Wonderful Stories From Sofiaan Fraval About Promoting Tesla Via Lyft & Uber — Elon Approved
Last week, I was browsing Twitter and I noticed that one of my friends got his post liked by Elon Musk! It was even the top #tesla post for a while. In case you missed it, I thought I’d share his story with you and maybe it will inspire you as it did me to promote Tesla to more people.
Tesla doesn’t believe in advertising. That may or may not be a mistake (it’s a hot debate in the Tesla community these days), but that means if Tesla is to be a success, happy owners need to promote the brand. This article is how, similar to Steve Sasman (but nobody is like Steve), Sofiaan is using Uber and Lyft to introduce the Model 3 to hundreds of people who wouldn’t other have to chance to experience the brand.
About a month ago, Sofiaan tweeted that he had started driving for Uber and Lyft in his spare time and that is was a great way to introduce the car to more people who have never had the chance to experience an EV in general or a Tesla in particular. I was so inspired by his story that I direct messaged him for details and signed up that day!
I had met Sofiaan at both the Model Y unveiling and the Falcon Heavy launch events and knew he was a true Tesla fan and a great guy. I drove for about a week until I found that it wasn’t compatible with my personal insurance. Geico will be offering a policy that will meet my needs later this year and I may start up again at that time. But this article isn’t about my experience, but about Sofiaan’s. [Editor’s note: The editor encourages personal tangents.]
First Drive
Sofiaan decided to start off easy and chose one if his Tesla friends to take on a Lyft ride. The app is pretty easy to use, but just to be cautious, he asked his longtime Tesla friend Alex to test it out. Alex and his family have an original signature model and, like Sofiaan, they visit the guys at Tesla Santa Barbara from time to time.
As Sofiaan put it, “We decided to go together in my car using Lyft while their car was in for minor service. But I forgot that I still had a bit of dirt in my A/C vents from my off track excursion some days before and almost blinded them with dust when I turned on the AC. Good thing they forgave me, I hope <laughing>.”
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Taking An Expectant Owner To The Delivery Center
Since that first ride, Sofiaan has made over 250 journeys with random passengers all over the central coast, ranging from college students and families to other Tesla owners and some older folks who’ve never even heard of Tesla. Sofiaan and one of his passengers named Tom were in for a real surprise. Tom was taking delivery of his first Tesla, a Model 3 SR+. Sofiaan was over the moon that he was taking Tom to get a Tesla in his Tesla! His tweet on this was also liked by Elon.
He Dropped This Guy Off At A Ditch
Sofiaan takes the time to explain as many features of the car as possible, like Autopilot. One passenger was not so fortunate to have Autopilot in his rental car, and had driven it into a ditch after falling asleep at the wheel. Other passengers thank Sof for the service he’s providing by educating them about Tesla and the company’s mission. Several have said their next car will be a Tesla after riding with Sofiaan.
Life-Changing Experience
A recent passenger told Sofiaan that the ride he gave her was the most life-changing Uber experience she’s ever had. He has seen a lot, but this caused him to get emotional.
Tesla Employees
He has also met a prior Tesla intern who designed the door trim for the Model 3! She loves the car so much, of course, and it was her first rideshare in one. So epic!
Over Memorial Day weekend Sofiaan picked up a full-time Tesla employee who works on the charger team. She was so happy about what Sofiaan is doing. Then she said, “Wait, I know you from Twitter!” Evidence that the Tesla community is still too small — or that Sofiaan is semi-famous.
Surprise
Sofiaan likes to surprise his passengers with the capabilities of his Model 3. They seem to enjoy the experience.
Conclusion
If you want to know more about Sofiaan, please check out his website, where you can find his various social media links and even his Tesla referral code. If you have the time, I’d encourage you to follow his lead and share your Tesla with others, either by showing to your friends and co-workers, taking it to car shows, or even driving Uber or Lyft or Tesla Shuttle. If you don’t have the time, I’d encourage you to give up television, especially television news. It is very rewarding to share your car with others and see the light bulb go on in their head as you show them things they never imagined even existed.
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