…Where are yours?
It is a known fact that the best way to beat the competition in the game of business is to have customers on an organisation’s side. A business is only able to dominate the market to the extent to which it is able to win the largest percentage of customers on to its side. And if those customers are so madly in love with the brand, all the better.
The business that has more customers rooting for it is sure to be a big player on the market. Those kind of customers are more than just customers. When they fall so in love with the brand, they become more than customers. They become fans or fanatics, depending on how you look at it! In some cases, they even become Superfans!
But as with many other attainments in life, superfandom does not just happen. There are things that an organisation must do to ensure that it creates and maintains its own band of overly loyal customers. Businesses that are very serious about having superfan customers must put in the work. They must have a strategy and they must put the all necessary resources behind that strategy.
One organisation that seems to have gotten the idea of superfans nailed down to the ‘T’ is the Japanese automaker, Subaru. Founded more than seven decades ago, Subaru vehicles have been around for some time. They might not be as glamorous or popular like their other Japanese cousins such as Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Mitsubishi.
However, if there is one thing that is known about the Subaru brand, it is that, owners of Subaru vehicles tend to be very loyal. As a matter of fact, it has been argued that Subaru owners are more than just car owners. One website used the term “cult” to describe car enthusiasts who drive a Subaru.
It is therefore right that any organisation that is interested in creating its own band of loyal customers should take a look at what Subaru does. But before going into the things Subaru does so well, it is important to note that Subaru cars are very good vehicles. Not only are they said to have superior horsepower and superior handling, they are also relatively cheaper. Subaru vehicles are also known to be very durable. Subaru boasts that 96% of its cars built within the last 12 years are still on the road.
As a matter of fact, those in the world of rally racing will tell you that Subaru happens to be one of the very best vehicles in the world. It is claimed that due to its box engine design and All-Wheel Drive (AWD) mechanism, Subarus have an added advantage on many types of terrain. It is therefore of little wonder that since 1973, Subaru has claimed multiple manufacturer wins in the World Rally Championships, winning back to back to back championships between 1995 to 997. Simply put, Subaru is a high-performing vehicle.
In other words, the starting point to creating and having superfans is to, first of all, have a good product or service. Customers must have value for their money. The product or service must perform for customers before customers can begin to fall in love with the offering. It is only when that is present that the business can put in place structures to take advantage of the power of superfans.
Nickname
It seems having a special name for super fans goes a long way. Subaru’s are referred to as Subbie Superfans! Riders of Harley-Davidson motorcycles are also another special group of superfans. They are affectionately referred to as HOGs. By the way, HOG is short for Harley Owners Group. Apparently, having a special name for the group helps a lot. It creates a special kind of bond among group members.
Social Media
Where do superfans congregate? In times past, that would be the stadium, an outdoor park, the race tracks and maybe a hall somewhere. However, these days, one can find them on social media. For that, Subaru super fans have a vibrant Facebook page. Depending on the type of product or service, a business can choose a particular social media platform to bring its superfans together. Tiktok, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and LinkedIn can all help bring your superfans together.
Website
Sometimes, a social media page alone might not be enough. If you want to go the Subaru way, you can even take it a step further and create a whole new website for your Superfans. https://www.subaruambassador.com/ is the home of the Subaru Superfan! Interestingly, it is just one of a couple of other websites for Subaru ambassadors. This is because there are Subaru dealerships across the world that offers owners of Subaru vehicles opportunities to sign on to become ambassadors. From the United States, through to Asia and all the way to New Zealand, there are Subaru dealerships that offer Subaru car owners countless opportunities to become Subaru ambassadors.
Merchandise
What is a super fan without some merchandise to show for it? No wonder the car manufacturer Subaru has also gone into wrist watches, hoodies, among other such items. If your customers are in love with your brand, they will have no problem wearing your brand. I would even say that the popularity of your merchandise can be a very good test of how loyal your fans are.
Branded items of clothing, perfumes, stationery, and other items can do magic for the pride of the superfan! We see the pride with which football fans don the jerseys of their favourite teams. That will be the same thing you will find in your customers if they fall madly in love with your brand.
Freebies
Superfans also get to receive freebies from the brand. One superfan of Subaru claims that every three months, ambassadors are given $150 that they can spend at any Subaru ambassador store of their choice. According to the individual, this money is mainly used to buy Subaru gifts which are then shared to friends and acquaintances. The smart thing about something as little as this is that it constantly gets the Subaru brand in the faces of people. If someone got you a Subaru mug that you use regularly, the one has gotten you exactly where Subaru wants you. This is great way of subliminally getting the Subaru brand into the subconscious minds of people.
Lifestyle
It is important to weave the brand in question into the lifestyles of the ambassador. For Subaru New Zealand, athletes, sports and TV personalities are among the prominent ambassadors for the brand. A brand that is able to get customers to seamlessly make use of the brand while not altering their lifestyle is always going to be a winner. If the use of the brand enhances the lifestyle of the customer, it becomes easier to convert that customer into a brand ambassador. It becomes difficult to convert a customer into a superfan, if the one hardly (or occasionally) uses the product or service.
Promotion
Another action that brands can take that would make them create a band of superfans or ambassadors is to aggressively promote the activities of their ambassadors. This is crucial for the continuous sustenance of the business-superfan relationship. It is true that one of the vital roles of the ambassador is to promote the brand. However, it is equally important for the relationship that the brand also promotes the activities of the ambassador.
If a brand ambassador wins an award, it is important that the brand goes all out to let the world know of it. By touting the achievements of the ambassador, the brand establishes a symbiotic relationship where everyone wins. The superfan-cum-ambassador feels proud to have the achievement recognised by the brand and the brand gets to ride on the achievement of the customer to promote itself.
Volunteerism
Another thing that Subaru gets its ambassadors to do is to get them to volunteer at Subaru events. At auto or outdoor events, the ambassador gets to hand out gift items or help visitors with basic information. The truth is that Subbie Superfans would do this for free. Their love for the brand is such that they would go out of their way to help the brand get its message out.
The truth about turning customers into Superfans is that it makes business sense. As clearly stated on the website of one of the Subaru dealerships, Superfans are individuals who “partner with Subaru to be an extension of the brand.”
Brand extension.
That is what having loyal customers is all about. Loyal customers will go out of their way to ensure that the world knows about the brand. They, not only serve as an additional marketing force but, will also defend the brand any day, anywhere and at any time. And I must add, that they do all that for next to no cost to the organisation.
Subaru regularly sends emails to its ambassadors on incoming deals and encourages them to share that information with others. These are things a true ambassador will do just for the love of the brand. In other words, Subaru gets its superfans to work for the brand without paying for it. This is the power of having superfans.
To say competition is more intense these days would be putting it mildly. I cannot think of a single industry where there is not some kind of fierce competition. Even monopolistic organisations, that had all the market to themselves, are now aware that there is always some other entity trying to take away their customers. The best bet for any organisation, therefore, is to have customers on its side. If these customers turn out to become superfans, then the business is well on its way to winning the game! Clearly, Subaru has its superfans, where are yours?
