Photo credit Michael Mitarnowski
Granted smoke bombs and choreographed displays with 3,500 rabid fans is a little overkill for showing your excitement for a retail store; but the self-made soccer fan club, the Timbers Army, is onto something. Since 1975, Portland, Oregon longed for the return of their professional soccer team, the Portland Timbers. Pent-up demand exploded onto the field in the form of the Timbers Army, a hyper-devoted, super-organized fan club run by a non-profit organization called The 107 Independent Supporters’ Trust.
How does a soccer fan club apply to your store?
There are the standard social networking ways to build a fan base for your store. But building a passion is a whole other story. What about your store are people passionate about? Identifying the passion is half the battle. Once you’ve figured out the passion, feed it! Timbers Army members bleed passion for soccer. In the case of Switch Shoes in Multnomah Village, the passion starts with shoes and extends to style that is unique to Switch. The storeowners sponsored a photo contest for their Facebook fans and gave away a grand prize gift certificate.
Elizabeth & Austin Moore
Fans wanted
The Timbers Army welcomes all. If you’re proud of Portland and love the Timbers, you’re in. There are no member fees, but the identifier of a Timbers Army member is a scarf. To date, they’ve sold over 9,000 “No Pity” Timbers Army scarves. Who wants to be a fan of your store? Finding your people is crucial. To build a fan base, two Timbers enthusiasts went to pubs during national soccer team games, handed out business cards and gathered emails. An article in The Oregonian followed, resulting in Timber Army fans overflowing the North End of the Timbers stadium.
“What started out as a few dozen people making up chants on the spot and banging on pickle buckets grew to a few hundred in just a few seasons,” said Garrett Dittfurth, communications chair for the 107 Independent Supporters Trust. Where can you go – online or in person – to find your people?
Fans are honored. Fans are special. Fans are appreciated.
Embracing your fans goes a long way. Team owner Merritt Paulson literally bowed to the Timbers Army at the Portland’s home opener in Major League Soccer. Additionally, Paulson brought the Timbers Army in to give input on the stadium layout and rewarded them with commission on season tickets sold in their section.
Customers who feel welcome and feel the passion return again and again. At the Mousetrap, a tavern in North Portland, patrons love to play pool. So they open the bar to tournaments and sponsor a billiards coach to hold workshops. Trophies line the walls and celebrate the sport. Their billiards-playing customers find a home away from home.
Photo credit Michael Mitarnowski
Keep fans interested
When it comes to the Timbers Army, the game and culture is interesting enough. If you’re unsure what your customers will react to, just ask. Why not get their input first before you spend money? Just be aware that there’s always the “What’s in it for me” factor. For example, fans on the Helium Comedy Club mailing in Portland, Oregon, get special discounts and free stuff. If anything, it keeps them from opting out of the mailing list. Giving them preferential treatment also makes them feel appreciated.
Get fans involved
Dittfurth says the Timbers Army tries to “foster a sense of inclusiveness.” So every t-shirt, banner and hat is designed by Timbers Army members. “Creating that sense of ownership and investment in the team and the atmosphere we create on game days is key to maintaining interest,” he said.
No Limit! No Pity!
Dittfurth’s final advice to anyone trying to build an army: “Don’t put limits on how many fans you think you can get at first. In the beginning we never thought we could fill just section 107 with fans and a decade later we will at the very least 16 sections.”
The return
The Timbers sold out their home opener section in hours. Plus, their choreographed antics, such as hoisting a cardboard Timber player chopping the Space Needle in half with a chainsaw before a game against Seattle, blow the fan appreciation bar out of the water. The return for your store could mean anything from friends spreading the word about their experience to loyal, repeat business from diehard fans.
Jacki Sturkie, Guest Blogger
Photo credit Michael Mitarnowski
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