A brand advocate is a satisfied customer who enjoys your brand and is willing to tell others about it, either online or by word of mouth. There are many valuable benefits of brand advocates for small businesses but it is not as easy as it seems to turn a regular customer into an actively engaged brand influencer. Here are 6 ways to recognise a potential brand advocate and turn them into one of your greatest marketing resources.
- Befriend Industry Influencers.
As the conversational nature of social media and blogging create a two-way street in niche markets and industries, building a mutually beneficial relationship with industry influencers is simple. Start off by reaching out to individuals who will benefit from your product and introduce yourself and your brand. - Be socially active.
Regularly update your social media accounts and get to know your followers. Ideal brand advocates are people who are already sharing your blog articles, posts and content on their social media accounts and this is a great way to identify potential influencers. Monitor who is commenting on and sharing your content in your communities and find customers who are frequently mentioning your brand name. - Send emails.
If you start to notice there are people who regularly interact with your brand on social media and always say great things, try interacting with them on a different platform. Send them a personal email to let them know how much you appreciate their support and start to build a relationship with them from there. - Give discounts.
Sending out a free product or offering a small discount to potential brand advocates is a fantastic way to further build your relationship with them and will further encourage them to share and review more of your products or services with their followers, friends and family, increasing word-of-mouth. - Feature them on your blog.
A blog is a fantastic way to share your brand’s personality as well as share original content. If you identify influencers in your industry who are already generating great original content about your brand, ask to feature them on your blog. This will show potential customers how existing customers are using your products and associate your brand with emerging talent. - Provide Recognition.
It is essential to give something back to your brand advocates and thank them for all of their help and support. Recognise their efforts and give your customer premium access to your brand, sneak previews of new products before they launch, invites to special events or a hand written thank you note to show your appreciation.
Successful brand advocate marketing is about finding influencers who genuinely care about your brand and your success. Here at Clarity Marketing we can assist you with all of your marketing needs. If you need help with identifying or engaging brand advocates as part of your marketing strategy give us a call on 1300 060 204 or submit an online enquiry.