Pyramid of Flynn Fandom
What is the best way to build a long-term and successful business?
Without a doubt, it's building a loyal base of customers who are superfans of the product or brand.
Under the name of "Pyramid of Fandom" is a famous concept that demonstrates the different levels of customer loyalty and how they affect their consumer behavior and brand relationship.
Let's take a look at it.
Pyramid of Fandom
The concept of the "Pyramid of Fandom" is the invention of Pat Flynn, a popular internet entrepreneur and podcaster from the US, who popularized it in his book "Superfans", published in 2019.
Flynn's Fandom Pyramid has four levels of users:
1. Casual audience;
2. Active audience;
3. Connected community;
4. Superfans.
According to Flynn, the main task of any business is to offer such products and user experience that it converts some of its potential followers into a group of ardent superfans.
Pat Flynn defines superfans this way:
"An incredible core group, a tribe of people, a community that will always be there to support you in your business, whenever you need it."
It's worth noting that Flynn himself built his successful online business on this concept. In other words, it's been vetted in an internet marketing environment - websites, social media, email newsletters, affiliate programs, online courses, etc.
However, the Fandom Pyramid can also be used for marketing analysis or marketing mix planning in any other area where an organization is seeking to win the hearts of fans of its product, service, brand, idea or cause.
Flynn's Fandom Pyramid is represented in the diagram:
Let's take a closer look at the four levels in the Pyramid of Fanhood.
1. Casual Audience
The casual audience is the first level in Flynn's Pyramid of Fandom.
These are the people who have just discovered the product or brand. They have just visited the company website or e-store. Maybe they did it through a Google search, a social media link, or they just heard something from someone and had an initial interest.
These are consumers who don't necessarily know exactly what the product, brand or organisation is, but something has caught their attention and they are now 'inside' the pyramid, albeit at the lowest level. It is the job of marketing to convert this casual audience into an active audience.
2. Active audience
The active audience is the second level in Flynn's Pyramid of Fandom. These are followers of the product, brand or organization. They have ample information, follow the brand on social media, and are subscribers to the online store's email newsletter.
The active audience is not necessarily made up of customers who have made a purchase, but these are certainly people who know what the product or brand is about and follow it.
Pat Flynn points out that it is at this level in the Fandom Pyramid that much of the marketing activities of organizations and entrepreneurs stop, when in fact they should be focusing their efforts on converting the active audience into a connected community.
3. Connected community
Connected community is the third level in Flynn's Pyramid of Fandom.
This is where the magic of branding happens. At this level in the pyramid, not only does the brand speak to the fans, but the fans speak to the brand. And perhaps most importantly, the fans of the brand talk to each other.
For example, users in the active audience may visit a website or YouTube channel for its interesting content, but stay on the website/channel for the community and peer-to-peer opportunities it provides.
It is the job of marketing to create one or more places where users can communicate with each other as a community, and for the brand or organisation to facilitate that communication. This is how some of the people in the connected community can be converted into superfans.
4. Superfans
Superfans are the fourth and highest level in Flynn's Fandom Pyramid.
Superfans are those people who would travel 1,000 km. just to see their idol live or line up to buy the latest product from their favorite brand... even before they knew exactly what it was.
Superfans are those people who spare no effort or expense and who will always be close to the product, brand or organization.
In developing the concept of the "Fandom Pyramid," Pat Flynn was influenced by a 2007 article by Kevin Kelly, founder of Wired magazine, titled "1000 True Fans," or "1000 True Fans."
In the article, Kelly espouses the idea that if we have 1,000 true fans - and they support us in a way that earns us $100 a year from each of them - we will have a guaranteed business for a six-figure sum each year.
In the article, Kelly espouses the idea that if we have 1,000 true fans - and they support us in a way that we make $100 a year from each of them - we will have a guaranteed business for a six-figure sum each year.
In other words, we can build a business by centering around creating the kind of amazing moments for our fans that get them to change their consumer behavior - from listening to a song once to buying backstage passes, for example.
All we have to do is get 1000 superfans. They'll subscribe to our social media channels and follow us to make sure they learn all the latest. This core group of superfans will support us forever.
According to Pat Flynn, the beauty of it all is that these 1,000 fans will grow the brand for us as they influence people in their environment - live and online.
In summary
Flynn's pyramid of fandom has four tiers of users:
1. Casual audience;
2. Active audience;
3. Connected community;
4. Superfans.
According to Pat Flynn, the best way to create a long-term, sustainable and successful business is to build a base of superfans.