How to make customers feel like they’re part of something
An interview with Shami Kalra, founder of Omologato, on creating a fanbase, and the crossover of fashion and motorsport.
When you support any team or athlete, you’re part of something and it feels great. Whether you support the underdog or are part of a huge group of fans, you have something in common with all these people. Humans are naturally tribal and sport gives us a wonderful excuse to indulge these natural tendencies.
So there you are, supporting your team, or your driver/rider, but how do you know who else is in your tribe? This is where fashion comes into play.
You wouldn’t be able to wave at a fellow Valentino Rossi fan without seeing that flash of florescent yellow on their clothing.
Clothing and accessories also have this wonderful knack of making us feel part of something. Whether you’re wearing your team’s shirt to the pub, are showing off your latest watch, or are wearing a driver’s cap on a hike, you are part of something and you’re telling the world about it.
“We need to belong to something and we also need hope.”
In business, there’s a lot you can learn from this. Not only are humans (and, therefore, your target market) inherently tribal and keen to belong to something, but they’re keen to seek out new ways in which they can belong too.
One company that gets this right is Omologato. Not only does its motorsport watches signal belonging (and perhaps in a more sartorially on-point way than a team shirt might) but there’s also a community around the brand itself too.
Shami Kalra, founder of Omologato, understands our need to belong. He says: “As human beings, there are two things that we need to get up in the morning: We need to belong to something and we also need hope. Most people have their favourite drivers, teams and liveries. Just buying a t-shirt, for instance — maybe a papaya orange or a bright pink, perhaps — you become part of that.”
Motorsport is expensive and, typically, it costs a lot of money to go to races and buy merchandise. When it comes to luxury accessories, such as watches, the price point can skyrocket. Shami’s experience of motorsport helped him see the need for a more inclusive watch brand that tapped into his love of racing. He says: “I went to Silverstone when I was about 28 for the Formula One and it took about three months worth of grocery money to pay for one ticket. While I was there, I saw watch for sale for £3600. I was obsessed with it, absolutely obsessed, but there's no way in hell I could have ever afforded it. It dawned on me that motorsport was very exclusive. It’s become much, much more inclusive now, but it inspired me to create a motorsport watch brand that was more accessible.”
Creating a fanbase
The Omologato brand has a huge following across social media and part of this is a easy way in which Shami communicates. It’s got him in trouble a few times but this honesty, from a fan of motorsport, is the cornerstone of the brand. He explains: “I'm very, very vocal on my private social channels, especially Twitter. If I see something that, as a fan, I don't like, I’ll call it out. I do get into trouble and sometimes I get phone calls from lawyers who tell me to take the tweet down. But it’s the truth.
“I care about the sport and we should be working together and not not pulling each other's eyes out. We should be working together to make sure the sport lasts. Brands like me, who want to spend money and give money to the sport, should be nurtured rather than not.”
Fellow fans see this honesty and authenticity in the way Shami talks on social media. They see that he is a fan much in they way they are and that creates a connection that makes these people more inclined to become part of what Shami has created.
This motorsport-first approach, alongside an inclusive product, means that 85% of Omologato customers have at least two watches, 40% have at least five and there’s a hardcore bunch who have more than 20 watches in their collection.
Building a fanbase on shared passions is great news for returning customers but also for referrals too. In fact, for Omologato, from January to March this year, at least 83% of customers referred someone new to the brand.
Offering that sense of belonging
Omologato hosts special events for its watch owners throughout the year. These range from simple coffee mornings through to tours of high-end racing team headquarters. Just by owning a watch, you’re suddenly part of something so much bigger. When I bought my first Omologato watch, I happily posted about it on Twitter and I was surprised at just how many new friends welcomed me to #TeamOmologato. What Shami has created is clearly working in creating a loyal fanbase of customers.
There’s a lot other brands can learn from this.
Whether you’re in fashion, automotive, motorsport or another industry, creating a community is vital. You might do this through hashtags, a Facebook group, live events, or by getting your customers directly involved in your marketing.
This community will not only help spread the word of what you’re doing but that sense of belonging will keep people loyal to you for a long time.
If you’re looking for ways to grow your business, creating a community could be the next step. Content marketing and social media can play a large part in this so think about this when creating your content strategy.