I’m a fan. Gosh, that sounds so shallow and really rather embarrassing. I am so used to defining myself as something important, a teacher, a technology advocate, a devoted friend. And now, I’m actually calling myself a fan. So trivial, actually…

The first stage in my “fandom” was just a passing interest, a passing interest in a beautiful man who seemed to have a unique talent. And then I met all these other regular people, many of which were new at this fan stuff, themselves. Maybe this wasn’t as odd as I thought. Haha.

But then the plot thickened. Let’s just say this whole thing snowballed on me. It turned into the creation a fan website and a lot ( I mean, A LOT) more. It was fun. It was exciting and joyful. I was doing it for ME.

And then…. All activity of my artist stopped. His tour was over and people started to return to their regular lives. I (and now I say we. We, as in my website partners and many other devoted fans) started seeing fans lose interest. By that time, we had begun to feel committed to this artist. We wanted so desperately for him to succeed and for him to continue to have an audience that we worked our asses off to keep the few fans he had left, engaged. We posted at our own site like fools and at other sites, as well. And still we watched the casual fans go on to newer and more visible artists. Some of us hung on. Sometimes it was for him, sometimes for each other but hang on we did.

And then came the street team. Most everyone I had come to know through this bizarre new world, jumped right in, rolled up their sleeves and joined the team. There were more people interested in helping than there were positions to be filled. Lucky him. It seemed like we were finally doing something real to support our artist. The street team was a good fit for some of us. Others of us learned we worked best independent of that structured environment.

This is what I have learned:

Out of 47,000 plus “fans,” there are about fifty that are more than casual fans. And so what? Some may say these fifty are the nuts. But, these remaining fifty or so are the ones who constantly tell anyone who will listen just how great their artist is. They buy multiple copies of his CD so they can give them as gift to friends and even strangers to get the word out about this guy. They drive their Facebook friends crazy posting his videos and tour dates, and make store managers roll their eyes when they continue to request copies of a CD by an artist most managers have never even heard of. They travel for miles to see his concerts. They buy tickets for friends to go with them to the concerts, promising them that he is wonderful. And. They promote him. THEY are the ones who go out in freezing weather and ask store and restaurant managers to allow them to hang poster or pass flyers. THEY are the ones who document every aspect of said postering because it is a requirement for the privilege of doing so,. They write blogs. They write reviews. They use Twitter to not only communicate news but also to find new and creative ways to reach beyond their small circle and out to the world, in general, to get this new artist the attention they feel he deserves. The hours they have spent are countless. And all out of love.

Fifty or so people out of 47,000 may not seem like they’re very important, but. they. are. You are.

You have helped start a launch without any expectation of reward or compensation. You should be proud of yourselves and the artist should be forever grateful.

And that is the true VALUE of being a fan.