#bikebrand in All Its Glory

what is #bikebrand?

#bikebrand is a running conversation about the relationships between the different bike brands at the different levels (OEM, IBD, Component, etc) and how they should be communicated in the marketplace to maximize the effectiveness of brand awareness, loyalty, and advocacy with the end cyclist.

the brand relationships.

The following presentation is an overview of how the different level brands are defined in the marketplace today.

the conversation.

The following .pdf is a transcript of the entire initial #bikebrand conversation that took place on Twitter on Thursday, May 21, 2009. Special thanks to The Archivist for the documentation.

continued conversation.

Now that you have the background of the #bikebrand conversation, you can now carry the torch forward. What are your thoughts of the issue at hand? Who is in charge of the brand the IBD or OEM? How do you want to be communicated to as a cyclist?

thank you.

This issue is one of great importance in the cycling industry as we move forward with the two-way communicated marketplace that technologies like social media are creating. The cyclists now have an equal voice and want to be communicated with. Brands need to engage in conversations correctly or may confuse or irritate the customer. Thank you in advance for your participation in this conversation.

#bikebrand: A Conversation About Brand Communications in the Bike Industry

After 15 pages (so far) of conversation from multiple voices within and around the cycling industry, we stand in front of a tricky situation when it comes to brand communication throughout the bike industry supply chain and into the marketplace. Over the past several months, I have been talking about what actually defines the brand at the different levels in the cycling brand hierarchy, who each brand needs to communicate with, and how they could use social media to enhance these communications.

the question heard round the world.

As you can see from the conversation the answer to the question of “Who Own’s the Brand?” is it depends on the individual. The actual definition and positioning of the brand is created in the cyclist’s mind. This definition is based on many characteristics, but the end cyclist takes the information that is relevant to their particular cycling life to build the position of the particular brand.

some comments on communication.

Through this conversation, we can see that the individual behavior of brand definition carries over to the communication realm. There needs to be an open communication throughout the industry (IBD:custy, IBD:OEM, OEM:custy, etc). This communication will allow for complete brand permeation and allow the cyclist to decide and define what products and services, not only fit their cycling lifestyle but also defines them as a cyclist.

keep it going.

This conversation is and will be a major conversation in the years to come. We, in the industry, need to keep it alive and in the forefront to keep the industry growing. If you are on Twitter, feel free to use the hashtag #bikebrand when talking about this.

thoughts?

What are your thoughts on the conversation or the issue?

Cycling Social Media Participation

I had a conversation yesterday with a couple Independent Bike Dealers yesterday about the cycling community really embracing the communication styles of social media. It really got me thinking. What is the percentage of all cyclists engaging in social media? So this morning I went out to find that answer.

In the Industry Overview 2008 performed by the NBDA, they identified there were 44.7 million cycling participants in the US in 2008. A pretty good number if you ask me, but still plenty of room to grow.

With the dynamic nature of social media, the actual cyclist participation is a little hard to narrow down. I used an aggregate search across Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Ning, and blogs to identify over 5.6 million identified cyclists are participating on some kind of social media platform. That’s over 12.5% of all cyclists participating on some form of social media platform.

the point.

These 5.6 million cyclists that are participating in social media are discussing their cycling life, bikes, components, bike shops, experiences, racing, etc. If you’re a bike manufacturer, component manufacturer, IBD, product supplier, or race promoter chances are, there are discussions happening about your cause, product, or service. Are you listening and engaging in these conversations?

thoughts.

What are your thoughts about these numbers?

The Orbea Chronicles: Part 3 – The Conclusion

The last week or so, I’ve been discussing my girlfriend Toni’s quest for the perfect bike. I’ve identified why she bought the way she did and what could have happened to make Toni a “cult-like” follower for the brand. I won’t go into detail, you can go back and read for yourself. But, I’ve had a lot of response from this series and have been asked to elaborate a little on some key points.

Toni has actually commented on the part two post with some great insight into her thought process and what she would have liked to see post sale. I found something very interesting in what she said. “Especially as an athlete new to cycling, it would have been very exciting to have received an email from them. It would be great to have some sort of communication to interact with them and be able to ask questions.” This quick statement has completely proved my theory on the transition of power in the marketplace. There is a HUGE transition from marketers “pushing” messages to consumers “pulling” information that is pertinent to them as an individual. Consumers now want to be engaged in a conversation and have a voice in a relationship. Toni’s want to have a conversation with Orbea, is a natural occurrence and a change that we, as marketers need to adapt to.

So, How Do We Adapt to These New Communication Styles?

In Part 2, I outlined a few strategies Orbea could’ve taken to move Toni from excited customer to a passionate brand advocate. As I pointed out, the end goal for the brand is to integrate itself so deeply into the lifestyle of the customer that the brand begins to define the customer as a person. With that being said, I have broken down a strategy that Orbea could’ve taken to create this level of advocacy.

5 Strategies To Personality Defining Brands

Social Branding Strategy - Great results come from great strategy. Knowing what to say, how to say it, and who to say it to, puts your brand in a very powerful situation. Whether continuing a relationship from post sell to advocacy or reigniting a lost relationship in the social sphere, you need to know who you’re talking to, how to engage, and how to build the brand position.

Cult Creation - As illustrated by @Big Boy “The first rule of Orbea Club is - you do not talk about Orbea Club.” This is exactly the mentality you want your loyal followers to have, especially in the cycling community. To have a sense of belonging to a specific culture or community, really enhances certain emotional aspects tied to the purchase. Creating and engaging in these communities online will continue the culture creation as well as fuel the already burning loyal fire.

