Specialized Membership Pilot
SPECIALIZED
Specialized is a renowned global brand in the cycling industry, recognized for its commitment to innovation and high-performance bicycles. With a 50-year legacy, Specialized is a trailblazer in designing and manufacturing top-tier bikes, components, and cycling gear, catering to riders of all levels and disciplines.
BUSINESS CHALLENGE
Loyal riders spend more, more often
99% of specialized.com transactions are made without an account
Traditional digital advertising channels are increasingly obsolete
Customer acquisition costs continue to rise worldwide
ROLES
Amanda: Marketing Manager / Marketing Strategy + Execution Lead
Led the strategy, planning, briefing, and execution of all 100+ customer-facing assets that launched in the 6-month pilot period.
Utilizing over a year of research, segmentation, and data collection, I developed the foundation for messaging, positioning, and overall narrative of the membership program.
Tracked, managed, analyzed, and presented all KPIs
Managed two external agencies
Collaborators: Brand, Web, Creative Design, Art Directors, CRM, Social, CRM, PR, International, Localization, Sports Marketing, Owned Retail, Product, Program Manager, two external agencies.
SOLUTION: MEMBERSHIP
What is Membership?
A value proposition that encourages all riders to identify themselves
Strong, published benefits that we can execute at scale
Rider scoring and unpublished benefits which allow experimentation and adaptability
Free-to-join and accessible to everyone, maximizing direct-to-rider impact, leveraging Specialized.com, all owned apps, owned retail, and events.
Limited financial discounts - We are a premium brand and will remain so
GOALS
Gather Rider Data
We have an immediate need for a value proposition that incentivizes our Riders to tell us about themselves.
Recognizable Riders
This program will foster brand engagement and loyalty with our most valuable riders and attract new riders to the brand.
Support ecosystem growth
As we build out the Specialized Ecosystem, we must focus on strengthening our connection with Riders, especially in our owned channels.
STRATEGY
Our research, conducted with thousands of riders, indicates that the most valuable benefits involve providing access, community, shipping, and warranty.
Provide Members with:
Access - Eary access to product sneak-peaks and preorders, access to Specialized experts and athletes, behind-scenes look, and priority rider care
Community - Local rides, skills classes, facilitated connections, referrals
Shipping - Free shipping in owned channels + concierge delivery and at-home setup
Warranty - Warranty for eligible products + content tailored to registered products
Slide pulled from strategy deck
ACTION
Energized and rallied international and interdepartmental teammates behind the Membership concept, establishing new pathways and ways of working cross-functionally.
Partnered with each product team, customer service, sports marketing, and more to offer an elevated experience of Specialized offerings to our members.
Built marketing and execution strategy for three international markets — US, Singapore, and Brazil — with 100+ assets on time, on budget, and with minimal late changes including web pages, emails, digital ads, app pages, and in-app communications.
RESULTS
47.5% landing page conversion rate and 11% international membership opt-in rate average, validating that our Riders are hungry for this program and want to learn more
63% average open rate and 6.7% average CTR across all markets demonstrated that the interest remained steady throughout the pilot program. Patterns of which content piqued the most interest became readily apparent.
Post-pilot customer interviews uncovered critical feedback on which offerings were most and least beneficial to guide and pinpoint future positioning, messaging, and scalability.
MATERIALS DEVELOPED
Membership Book - Designed to share with cross-functional teammates
Membership Strategy, Short - Presentation for Leadership
Process - Example of a working process developed for Specialized teams
Note: The formatting of some of these materials may be off as they have been converted from their original form.
