As a creator, you know how important it is to connect with your fans and turn them into loyal supporters of your work. But how can you pitch to them effectively without sounding too salesy or pushy? In this article, you'll learn some tips and best practices on how to pitch to your fans to build a long-lasting relationship.
Before you pitch anything to your fans, you need to understand who they are, what they want, and how they consume your content. Use analytics tools, surveys, polls, and feedback forms to gather data and insights on your fan base. Segment your fans based on their interests, preferences, behaviors, and engagement levels. This will help you tailor your pitch to their needs and expectations, and avoid sending irrelevant or generic messages.
Kinda obv. Doesn't matter how long you spend polishing and perfecting your pitch re your new Steak of the Month Club home delivery service if your audience is the Vegan Society of Vermont. ??
To build a strong, lasting connection with your fans, you need to be yourself and always tell the truth. Keep talking to them, answer their questions, and thank them for being there. Try to offer something special that only you can give, like your knowledge or talent. Also, be sure to be kind and friendly when you talk to them. If they say something to you, try to say something back. Share your journey with them, including the good and bad times. Collaborate with others to reach even more people. Listen to what they say and try to do what they like. Say thank you in fun ways, like giving away gifts or saying their names. And remember, it might take a while, so don't rush it. Building a good connection takes time.
In my experience you need to offer value long before you pitch. People do business with people they get to know, like, and trust. Building trust through value offerings, and building connection (the know & like steps) through interaction are where it starts.
for a lasting relationship, prioritize authenticity. Engage with your audience genuinely, responding to comments, messages, and feedback. Share personal insights and behind-the-scenes content to create a sense of connection. Offer exclusive content or rewards as a token of appreciation, and actively involve fans in decisions. Consistency is key; maintain a regular content schedule and foster a community around your work. Leverage social media and other platforms to communicate, and encourage two-way conversations. Drawing from my experience, building a loyal fan base requires a genuine, sustained effort to make your audience feel valued, heard, and appreciated, ultimately fostering a long-lasting and supportive relationship.
Knowing your audience is the number golden rule of marketing, but it's amazing how many people don't follow it! Sometimes, giving the people what they want is not necessarily what you want. The mere act of showing that you understand their needs will go a long way towards building that long term relationship.
Your fans are not just customers, they are also your partners in your creative journey. They want to support you, but they also want to get something in return. That's why you need to provide value to your fans in every pitch you make. Value can come in different forms, such as exclusive content, access, rewards, discounts, recognition, education, entertainment, or inspiration. Think about what your fans value the most, and how you can deliver it to them in a way that aligns with your brand and vision.
The key here is understanding that you don't have to have a big budget to elevate and delight your fans. Yes, swag and giveaways can help boost brand awareness, but the folks who remain invested long-term will be more attracted to perks like exclusive access and recognition. At Atlassian, our brand ambassadors were given behind-the-scenes access to our teams and product releases, and we went out of our way to feature them in company blog posts, on LinkedIn from our official accounts, and on the keynote stage at our annual user conference. All of this creates a big win-win situation because you get to highlight the real humans behind your product or service, and the fans get to step into the spotlight, become subject matter experts & more.
Massive value comes in the form of community. It might be very simple for you to fire up a community that provides more value than you could have ever imagined.
Women athletes who find themselves as creators often excel at creating strong connections with their fans by providing value that extends beyond the game. Their ability to share inspiring stories, offer unique insights, and engage with fans on a personal level in addition to their very public athlete performances helps cultivate a loyal and passionate fan base. This behind-the-scenes look is key to building lasting relationships that support not only the creator, but their athletic goals too.
I enjoy giving something of value, like a tip, or resource, that a business owner could use right away to improve business. Even if they don't do business with me, they walk away with a win.
Always think about this when trying to create long-lasting relationships with your fans: - What are my fans and community gaining from following my account and engaging with my content? - What value do I provide to them (helpful tips, entertainment, education, etc) Everyone is always looking for gaining something from your content- so make sure to always take this into account when you are trying to build a lasting community.
