How can you encourage customers to become brand advocates beyond referrals?

1 Offer value and education

The first step to creating brand advocates is to offer value and education to your customers. You want to provide them with useful and relevant information, tips, insights, and resources that can help them solve their problems, achieve their goals, and improve their lives. You can do this through your blog, newsletter, social media, webinars, podcasts, ebooks, or any other content format that suits your audience. By offering value and education, you can show your customers that you care about their success, build trust and rapport, and position yourself as an authority and a leader in your industry.

4 Reward and recognize your advocates

The fourth step to creating brand advocates is to reward and recognize your advocates. You want to show your appreciation and gratitude to your customers who go the extra mile to promote your brand, whether by referring new customers, leaving positive reviews, creating user-generated content, or participating in your community. You can do this by offering incentives, such as discounts, freebies, coupons, or points, that can be redeemed for your products or services. You can also recognize your advocates by featuring them on your website, social media, or newsletter, sending them personalized thank-you notes, or inviting them to exclusive events or opportunities. By rewarding and recognizing your advocates, you can increase your customer loyalty, retention, and advocacy, as well as create a positive feedback loop.

5 Ask for feedback and improvement

The fifth step to creating brand advocates is to ask for feedback and improvement from your customers. You want to show your customers that you value their opinions, suggestions, and complaints, and that you are constantly striving to improve your products, services, and customer experience. You can do this by conducting surveys, polls, interviews, or focus groups, and asking your customers for their honest and constructive feedback. You can also implement their feedback and improvement ideas, and communicate the changes and results to your customers. By asking for feedback and improvement, you can enhance your customer satisfaction, trust, and loyalty, as well as show your customers that you are listening and learning from them.

6 Empower and equip your advocates

The sixth step to creating brand advocates is to empower and equip your advocates. You want to make it easy and convenient for your customers to share their positive experiences, opinions, and recommendations with their networks and communities. You can do this by providing them with tools, resources, and guidelines that can help them spread the word about your brand. For example, you can create referral links, codes, or programs that can track and reward your customers for bringing new customers. You can also create shareable content, such as images, videos, or infographics, that can showcase your brand value and benefits. You can also create hashtags, slogans, or challenges that can generate buzz and excitement around your brand. By empowering and equipping your advocates, you can increase your brand exposure, reach, and influence, as well as amplify your word-of-mouth marketing.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?