Previous Page  7 / 8 Next Page
Information
Show Menu
Previous Page 7 / 8 Next Page
Page Background

GREAT

Connections

Winter 2016

7

Brand Advocates

are Your

Raving Fans

C

ustomers who buy your products are great, and

those who tell a few others about you are even

better. But the most valuable type of customers

are your raving fans, otherwise known as brand advocates.

These customers can have a huge impact on your busi-

ness; since they love it so much, they regularly want to

sing its praises. Brand advocates will tell glowing stories

about your products and services during conversations

with friends, family and co-workers. They will also post

enthusiastic recommendations online via social media sites

such as Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Since potential customers tend to believe messages that

come from other customers more than messages directly

from companies themselves, brand advocates are a valu-

able tool for bringing in new business. While some people

will naturally be more excited about your offerings than

others, you can take steps to help encourage and develop

brand advocates. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

1. Hire employees who are passionate

about

your products and your mission. This enthusiasm will

naturally spread to customers with which they interact.

2. Provide great products

with desired features. It

may seem obvious, but product features are the factor that

advocates mention most when asked what makes them

want to rave about a company.

3. Find out what your customers are passion-

ate about

and create promotions that drive those fac-

tors. For example, many consumers are passionate about

outstanding customer service; Nordstrom and Zappos are

two companies that have taken note and created excep-

tional customer service—and many brand advocates.

4.Make it easy for brand advocates to cheer

about you.

Provide social links on your website prod-

uct pages, articles, blogs and any other content you post

online.

5. Consider offering rewards.

Acknowledging

brand advocates with discounts, freebies and special

services can ensure they continue spreading the word.

However, proceed carefully with this since other custom-

ers may be turned off if they believe you are “paying”

advocates to share their enthusiasm.

6. Make it easy for advocates who create

their own content

to share it with the world.

You could create a section on your website devoted

to customers who want to post photos of themselves

using your products.

7. Track and measure advocacy for your

brand.

Research the best online tools to use to deter-

mine what people are saying about you, and use the

information to build future promotions.

Your business can

win big by encouraging

these customers

Loyal brand advocates are more than just customers; they are actually an informal extension of

your marketing department. Nurture them and watch your business score!