I spent the weekend with my daughter and her boyfriend at a “Supernatural” convention in Chicago. If you’re not familiar with the TV show “Supernatural,” it’s in its 12th season, largely because of its huge fan base and how vocal they are about the show and its very existence. Its parent network, CW, has been close to pulling the plug more than once in its 12 seasons, but its fans rally and put an end to that discussion.

Beyond just watching the show, for the past three years a small team of fans has been documenting the power of the “Supernatural” fandom. They raised over $100,000 on indiegogo.com to create a 90-minute documentary on the phenomenon. 

We just went because we all like the show and thought it would be fun to interact with the cast. I had no idea how huge all of this was until we experienced it firsthand. 

What started as a weekend lark turned out to be a crash course in how to create rabid fans and a community that keeps the business end of the “Supernatural” franchise humming. I believe that one of the key marketing strategies that organizations need to understand, embrace and consciously invest in is that very thing — creating a fan base or community that is your foundation and strongest platform for amplifying your message.

Here’s how the “Supernatural” team built their community. There’s plenty of ideas for all of us to steal in their recipe.

Create an exclusive club: Some people are not going to love you or what you sell. Don’t worry about them. Focus on the people who do. Make them feel special by inviting them to private events, sharing some secrets with them and by restricting access to only the best of the best.

So many businesses invest all of their time and money chasing after the unknown. Instead, identify the customers who deliver your most consistent and profitable sales. Who loves you the most? How can you make them feel special?

Give them access: One of the hallmarks of the “Supernatural” phenomenon is the amazing access the fans have to the stars of the show. At the conventions, they’re hanging around, joking with fans, posing for photos and appearing in casual Q&A sessions from the stage. They’re also active on social media, sharing fans’ tweets and posts and responding to questions and commentary.

How accessible are your leaders? Can your best customers reach them directly? Do they candidly connect with your most important audiences? Do they do it in an authentic way?

Create traditions that inspire emotional connections: One of the most impressive elements at the “Supernatural” convention was how they’d built some cornerstone traditions, like a Saturday night concert with the show’s stars, into the event. The convention veterans couldn’t imagine missing it, and the newbies were hungry to experience it. 

What traditions do your customers look forward to sharing with you year after year? If you don’t have any, maybe it’s time to create one. It could be a client-only event or an annual charitable activity like working on a Habitat home that you invite them to share with you. 

We all need to stop thinking about our customers as customers. They’re fans, and the way our business survives is to grow and deepen the connection to our fan base.

Identifying, empowering and celebrating your biggest fans isn’t just fun, it’s a marketing 2017 necessity. Given the power and voice of our customers today, we can’t afford not to make sure they have plenty of good things to say.