The Harley Owners Group online brand community is a treasure trove of opportunities for Harley Davidson owners and those who market goods and services to Harley Davidson owners. The Harley Owners group virtual enterprise network develops the Harley Owner’s identity, establishes the social realm of the owner and builds strong brand loyalty.
Outside looking in
The new to seasoned Harley Davidson owner finds inner-organizational learning opportunities though the Harley Owners Group webpage in this information based economy. The webpage offers a new rider course, skilled rider course, motorcycle boot camp, garage party and jump start tabs, but you have to be a member to access the information.
The Harley Owner Group website reveals the Harley owner’s interests, motivation and alliances. Harley Owners spend more time on their motorcycles than on the web, but their strong identities are heavily based on the reputation of the Harley Davidson motorcycle.
The online community is a great place to find out what makes them turn, lean and break for one business, tourist destination or charity rather than another. Maybe it is as simple as pitching your charity or idea to a visiting bike club to get the support or contribution of a Harley Owners Group Chapter. Maybe they’ll each make a pit stop to have their motorcycles serviced, if they are given free Harley Davidson apparel for their patronage, and they are safely back into the festivities in under an hour.
From riding to surfing the net
The Harley Owner’s Group webpage offers formal and informal structured and unstructured networking opportunities. The webpage offers specialized services and products to Harley Owners, such as official Harley Davidson insurance, financial services, Harley Davidson apparel and touring guides.
The online community offers a Harley Davidson dealership, tourism office, small business or nonprofit, a chance to connect with Harley owners, visitors, customers and contributors to invite them to a private sale, offer them discounted services or just find out when they will be visiting the local area.
The Harley Owners Group webpage is a myriad of pictures, good times past and present, worthy causes, places to see and a place to exchange ideas and common interests with friends. The webpage celebrates the Harley Owner’s persona. The passion to ride a Harley Davidson, membership benefits, membership types and member events are displayed for members only on the Harley Owner’s Group website. The HOG webpage is exclusively for Harley Davidson and Harley Davidson motorcycle owners. The elite webpage does not interface with Facebook, Twitter, Youtube or Google.
Becoming a member of one of the more than 1400 Harley Owner’s chapters, immediately gives the member a strong sense of belonging to something big. Similar to the good fortune of William, Arthur and Ole when they rolled the first motorized bicycle out of the back yard shed in Milwaukee, the member immediately finds he is part of a greater whole. He is invited to chapter events, and he finds undiscovered places and a variety of friends to ride with. He makes meaningful contributions to charities and travels with other Harley Davidson owners.
Membership in the Harley Owners Group cost $40 to $45 per year, and membership in the organization registers the Harley Davidson motorcycle’s vehicle identification number with the owner’s name. The members of the Harley Owners Group have access to Motorcycles, H-D1 Customization, Learn to Bike, Try a Bike, Events, Museum, Community, Owners and Shops tabs. A member creates a profile and can do everything from apply for financing to purchase insurance or register for events online.
Officially, Harley Davidson owners contribute to the Wounded Warriors Project. The Harley Davidson Owners Group webpage has a section for military and veteran riders, and another section for police. The HOG website has an Iron Elite Community, a Legends section and a section for downloads. Associate membership in the Harley Owners Group is for family members of Harley Owners.
Benefits of Membership
While benefits of membership are endless to the Harley Owner, a short summary of benefits of membership include: a membership card, an embroidered H. O. G. patch, bronze pin and a subscription to the H.O.G. magazine. Members enjoy a mileage program, roadside assistance, safe rider programs, touring handbooks and member recognition rewards. Members also enjoy H. O. G. merchandize, Ladies of Harley service and merchandise and Harley Davidson rentals.
Finally
This online case study of membership in the Harley Owners Group and marketing to members through the Harley Owners Group webpage is time intensive, but well worth the effort. Bike week and bike club websites are also visited by Harley Owners. Each of these websites also contains massive amounts of Harley Davidson information, the shopping habits of members and travel itinerary information. Organizational and geographic proximity are powerful marketing tools within the virtual enterprise network. A business with a link on the H. O. G. webpage advertises among millions of Harley Davidson owners.
The eclectic Harley Davidson owner decides, at least sometimes, which organizations to contribute to, which bike week to attend, which places to see and which businesses to buy from within the Harley Davidson online community. A group of organizations in a tourist destination or marketing specific products can work with other organizations in the same niche to increase direct sales and revenue from the Harley Owner Group market segment.
Cooperative coordination of goods and services by business enterprises creates a value-added experience. Synchronized customer service delivery to the Harley Owners Groups while in Daytona, for example, allows business in the Daytona tourist destination to plan events or make advanced sales to Harley Davidson owners.
