You’re Making A Mistake By Referring To Your Fans As… Fans: Indie Music Minute

I have a pet peeve, and you’re probably guilty of it. It’s when an artist like you talks about “my fans.” Frankly, I think this mistake is probably costing you money.

I see you thinking “If I can’t call them fans, what should I call them?” Check out the above video and all shall be revealed.

So go ahead, change what you call them. It will change your mindset and your outlook, and lead you to greater success.

Keep on rockin’!

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LET'S CONNECT!

[onceupona]

Totally agreed that calling people "fans" is pretentious. My personal preference is to call them "my listeners, " offered with whatever expressions of gratitude are appropriate for the circumstance.

[edgarbloodofficial]

"Thanks to all my customers for coming out tonight!" Haha

[ThisMichaelBrown]

I like the theme of humility. But maybe listener, supporter, appreciater is better than customer? I agree fan sounds a bit self-aggrandizing. And we should always treat folks with respect and gratitude 🙏🏼

[theshinersbandpa]

No thanks !! That sounds very Cold ... I refer to mine as "Friends"

[michaeltolf]

They are not customers, or fans...they are human beings who appreciate your art. And, however they support your music calling...emotionally, financially or spiritually - simply thank & appreciate them. Making music is not about making $$, or gaining "customers & fans". It's about putting great music, out there!! And, if you gain some supporters (I like that word, better)...thank God for your opportunity to bless the world, with your gifts.

[gennyhaley]

I call them my audience because they came there to hear me.

[ExiguousOriginal]

If my favorite artist ever refers to me as a customer, they will immediately become an artist that I will NEVER support again.

[kingyertle]

Supporter, maybe? Customer would turn off any fan. And if they're a fan, call them a fan. No need to overthink it.

[DarrenMichaelBoyd]

I thought about this video for a few days... it stuck with me. If I am a fan of an artist, I am proud to be a FAN. Same as a TV show, sports team, etc... no worship, I just admire what they do. Does changing the language change the relationship? I don't think it's broken, or needs fixing. Thanks for giving us something to think about.

[aborzykin]

The word “fan” or a “supporter” is a MUCH better word than a “customer”. The minute I hear my favorite ARTIST to refer to me as a customer, I’m going to start referring to them as “sellers” or “business entity”, or find someone else to “worship“. The worst advice I’ve heard, thank you so much for sharing.

[AmpStak]

Good video, Tony, and you make an interesting point. But a few minutes before your video arrived this morning, I received an email from CD Baby with the heading, "Give your fans more of what they want."

[MadisonOlds]

‘Customers’ feels cold and removed and I’ve never felt ‘Fans’ was a comfortable word for me either. I prefer ‘listeners’.

[danielrivera]

Cool...
I'm just gonna go with "my people"
Also, it's important to be humble as a musician, writer, performer.
Ultimately, Music is a service from the soul to the world and to the people

[mooogg]

What if I called them 'supporters' ?

[JoelMabusMusic]

Yes, as many below have said, "customer" is no way to REFER to the people in your audience. To be generous, I might suggest that Mr Van Veen meant to say "better to THINK of them as customers than to think of them as adoring fans." But to non-ironically call them "customers" from the stage would be the death knell of your career. You might just as well call them "suckers" or "fish."
Of course talking to your audience and calling them "fans" is off-putting as well -- at least it is in my world, where creating a rapport with the people in front of you is the ultimate goal. I like to think the folks that come out to hear me over and over have become my friends. Yes, if they buy a CD, they happen to be customers too -- but I like to think of them as supporters, really. I hope they enjoy the music they buy, but what I KNOW is: that they like what they have just experienced, want to hear more, and also want be of some help to my endeavors. As I often half-joke, they take a little bit of me home with them, and I take a little bit of them home with me.

[onetoomusic]

"Hey customers, are you ready to rock?"

[barefootcolby]

Amen Amen & Amen on the " fans " video I have struggled with this term also & for the exact same reasons what kind of egotistical pretentious ass am I to think so much of myself that the reason I see the same faces at Show after Show is they couldn't wait to be able to have the chance to worship me & just maybe if they can get the perfect seat maybe just maybe my shadow might just brush them alrighty then no the reason they are there is because I am there to be of service to them to hopefully make there day better for just a little while Thank you Awesome

[ontrakmerchantservices]

fans are ok with being called fans. I'm a Beatles fan. I'm not a Beatles customer.

[latefakirs]

Hi Tony, thanks for another thought provoking video. When I saw the title I was intrigued to see what you were going to suggest. "Customers" is certainly much better than "fan", especially as reflecting a humbler performer mindset. But they are customers in a very uniquely personal type of "business" relationship. They may pay money to come to my performance or buy my CD or stream my music, and so I may benefit financially, but they also get invested emotionally in any of my songs which touch them, and when they come up to me after a gig and tell me how much a song affected them then I'm in turn gaining something intangible from the relationship that is more than just "business". Which isn't to disagree with "customer" - maybe this has more to do with appreciation of the songwriting "artistic" side of things. Greg

[greenshinecork]

ew. implies that you're only after their money. I don't call them fans either though.