Know. Like. Trust. (Or, how to make customers.)

“All things being equal people will do business with, and refer business to, those people they know, like, and trust.” – The Go-Giver by Bob Burg and John David Mann Marketers throw around the phrase ‘know, like, trust’ like pitchers throw around, well, balls. You’ve probably heard it before and completely ignored it, because what does that matter in racing? That’s marketing. Here’s how it applies to racing (which, by the way, is how it applies to the real world because we’re not that different!): in order to become a customer – whether that’s a sponsor, ticket holder or apparel buyer – a person has to trust you. You build trust with a potential customer by getting them to like you. In order for a customer to like you, they have to get to know you. In effect, first they get to know you. Then, they like you. As they like you, they trust you. Only then will they consider buying from you. Putting yourself out there consistently is the first step. That means both online and in person. Here’s how I get to know people: Talk to them. Shocking, if you know me. I’m quiet, but I actually do talk to people!! Use social media. Tweet. Snapchat. Periscope. View their website, read their articles or look at other non-social content. Look at their associations with other people I already know. Telling your story authentically is the second step in getting them to like you. Here’s how I decide if I like someone:  Their interests, attitudes and values align with mine. Their sense of humor. Do they get it? Their respect for...

Everything is Competition. Embrace the Opportunity.

Last night, I was fortunate to get an invitation to a Cornell University alumni event through my Columbia alumni club. The gathering centered around a talk from alumnus Jeff Broadhurst, who is the CEO of Eat ‘n Park, an iconic chain of Pittsburgh-based restaurants, as well as other gourmet establishments and a catering venture. At the end, the group was invited to ask questions and an attendee asked about how blurry the lines were now for businesses in terms of fitting into a certain category. Broadhurst joked that now, more than ever, when asked who his competition was he could honestly respond: everyone. Gas stations are now serving fast food. Fast food restaurants are venturing into gourmet ingredients. Grocery stores now have gourmet coffee and high-end establishments have food trucks. It’s difficult to be unique, and communicate your uniqueness, in a crowded market. What I liked about Broadhurst was his positive spin on the ever-changing business landscape. Instead of focusing on the difficulty, he spoke to the opportunity. With so much competition and differentiation, you no longer have to fit in the proverbial box.  There has never been a better time to do things differently than your competition. There has never been a better time to carve out your own niche, with your own audience. Race tracks are not alone in competing with everyone for race fans time, attention and money. We can complain about how we’re competing against the movie theaters, restaurants, theme parks and house parties, or we can look at the opportunity to be the grocery store with a gourmet coffee shop. Does every race track serve...

Making New Fans Feel Invited

Have you ever walked into a crowded restaurant and felt the whole place turn around? Their eyes take you in and the room seems to go silent. You know, somehow, you broke their code. You used the wrong door, you wore the wrong clothes. You’ve walked in on a story that you’re (obviously) not a part of.  Then there are the other crowded restaurants, the ones that you walk into and feel like you’ve discovered something. There’s a story here, too. But it’s one that you’re excited to have caught a glimpse into.  There’s something special going on here. And now, you want to know more.  Many of you have been around the blog for a while, but for others, this might be your first visit. Every day, new people happen on to my website, Twitter feed, or Facebook page. The same goes for you, whether you’re a race track welcoming new fans through the gate or a racer getting a retweet.  You know you need to tell your story. I know you already know how important that is. But while we’re all in the middle of telling our stories – you started the day you put yourself out there –  people are tuning in at different points. How much getting up to speed will that new potential fan need to get invested? How long do they need to see or know to care? I’m not saying that you need to treat every tweet, every piece of signage, and every interaction as if the person is new. Or a beginner. But you do need to be welcoming and inclusive. Help people to...

The Guy Who Washes His Car Goes the Fastest

Does washing your car make you go faster? Not on the street, it doesn’t. But, having been around the back gate of racing for as long as I have, I do believe it makes you go faster on the track on an average night.  It’s not that it makes you more appealing to fans and, thus, leads to sponsorship support for better equipment. Although there’s truth to that argument. It’s not that you have better aerodynamics. At least not in dirt track racing. It’s not just that you end up looking at every inch of your car and likely notice good and bad things sooner. Although that’s true, too. And it’s not that other cars are distracted by the glittering sheen of your body panels (SQUIRREL!). It’s the mindset that makes all the difference. Washing your car is a seemingly unnecessary task that takes time. It takes energy and effort.  It takes at least $10 at the Buffalo Express Lube in Sarver. And it requires these things of you before you do anything else you need to do. But the type of people who wash their race car before they do anything else are the people who understand what it takes to win.  It takes more than building a car. It takes more than showing up on a Saturday night. It takes more than the minimum.  Whether you’re a driver, a track promoter or a business operator, there are tasks that are the equivalent of washing your race car. I would argue that marketing is the car wash of all three of these categories. It’s not enough to do your...

Is ‘Live’ Technology Hurting or Helping Racing?

Over the past few years, I’ve worked with a number of race tracks across the country. One of the subjects that comes up over and over again is live updating. I’ve had countless conversations with members of the industry who emphatically believe that live results published on social media are hurting our sport. With apps like Meerkat and Periscope, fans can now stream live video (for free!) right from the track or pits. You might not be surprised by this, but I disagree with the argument that live updating stops fans from buying tickets. Fans come to the race track for the experience, not just for the results. Mistake that, and you’re missing out.  It’s my opinion that live results are meant for fans who can’t make it to the track that night, whether they’re in a wedding or another state. They’re not for fans who just choose to stay home that night because they can find out who won on Twitter.  In fact if results, or even a little bit of video, are satisfying enough to stop someone who would normally buy a ticket from walking through the gates, I think that says something worth thinking about. Either that person isn’t a serious race fan, or they don’t find the experience worth paying for. If the first, are they really someone you want to cater to? Are they adding to the atmosphere at your track? If the second, maybe the product isn’t enticing enough to bring that fan there in person. Is the entertainment experience at the level it needs to be at? It’s a question we all need...

How to Boost Audience Engagement Both Online and at the Track

Last week, I wrote about why engagement matters more than ever in racing. Engagement at the race track and engagement in your online community. The more engaged your audience is, the more consistently committed they are to you and your brand. If you read last week’s post, you know why engagement matters, I want to talk about how to boost your online engagement, whether you run a race team, series, track or brand. When you think about engagement, I want you to think about specific actions. Reading a piece of content, whether that’s on your Facebook account, Twitter feed or your scoreboard, is not engagement. That’s consumption. Engagement, by quantifiable standards, means taking action. Let’s talk about two of the most popular platforms: Facebook and Twitter. On Facebook, engagement means a: • Like, • Share, • Comment, or • Click on a link. On Twitter, engagement means a: • Retweet, • Favorite, • Reply, • Click on a link. You can imagine what engagement looks like on the rest of the interwebs – for example, on Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube and your email newsletter. What you probably already know is that Facebook treats engagement differently. Your content is ‘edge-ranked’ by Facebook’s algorithm based on a number of factors that influence who sees your content and how often. Engagement is a major factor in that equation. And while the other networks – including race tracks – don’t use engagement to determine your level of exposure to your fans, it’s just as important. The more action fans take with your content – whether that’s what you do at the track or online...