1,000 True Fans

http://www.kk.org/thetechnium/archives/2008/03/1000_true_fans.php

I love the idea of 1,000 true fans. It makes starting a blog, business or any other type of venture seem much more doable. With the economy acting the way it is, it is hard for anyone to get a safe, well-paying desk job somewhere. This has become the new age of entrepreneurialism and the 1,000 true fans theory proves that. Surviving with a small group of readers is very doable. The theory behind 1,000 true fans is that those 1,000 people will buy everything you put out as well as drive hundreds of miles to see you perform or go to a book signing. They 1,000 of the most loyal fans one could ask for. The point beyond having 1,000 true fans is to have them branch out and do some free advertising for you by constantly using, therefore promoting, your product.

This concept is seen all the time in blogging. All it takes is one post to get somebody hooked, and then they'll send your blog to someone else, who sends it to someone else, etc. Like starting a fire, the hardest part is to get it going, after that it's just a matter of watching it grow. As a young journalist, this idea both excites and encourages me.