Customer engagement lessons we can learn from the world of sport

Customer engagement lessons we can learn from the world of sport

Sports fans are notoriously loyal to their teams or favoured sporting stars. Many will spend their hard-earned money to follow their teams or stars around the world. Surprisingly, this does not necessarily depend on the success of the team. While it is true that highly successful sports teams such as Manchester United Football Club have fans loyally following them across the world, more humble teams can also attract fervent supporters.

So can business learn anything from the world of sport? Business can certainly learn lessons from sporting events such as the World Cup. The World Cup plays host to a range of footballing stars, but what is noticeable is that the teams that often perform the best, for example Germany, do so not because they have an outstanding player, but because they are able to perform together as a team. Another lesson that business should note is that the countries that tend to do well in the World Cup invest long-term in their teams. Success on the field does not come overnight, but has to be worked at for years. This also teaches business something about engagement. For a country to be successful in a major sport, it needs to engage with people at the grassroots level so that new players can be brought through.

Sports stars do not just win trophies; they can also inspire people to achieve goals in their own lives, even if it is not on the world’s sporting stage. To be successful, sports stars need to be dedicated and focused on their goals. Sporting stars have to be mentally tough to cope with the difficulties of the sporting life and similarly, business leaders need to be mentally tough to cope with the rigours of the business world. Leadership skills are another feature of many sporting stars and this can also be seen in the business world. Steve Jobs inspired people in a way that not many business leaders can. When he was in charge of Apple, his talks at business shows would attract many, and the launch of Apple’s new products were eagerly awaited by people who were almost as ardent in their love for Apple as many sports fans are for their teams.

There is a natural link between sport and business as many large sports teams are now run like businesses. Leaders such as Max Mosley who was the head of Formula One and helped to steer it through some difficult times can provide valuable lessons for business leaders. books by Max Mosley provide a fascinating insight into his life as both a sports personality and a business leader.

Another lesson that business can take from sports stars is using their position to create a legacy. Many sports stars, once they have become famous, will work in their local communities to promote projects such as coaching classes for underprivileged children. Bill and Melinda Gates have used their wealth to support many projects, such as the eradication of malaria. A business that acts as if it cares about the people who work for it or in whose community it is based will create more goodwill than one which seems solely focused on generating wealth.