The Street Team

My daughter’s college roommate is in to music. REALLY in to music. Not the kind of music I like, but her level of fandom for her favorite artists and bands makes her the perfect “street teamer.”

I got to thinking about this as the result of the post Smart Targeting: Inflluencers or Fans at Social Media Explorer. My daughter’s roommate is what author Jeremy Epstein would refer to as a “Raving Fan” or “Customer Evangelist.” Her posts on Twitter often refer to her favorite bands, their Twitter handles, and their music…and they are often retweets.

Bands have this down to a science…they know how to tap into their rabid fan base to encourage them to spread the word…from passing out flyers to selling tickets to calling radio stations to request their songs.

But what if you aren’t a band? What if you’re a restaurant, or selling shoes, or a non-profit? When building your community of followers, think about how to engage your top fans/followers/clients to the point of grooming them to becoming true “evangelists.”

Consider engaging your social community as if they are a street time. Identify the hardcore fans and encourage them to spread the word. Some will do this on their own, simply out of a desire to help you. Others might come on board if there is an incentive.

The simplest way to build a “street team” for your business or organization might be through creative engagement via social media, such as the creation of a special Facebook group. But if you have some money to spend, there are some cool street team management programs out there that help you build your team, as well as get them fired up with various incentive levels. I plan on talking about some of these down the line.

You may not be a rock star, but perhaps you should treat your business as such and see if you can get your fans fired up!