Viral Campaigns - Brands don’t go viral by themselves. It needs power, a voice, and a following. By simply creating a platform and empowering your loyal following, you can create a viral awareness that no advertising could mimic. These strategies could include having a YouTube channel and having seasonal Orbea Rider contests. Showing how Orbea fits into their life. How does cycling effect the rider and their world.

Interactive -Interaction is a determining factor for customer experience. The more experience the customer endures the more they will be involved. By interacting with loyal followers, you will enhance that loyalty as well as keep your brand on the top of mind for repurchase, cross sell, and up sell abilities. Some strategies for customer interaction could be Orbea branded iPhone or Facebook applications that could track mileage and capture goals. This would give Orbea a chance to engage again with that individual as they’re striving for their goals. Other strategies…Twitter Contests, Blogger Outreach, Orbea Trail tracking on Google maps, How to ride Wiki’s, etc.

Network Site Development - The days of one website is over. Networked sites are the future. Messages and components are communicated for highly targeted, highly defined niche segments. As Toni mentioned in her comment “The information on their website is limited, and I would like to learn more about them.” I know, from looking at the Orbea site is that it has tons of information. But what if, Orbea had a Networked Website? A specific page for the Dama TDA outlining every aspect of the bike; How it fits into the Orbea Culture; RSS Feeds from the ‘real time’ blogosphere and social sphere; Give both Orbea Pros and Weekend Warriors voices on the same platform (Orbea Rider blogs - how Orbea helps them compete) & (Weekend Warrior blogs) …

Conclusion

In conclusion…Riders want a voice and to be engaged. Give them voice and you will get advocacy. Enough said. Here’s some more “voice from real riders.” Are you listening?

“I bought it [Specialized Tarmac] because I too am a bike snob and it had the component group Ultegra with Dura Ace rear - you know what I am talking about. It was the frame, components and the paint job. What a great ride and I can’t wait for Spring to get back out there. Emotion runs high…”

- @Dave

“This was the bike [Orbea Onix Dama TDA] that would make me pumped for every single upcoming ride.”

- @Toni

“I know exactly what you mean by brand loyalty, Paul. However, I might put a little different spin on what you have discussed as wearing your brand as a badge. I almost feel like I have a closet loyalty to Giant. I love my Giant road bike, but when I was shopping around for the frame to build it up I felt guilty buying it…But when comparing apples to apples, a light, stiff, and aero frame is exactly that, no matter what the brand. So we can buy based on emotions, and do so without guilt.”

- @Dr JET

Open for Conversation

As always, I am always open to conversation. Feel free to reply publicly with a comment or contact me using any contact information on my “Contact” page. Happy Riding.

The Orbea Chronicles: Part 2 – What Could’ve Happened

As we left off, we saw Toni buy a bicycle, not on the features or components of the bicycle itself, but on the emotions and feeling it elicited within Toni. This type of buying behavior is not new, but one that is overlooked. These emotions are strong purchasing vehicles but shouldn’t be scoffed at in the post sale or brand loyalty stage. With these emotions running high, now is the time to strike to integrate into the consumer’s lifestyle.

Cyclists aren’t like the normal human being. We’re a little more advanced. We use brands to define who we are as a person. The type of bike we ride, the component groups, the kit we wear, all of it says a little more about who we are. Other consumers and industries will make the transition and mold into this model of loyalty. This “cult-like” following will use brands as badges to define personality. The driving factor of this is the permeation of brands in social media. Let’s look at how Orbea, could have used the emotional strength of the purchase process to shift into brand loyalty and advocacy mode to create a “cult.”

Steps to Build a Cult-Like Following

With emotions running wild Orbea could have captured the contact information, model, and size of the bike purchased. This information could have started a series of automated, but personalized communications with Toni.

1. Push and Invite – Using email or a welcome package, Orbea could have reached out to Toni and welcomed her to the Orbea “cult” or group. Given her some background information on the culture and reaffirmed her purchase.  Here Orbea could have invited her to connect through various social media platforms.

2. Wear as a Badge – Coming off the emotional tidal wave of purchasing a $2000 bike with the affirmation and welcoming into the company culture, Toni would now be wanting to tell anyone and everyone about her experience with Orbea. She would then connect on these social platforms, proudly wearing the Orbea badge…allowing the Orbea brand to define a little bit of her personality.

3. Empower the Consumer – With continuous conversations between Orbea and Toni, Toni would become educated and empowered enough to become an advocate for the Orbea brand. During this stage, Toni begins to infiltrate her own social network with the Orbea message and culture, furthering brand awareness with the almighty, powerful word of mouth.

4. Let Go – With a “cult-like” following that these strategies will create, Orbea will have to learn to let go of the Orbea brand and allow their “cult” followers to carry the message forward. This is the hardest step in the process for most companies. But it is the most necessary step to succeed in the new social marketing world in which we live.

5. Rinse, Repeat, & Adapt – New customers are continually coming into the cycle; current customers are continually having conversations with your brand; Communication strategies are continually changing. Stay dedicated to the process, the consumer, and the dynamic nature of marketing and you will succeed with your brand.

All in all, to create a cult-like following for your brand online, you need to integrate your brand into the lifestyle of the consumer. Allow your brand to become an defining factor of one’s personality. Then, and only then, will you find true brand loyalty and advocacy.

Your Thoughts?

What do you think? Would you love a brand so much that you would wear it as a badge? If so, what brands?