Let’s begin by explaining ‘superfan’. It’s a term from sport and music to describe a person who is obsessed with a particular team or musician and will do (almost) anything to satisfy that obsession. In terms of brands that have superfans, Apple with their ‘fanboys/girls’ quickly comes to mind. Also Ferrari (The Tifosi), LEGO (Brickheads) and Disney (Disneyphiles or Disnerds) fit the bill.
The high value of brand superfans is they are repeat purchasers, do not buy from competitors with cheaper options, form deep emotional connections, and best of all will actively advocate for the brand. It’s gold to have customers advocating your brand when it can mean so much, such as when asked for a personal recommendation.
However, loyalty – unlike a diamond – is not forever. As found in the latest Marigold Relationship Marketing Trends Report (download here), 37% of consumers indicated they are less loyal to a brand they bought in the past year. This is even more prevalent with those under age 35.
Superfans are cultivated and nurtured over time. You likely already have some superfans – or the potential to create them by making strategic, customer-focused decisions. The lesson is to be strategic and actively work to find, cultivate and grow your superfans. Here are three ways to determine if they are part of your customer base.
- Engagement. Superfans follow all your social media and frequently like, share, and/or comment on your posts. They connect by joining loyalty programs, attending events, participate in fan-based communities, and publicly share their ideas for the brand to improve. They already love your brand. Just imagine what could happen once you actually recognise them as superfans…
- Purchase behaviour. Superfans have a higher lifetime value (LTV) through more frequent purchases and higher spending patterns that clearly shows a connection above and beyond normal customers. They are worth the effort to court, convert, grow and retain.
- Emotional loyalty. A deeper connection arises from shared values and outstanding customer experiences. Surveys can uncover the emotions behind their attitudes and offer insights into how to deepen these bonds. Finding the emotional hook(s) can be a gamechanger.
How can you measure success in cultivating superfans?
There are many ways to measure how fans love a brand. At Marigold we’ve tried them all. After years of work to refine our methods, we’ve created a self-assessment survey tool to help marketers gain a better understanding of their brand’s current strategy. By completing the survey (access here) marketers will:
- Receive a custom loyalty marketing effectiveness score
- Identify opportunities to improve your relationship marketing strategy
- Learn from the expertise and insights from Marigold Loyalty based on your survey responses.
The assessment is important because fostering loyalty requires a deliberate effort to find out your customers’ needs and preferences, actually deliver value, and consistently exceed expectations. With an effectiveness score and follow up discussion, you’ll be better equipped to deploy marketing strategies to leverage your current and emerging superfans.
Complete the survey to take the first step toward harnessing your loyal customers. It’s quick, insightful, and could lead to meaningful improvements in your loyalty marketing strategy.
