‹ Home

Brand Advocates can create some of the best value for any small business or emerging brand. Advocacy for your brand has a vital impact in driving awareness, creating conversation and generating more business. Cultivating brand advocates who are excited to share their experiences with others can be a low-cost, high-return marketing strategy.

Essentially a Brand Advocate is someone who enjoys your product or service so much they are eager to tell others about it. Brand advocates can be online influencers with a large social media audience, people who are active or well-respected in their industry or your customers. Here are some ways to turn a customer or industry influencer into an active, engaged advocate for your brand:

Focus on Relationships

Consumers don’t fall in love with your brand and become Brand Advocates by being pushed into a sale – they fall in love with your work, excellent customer service and consistent experience. Befriend industry influencers and give them access to exclusive access or offers.

Stay Engaged

Building a network of brand advocates requires that you stay engaged with them. Focus on marketing strategies that create opportunities to engage over time in a variety of ways. This will increase the likelihood that one-time purchasers become customers that actively recommend your products and services to others.

Ask and Listen

Ask your Brand Advocates what they need, what they want, what’s missing, what’s working? Then listen to what they have to say and show you hear them by incorporating their ideas into your offering. By continually looking to them for feedback and recommendations you become partners.

Help Your Advocates be Heard

Advocates want – and deserve – to be recognized. Promote them and share their ideas with your communities. Feature their work on your website or blog, re-tweet and share their social media posts or invite them to speak at an event.

Be Authentic

People are attracted to what is real. When using a public forum don’t filter out negative feedback. Address all claims honestly giving your Advocates the tools to tell the truth about your brand. By being real you create trust and that can set you apart in a competitive market. These days potential clients and buyers are just as interested in who you are and what drives you.