Emotional customer loyalty: What sport and Apple have in common
Fans are loyal. No matter how the soccer match goes, the fans sit in the stands and cheer every single second. If the team loses, tears flow. If a goal is scored, the whole crowd erupts in cheers. Regardless of the situation, their own stars are defended with the utmost conviction.
Fans are not only loyal to their favorite brands and services, they are also willing to buy - which is why it is worthwhile for every company to turn its customers into fans. Aggressive advertising campaigns, discounts and rewards attract new customers, but how do you manage to create an emotional bond between them and your company?
Successfully managing companies with emotional customer loyalty
Unfortunately, the best quality alone is no longer enough these days. It is becoming increasingly difficult to stand out from the mass of similar products.
Those who manage to build emotional customer loyalty, i.e. inspire their customers and turn them into fans, have a clear competitive advantage.
How can you tell that customers are "fans" of your company?
Every fan exhibits the following characteristics and behaviors. If these are not present, they are not (yet) fans. Important: It's not about a number or a figure in terms of sales or turnover! People should always be at the center of all ideas.
1) Fan customers have a strong emotional connection to your brand
One of the best examples of this is Apple: iPhone fans swear by the brand and are therefore motivated to always buy the latest models and the matching expensive accessories. Competitors look through their fingers. The advantages of the products are perceived disproportionately strongly.
2) Fans show a certain behavior towards your brand
As soon as a new Apple device goes on sale, the most loyal customers wait for hours outside the Apple Store just to be one of the first people to buy the new product or item. The ultimate confirmation of the marketing success of the tech giant from Silicon Valley in the USA.
3) Fans clearly differentiate themselves from other customers and companies through their mentality and attitude
In addition to iPhones, Apple customers also use iPads and Mac computers - they believe that other devices can't compete well, and anyone who doesn't see it that way doesn't know their stuff.
The step from satisfied customers to fans
In order to build emotional customer loyalty, it is important to know your customers and their needs. Customer loyalty programs can help with this. What do customers like, what don't they like and what do they want? The company must focus on the needs of the target group and the customers.
You have to ask yourself what strengths and weaknesses your company has from the customer's point of view. What are the most important touchpoints with customers? Is there an online store? What happens to emails from customers? How is customer feedback handled? All of this is part of a well-thought-out customer experience.
Many different ideas and possibilities can lead your company to its goal
The aim is to build on strengths and improve weaknesses. This allows customers to be addressed and won over in a targeted manner. Customer satisfaction and the customer experience - always with customers as people at the center - are at the top of the priority list.
The only thing missing is a sense of achievement, a key experience that the customer did not have with the competition. Customers will look for this experience again and again and want to experience it again - that's what keeps them loyal.
Sources:
https://www.fan-prinzip.de/
https://www.impulse.de/management/marketing/fan-prinzip/7306571.html
