In his article 1,000 True Fans, Kevin Kelly introduces the concept that you only need 1,000 true fans to make a living. He defines a true fan as “someone who will purchase anything and everything you produce.”
When someone tells you, “I’m your biggest fan,” they are a true fan. If someone comments on your blog, “I’m a long-time reader, first-time commenter,” that person is a true fan. When someone buys your entire product line, they are a true fan.
A true fan will pay you, on average, $100 per year. When you have 1,000 of these types of fans, you will make $100,000 a year. That is a living.
But what is the opposite of 1,000 true fans? It’s not 1,000 true enemies.
It is what entrepreneur Jason Zook is doing. He is selling his future. If you buy his future, you get everything he has ever created, and everything he ever will create. You own his future, so you never have to pay him again.
In the 1,000 true fans concept, you first create products, then you get true fans, then finally you get paid. In buying someone’s future, you get paid first, your customers become true fans, and then you create the products. It’s the difference between having your true fans pay you at the end or up front.
Let’s assume that a true fan will pay you $100 per year. Let’s also assume that Jason Zook will have 30-50 more productive years in his working life (he’s in his 30’s now). Using the 1,000 true fans theory, you can estimate the value of Jason’s future to be $3,000-$5,000. And that’s after you disregard his past products. Using this line of thinking, that $1,500 for someone’s future looks like a real bargain.
I’m not selling anything here, and I don’t make any commissions. These are just some random thoughts, as someone who owns Jason’s future.
If you want to become a true fan of Jason Zook, you can buy his future at BuyMyFuture.com (if he’s currently taking on new members).