078: Harley Davidson vs. RevZilla – Who Ignites Customer Loyalty? [Case Study]

06/21/16 • 24 min

There's no question Harley Davidson is an iconic brand with immense Boomer loyalty, but can it earn that loyalty among the newest generation of consumer that lacks extra income for luxury purchases the likes of Harley Davidson? Harley is asking the same thing and expanding its reach abroad to other countries in the hopes of getting consumers to pay the sticker price for a brand new Harley Davidson prestige motorcycle. The company does not want to discount its merchandise at this point; yet, it continues to conduct giveaways of Hogs on its social media sites. Enter RevZilla As a relative newcomer to the motorcycle category (nine years), RevZilla out of Philadelphia is banging up the accessories market and earning intense customer loyalty among consumers of gear. Born of three passionate millennials, RevZilla was recently featured in Bloomberg Businessweek in a story that showcases its amazing connection to consumers via culture, education, and commitment to customer experience. Gear Geeks attend Rev U, an intense educational/university-type course to educate front-line associates in all things culture, product and the customer experience with satisfaction being numero uno. John Gregory Olson and Jayme Soulati (moi) are non-motorcycle savvy, but that doesn't mean that we can't recognize a good marketing story when we see one. The Heart of Marketing heart pillars of trust, relationship and helpfulness are indicative of RevZilla, and we're so jazzed to have you listen to what makes this company a success. We are always seeking neat stories for our Go for Heart program, and we did invite Anthony of RevZilla to join us on the show; however, he must be on extended vacation as he never answered (lol). Listen in if you love the motorcycle experience and see if you agree that RevZilla is banging up the category with the customer and safe gear in mind.

Previous Episode

077: Customer Survey Fatigue – Are You Serving Customer Needs or Yours?

How many times weekly are you asked to take a survey, just a little one, to rank, rate and score someone's performance? Uh-huh, we too. On this episode of The Heart of Marketing, John Gregory Olson and Jayme Soulati explore the weariness of customer surveys and the ask for that '10' score...or else! What is the true motive for all of these surveys, anyway? And, let's be clear, there's a difference between: Surveys Ratings Reviews We do dance around each one as they are all disruptions the customer is feeling about a product or service. Most of us can't get away from them, however, because there are robo-calls that never quit until you comply. There are surveys that pop up in seconds after concluding an online help chat; there are third-party companies assigned to make the phone calls for the auto body repair or the vehicle purchase. At the end of the day, does all of this data help you better understand your customer? Are you truly using this information to create better widgets and put better customer service reps in the call center? We may skirt this issue very well, but at the end of the day, the best way to get to know your customers' opinions is to do this very simple thing...take a listen to find out what!

Next Episode

079: Built for Trust – The Evolution of Marketing Funnels [with Jeremy Reeves]

Marketing funnels are not dead, contrary to what many think. Our guest today, Jeremy Reeves, is a direct-response copywriter who writes for the sales funnel. He has been so successful that in his career he has generated some $50 million for his clients...wowza. He is a podcaster, guest blogger, social media pro, and as stated an expert in funnels. How can you not listen? John Gregory Olson tries really hard to get Jeremy's secret so The Heart of Marketing can be as successful, or perhaps just a smidgeon of that success, and he does succeed in getting Jeremy to spill: Jeremy knows something about building trust to get the customer to tap into the funnel and the product at the narrow bottom. Jeremy says that funnels need to be transparent or the intention needs to be such. Funnels should add value, and customers should trust you and want to click deeper because everything you present and position needs to work hand-in-hand with the pillars of heart marketing (OK, maybe that's what Jayme Soulati said). There is so much more Jeremy covers in today's episode on The Heart of Marketing podcast. If you have a question about funnels and whether you have to do one for your business, then this episode is for you. And, as you listen, please don't miss The Wizard of Oz connection, courtesy of John Gregory Olson! It's his fault this episode is chock full of laughs (but only in the middle and end, heh).