What the Buffalo Bills Can Teach Us About Loyalty and Engagement
Our hearts and prayers go out to Bill’s safety, Damar Hamlin. He suffered cardiac arrest after tackling a Bengals receiver during a game in Cincinnati. At the publication date of this blog, Hamlin is in recovery.
You can find examples of loyalty anywhere – especially in pro football. The Wise Marketer recently published an article from Hinda Loyalty Account Manager, Stacey Allgeier, connecting the Buffalo Bills and their fans to engagement building in the loyalty industry. But what can an NFL team and its fans teach loyalty marketers about creating meaningful engagement?
Celebrate what makes your fans unique
Buffalo Bills fans nickname every significant moment in the team’s recent history. The team supports this practice by adopting those names referring to those moments as part of its team lore.
Find what makes the fans of your program unique, recognize those traits, and reflect them in your rewards, marketing and customer service. Your fans will feel seen and appreciated, making them more loyal to the program.
Turn hardships into community building moments
Bills fans support their players through tough times, and in turn, the players support their fans. The prime example is Jim Kelly, who played for 11 seasons and suffered Super Bowl defeats with the team. Instead of crying about the losses of a bygone era, fans focus on his good works and his care for the people of Buffalo.
Listen to and lift up program participants who are making a difference. Recognition is a cornerstone for engagement in the loyalty industry.
Never underestimate acts of good and the power of many
Bills fans use small denomination donations from thousands of fans to make an impact in their community. When a referee missed a call during a game the Bills fans didn’t get mad, they encouraged everyone to donate $17 to Western New York Visually Impaired Advancement organization. The act raised over $65,000 in just one week.
Look for the ways your fans are doing good and celebrate them. By celebrating actions that demonstrate the values of your members, you can encourage others to follow suit and show pride in being a member of your loyalty program.
Hinda has tools to help create a community, such as our “charity pools” feature. This feature allows loyalty program members to contribute points to a common goal for a charity. Businesses can choose a local or national organization to create a meaningful experience for their fans.
The Buffalo Bills are having a great season, and your loyalty program can too. Listen to your fans, focus on small ways to create big impacts, and take the time to build genuine connections during every season.
Read the whole article at The Wise Marketer here.