here at 5W Public Relations is here to help you navigate that challenge and succeed better than ever before.

Ronn Torossian is the founder and CEO of 5W Public Relations, one of the top PR Firms in NYC.

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Ronn Torossian is the Founder & Chairman of 5W Public Relations, one of the largest independently owned PR firms in the United States. Since founding 5WPR in 2003, he has led the company's growth and vision, with the agency earning accolades including being named a Top 50 Global PR Agency by PRovoke Media, a top three NYC PR agency by O'Dwyers, one of Inc. Magazine's Best Workplaces and being awarded multiple American Business Awards, including a Stevie Award for PR Agency of the Year. With over 25 years of experience crafting and executing powerful narratives, Torossian is one of America's most prolific and well-respected public relations executives. Throughout his career he has advised leading and high-growth businesses, organizations, leaders and boards across corporate, technology and consumer industries. Torossian is known as one of the country's foremost experts on crisis communications. He has lectured on crisis PR at Harvard Business School, appears regularly in the media and has authored two editions of his book, "For Immediate Release: Shape Minds, Build Brands, and Deliver Results With Game-Changing Public Relations," which is an industry best-seller. Torossian's strategic, resourceful approach has been recognized with numerous awards including being named the Stevie American Business Awards Entrepreneur of the Year, the American Business Awards PR Executive of the Year, twice over, an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year semi-finalist, a Top Crisis Communications Professional by Business Insider, Metropolitan Magazine's Most Influential New Yorker, and a recipient of Crain's New York Most Notable in Marketing & PR. Outside of 5W, Torossian serves as a business advisor to and investor in multiple early stage businesses across the media, B2B and B2C landscape. Torossian is the proud father of two daughters. He is an active member of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO) and a board member of multiple not for profit organizations.