On millionsofmyles.com

Intro

In my recent work with the Melbourne Mustangs Ice Hockey Club I encountered a situation whereby I had to “compete” online with another club to show appreciation for a fan.

For some reason, the Melbourne Mustangs have quite a few fans in Chicago, Illinois. Most likely due to Mustangs import, Pat O’Kane which has a name similar to Chicago Blackhawks star, Patrick Kane.

Even though we are an Australian based hockey club, we like to embrace our international fans.

Case Study

Ali is an artist and blogger over at her blog, My Little Blackhawk. Ali creates hockey players in the form of My Little Ponies. Sounds strange but she has quite the following. Blogs where we anticipate something visually new every time usually do.

Ali was kind enough to draw the Melbourne Mustangs players, Pat O’Kane and Jon Olthuis. Personally, having a creative background myself, I realise and feel the soul that Ali put’s into her work. They might not be everyone’s taste, but that’s not the point. They are her taste and a lot of people love her blog for that reason alone.

Recently there was a twitter conversation where a handful of international AIHL fans were voicing how cool it would be to wear a AIHL jersey at an NHL game. That would indeed be very cool. Especially if someone went to the game to wear it with pride of their own accord. It would be a great moment to capture for any club. A moment the club could publicise to say “look at us, we have fans far and wide”.

I was informed under the Mustangs account (not by Ali) that the Melbourne Ice, our cross city rivals, had said that they would send her a game worn jersey to be worn at a Blackhawks game. I don’t know if that was a condition given, or if the jersey was given in the hope that she would.

Check. Good move Melbourne Ice. They didn’t publicise it and let everyone know they great deed they did. They kept it classy.

I could have sent a jersey back, but that in my opinion would be a lazy counter-move, furthermore, a move I couldn’t afford anyway.

So what could be done? Could I send Ali another item of merchandise? A signed puck maybe? I have to keep in mind weight for the postage and it’s all too cliché as well.

I tried to get into the mind of someone who I am a fan of, Gary Vaynerchuk and thought what would go the extra mile as well touch the personality and the emotions of Ali. Two things that have the tendency to create good feeling and memories that I hope will associate with the Melbourne Mustangs brand.

Of course the risk is, that the act won’t create any public exposure for the Mustangs at all. I question if it should though?

As crazy as it may seem, the home run move is to touch the emotions of the customer/fan without any reward or exposure for ourselves. Thinking only of their satisfaction and hoping we have a fan for life.

What did we do?

Ali is an artist and a sports fan. How can we combine her art with the sport she gets artistic over?

I twitter DM’d her asking her for the high-resolution original or the piece she drew for the Melbourne Mustangs as well as her mailing address. The game is up at this point. She expresses her excitement.

I went and got a high quality print out of her picture done, one that she could frame and got it ready to take to the Mustangs 2013 season presentation night.

I got Pat O’Kane and Jon Olthuis together, both of whom were highly amused at the picture. I was amused that they took a lot of time to look at the picture and they noticed all the details. The stars and stripes of the USA on Pat’s hind quarters and the Canadian Maple leaf on Jon’s. Even the correct player numbers. They loved it.

I got out the sharpie and Jon and Pat happily signed it. I got a photo of them both to print out and accompany with the picture.

I couldn’t DM Ali the picture so had to tweet it to her. She woke up a few hours later and told us she hadn’t stopped smiling since. She posted it on her blog. She seemed happy. Hope it makes her year when she receives the final package.

Why are you writing this?

As contrary as it seems, this is not self promotion. What I am attempting to convey is being selfless when it comes to customer service, when it comes to creating fans for life.

It all boils down to knowing your customer, what touches their heart and interacting with them on that level. A personal level.

It’s about going the extra mile. Not by giving them more and more, but by giving them something meaningful to them. Not about a deal that will get them something and get you something as well.

It’s about creating advocates and evangelical ones at that for your brand. It’s about creating emotional value for them.

Combine that and you’ll be on a winner.

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