One of the key factors that attract and retain fans is authenticity. Your fans want to see the real you, not a polished or scripted version. They want to hear your voice, your story, and your passion. They want to feel like they know you and trust you. That's why you need to be authentic in every pitch you make. Don't copy or imitate other creators, don't use jargon or buzzwords, don't exaggerate or lie. Be honest, transparent, and genuine. Show your personality, your emotions, and your values. Let your fans see the human behind the creator.
Being Authentic and Transparent has been what has deepened my engagement with my Social Media Followers amongst all of my channels. I have shared personal parts of my life like being a Breast Cancer Survivor ?? as well as educational, leadership and wellness content, special business events, and other impactful information. Engaging in two way conversation in my comments or being open to off-line meetings and discussion is important, too. All of which has helped me build a stronger connection with my fans and followers. Not only that, it has caused me to secure even more followers. So I know that this works! Thanks for providing advice for me to go to the next level of engagement!
I truly believe that one of the most important things in the creator space is to be authentic. This is something that I constantly remind myself of as a creator who works in the creator space. Make sure that your content has its own value and is unique in its own way. The most successful creators showcase their personality and are genuine, so if you make sure to do this you are already ahead of the game.
Being authentic has become somewhat of a cliche. And yes, it connects with audiences but usually in posts where the reveal is worthy and connecting. Use your content to find out who you are and share that journey, humble and transparent. Don't pretend to be perfect, find a way to be you and admit that you're seeking authenticity. It's not like people wake up and say, time to be authentic! It's a learning process and if you engage your community to join you, share feedback, and become part of the creation, you find your authenticity with their help.
Another key factor that builds and maintains fan relationships is consistency. Your fans want to see that you are committed, reliable, and professional. They want to know that you are not going to disappear, change, or disappoint them. That's why you need to be consistent in every pitch you make. Don't spam or bombard your fans with too many or too few pitches, don't change your tone or style abruptly, don't make promises you can't keep. Follow a schedule, a strategy, and a standard. Keep your fans updated, informed, and engaged.
Consistency is so incredibly important as a creator. I experienced the most growth I've had personally as a creator when I posted multiple videos a day every single day. All of the content was similar and it showed that I was committed to putting a lot of content that my fans enjoy out there. If you post on and off and don't have that set schedule, than your fans won't know when you are posting or what to expect.
This is where I've been lacking. Being consistent in providing value and connecting and not simply showing up every 3 months or so. I believe that following a schedule with a strategy is a great way to keep fans updated, informed and engaged.
The last but not least factor that enhances and protects fan relationships is respect. Your fans want to feel that you respect them, their time, their money, and their opinions. They want to feel that you are not taking them for granted, exploiting them, or ignoring them. That's why you need to be respectful in every pitch you make. Don't pressure or manipulate your fans into buying or subscribing, don't overcharge or underdeliver, don't censor or dismiss their feedback. Ask for permission, offer options, and thank them. Listen to them, appreciate them, and reward them.
The best way to engage with your fans and be respectful to them is to take the time to respond to comments. Responding to comments shows that you are engaged with your community and care about what they have to say. If you take just 5 minutes out of your day to do this, you are taking a big step in the right direction to engage your fans.
Big difference between getting money for what you do and sharing for free. Many creators have to explore their own relationship with money - sound obvious? Many will feel bad about money, guilty, and don't know how to ask, and this will unconsciously come through. While you don't want to do a get rich quick pitch, taking your creator self from free sharing to funding means feeling comfortable with what you offer and what you ask for. Also be wary of sponsor and ad dollars, as usually these go through periods of feast and famine. Creators think it will last and it rarely does. Find a product you can create and share, or one you offer as a partner on a regular basis. Move beyond ad revenue into something more reliable, like subscriptions.