Are You a Fan?

My son is on this "Joke of the Day" kick.  Earlier this week, he dropped this one on me:

"How does Justin Bieber stay cool?  He stays close to his fans!!!"

In my last post, I planted the thought that everyone is a star, you just need to find your audience.  And you can't be a star if you do not have any fans. While we may never have as many as Justin Bieber, there are people out there who are cheering for you and really want you to succeed.

At the same time we're building our "fan-base", tribe or followers, we must remember that this whole thing is a big cycle.  I once read that the best way to get friends is to be one.  I would submit that the best way to get fans is to be one. So what does it mean to be a fan?


1) Remember that everybody wants to be somebody.  
Everyone likes to be loved, affirmed and appreciated. We need to be full of compliments.  If you do this, you'll be a super fan.  People will gravitate to you seeking your attention and affirmation.  Try this: compliment people for one day and see what happens.  Ask people if they have lost weight or had their hair cut.  Show people that you notice them.

2) Put "10's" on people.
Maybe you've heard it said, "People will rise to the level of our expectations." That's where this principle comes into play. If we can convey in subtle ways that we expect others to be "10's," then they will begin to respond as "10's." I would also submit that because we treat them as "10's'" we will see their positives much faster than their negatives. Who needs to be treated like a "10" today?

3) People don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care.
This one goes back to my days of teaching. The thing I loved about teaching was the opportunity to exceed the students' expectations.  All they expected from me was math, homework and tests. I learned early on that if I took the time to show up at their athletic events, places of work, or even call home to tell their parents how well they were doing in class, they would work hard in class to keep that respect. How can you exceed the expectations of the people you influence?

Do you have a great "fan" experience? I'd love to hear about it...