Remington Begg
Most people have heard of Tough Mudder . It's a 10-12 mile obstacle course designed to test participants' strength, stamina, teamwork, and mental grit. In fact, it's probably the toughest event on the planet. A few weeks ago, I completed my first Tough Mudder. Anyone that knows me is probably thinking, "You? Really?" It's not hard to understand why. I'm probably one of the laziest people on the planet, I hate being sweaty and I would definitely be the first person to die in the Hunger Games. When I signed up for Tough Mudder, I made the commitment to trade the after-work naps for running sneakers in order to get into shape. After four months of intense training, I can proudly say that I am a Tough Mudder!
Even before I completed a Tough Mudder, the brand's success always amazed me. How has Tough Mudder, an event that requires people to test their physical and mental strength while running through mud, managed to build an army of followers? How have they convinced 1.3 million people to sign up for their events (that's 10-15 THOUSAND people per event)? Here are 4 marketing lessons that everyone can learn from the worldwide phenomenon known as Tough Mudder:
Have clear marketing objectives
The Tough Mudder pledge is plastered everywhere – on their website, social media, signs and more. Before the event even begins, Mudders get down on one knee and repeat the pledge as a group. But does it matter? Do people actually abide by the pledge while on the course? Absolutely, and I witnessed it first hand. Having clear marketing objectives ensures that your messaging is clear and consistent across the board for your employees, clients and prospects. Putting your values and goals into writing and repeating the message across all of your media is key to your business' success.
Never forget to reward your customers
One of my proudest possessions is my orange Tough Mudder finisher headband. In fact, I'd probably be more upset if if I lost that headband than if I lost my iPhone. Even though it's probably only worth $1, to me, it's priceless because the only way you can get one is to work your butt off and cross the finish line. All too often, businesses don't put enough work into rewarding their customers. Rewards don't always have to be monetary – sometimes a little bit of acknowledgement will go a long way.
Keep things fresh
For an outsider, it may be hard to understand why someone would do a Tough Mudder more than once, let alone 20+ times. You would think that it would get old, however Tough Mudder has done a great job at changing up their obstacles and venues every year. No two Tough Mudder events are the same. Sure, they keep some of the core obstacles on the course every year – such as Artic Enema, Electroshock Therapy and Everest – but they make sure that they come out with new and exciting obstacles every year. The lesson here? It's okay to stick with some of the same marketing tactics, but don't be afraid to change it up every once in awhile. Try something new that you haven't done before in order to surprise your customers and keep them excited.
You need brand evangelists
The goal of every company should be to have brand evangelists – people who love your brand so much that they want to tell everyone about you. In today's digital world, having brand evangelists is more important than ever. They're the people who will help share your marketing messages without expecting anything in return. Tough Mudder has turned hundreds of thousands of people into brand evangelists, and they might actually have some of the most loyal and passionate fans on the planet. Tough Mudder has dubbed Mondays as "headband Mondays" where finishers wear their headbands to work and then share their pictures on social media. The pictures have become shameless plugs for Tough Mudder.
Marketers are always trying to find new ways to create loyal followers and to make their brands memorable. Tough Mudder might have created one of the craziest events on the planet, but they've also done an incredible job at creating a brand that people love. You don't need to have an insane obstacle course that requires people to jump into an ice bath in order to create a strong brand, but if you follow these tips, you will be on your way to creating your own Tough Mudder success.