Fan allegiance is the loyalty felt and expressed by a fan towards the object of his/her passion. Allegiances come in varying degrees; from fanatics who get decked out in face and body paint (even when the team is in last place) to the fair weather fans that only show up when the team is in first place. We’ve all seen it and experienced it. It is a phenomenon that cannot be avoided because its origin is deeply rooted in human psychology.
Being a true fan is tough. You have to deal with the emotional swings that go along with your team’s highs and lows. Conversely, the bandwagoner has it easy. They avoid the lows because they simply drop their faithfulness to the team when they’re no longer on top. This is an extremely important topic to professional sports teams. After all, consistent fan retention equals massive revenue through the sale of tickets, pay per view (if applicable) and most importantly merchandise such as jerseys and other apparel.
The bandwagon effect is a phenomenon that is of importance to all of us at Innovative Fitness as well. We function as a team and have customers who are essentially fans of our services. The effect is obviously quite different in our case however because we don’t ‘lose’. But there can be occasional obstacles in a new customer’s path that challenge their level of commitment such as minimal results experienced, a change of trainers or the adversity posed by long-term illness or injury. If we retain our entire existing customer base and gain new customers we will obviously grow. It is when we lose customers that growth is impeded. This begs the following question:
How can we ensure that all customers will be true fans and train with us over the long term?
Several psychologists have studied fan loyalty and the causes of an individual being loyal to their team through thick and thin. They attribute it to the following factors:
Entertainment Value = the value that a fan derives from viewership motivates him/her to remain a loyal fan
IF: The level of variety, education and progression that is provided to the customer. If they feel that they have learned how to train properly and can now do it on their own, they won’t think twice about leaving. We must keep things exciting and innovative so that they’re always guessing. Change up your routine, get outside, teach new exercises and push the customer outside of their comfort zone. This will ensure that their training could never be executed alone.
Authenticity = the acceptance of the game as real and meaningful
IF: Do we truly believe in the systems that we preach, walk the talk and lead by example? It is also important that we remind customers why their money is well spent: improved performance, reduced health risks, setting an example for children, etc.
Being a true fan is tough. You have to deal with the emotional swings that go along with your team’s highs and lows. Conversely, the bandwagoner has it easy. They avoid the lows because they simply drop their faithfulness to the team when they’re no longer on top. This is an extremely important topic to professional sports teams. After all, consistent fan retention equals massive revenue through the sale of tickets, pay per view (if applicable) and most importantly merchandise such as jerseys and other apparel.
The bandwagon effect is a phenomenon that is of importance to all of us at Innovative Fitness as well. We function as a team and have customers who are essentially fans of our services. The effect is obviously quite different in our case however because we don’t ‘lose’. But there can be occasional obstacles in a new customer’s path that challenge their level of commitment such as minimal results experienced, a change of trainers or the adversity posed by long-term illness or injury. If we retain our entire existing customer base and gain new customers we will obviously grow. It is when we lose customers that growth is impeded. This begs the following question:
How can we ensure that all customers will be true fans and train with us over the long term?
Several psychologists have studied fan loyalty and the causes of an individual being loyal to their team through thick and thin. They attribute it to the following factors:
Entertainment Value = the value that a fan derives from viewership motivates him/her to remain a loyal fan
IF: The level of variety, education and progression that is provided to the customer. If they feel that they have learned how to train properly and can now do it on their own, they won’t think twice about leaving. We must keep things exciting and innovative so that they’re always guessing. Change up your routine, get outside, teach new exercises and push the customer outside of their comfort zone. This will ensure that their training could never be executed alone.
Authenticity = the acceptance of the game as real and meaningful
IF: Do we truly believe in the systems that we preach, walk the talk and lead by example? It is also important that we remind customers why their money is well spent: improved performance, reduced health risks, setting an example for children, etc.
Fan Bonding = identifying with the players as individuals
IF: Simply tapping into the 80%. Get to know customers outside of the facility and begin each training session by asking about things that are important to them such as family and other interests. If you are perceived as nothing but a fitness machine nobody will identify with you and rapport will weak.
Team History & Tradition = a long history and tradition is a motivator
IF: The history is there and this gives us an edge on newer competitors. 14 years and running. Share the victories experienced by other customers and discuss our involvement in the community. Carry on the traditions and systems that make us unique.
Group Affiliation = fans receive personal validation of their support for a team from being surrounded by a group of fans who also support the team
IF: Invite new customers to do destinations with you and tell them to bring friends and family along for the ride. As we’ve all experienced customers ride a high following their first experience with a great destination. Everyone wants to belong to a group.
It is up to us. We can allow customers to hop on and eventually off the IF wagon or we can lead them at the highest level and succeed through high retention. Let's create some fans!!!
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