Why Your BusinessCan’t IgnoreAdvocate Marketing

A Presentation by

Everyone who’s studied business or marketing should know that keeping customers is more cost efficient than acquiring new ones.

What you may not know is how to use advocate marketing to recruit existing customers into your customer acquisition program.

This presentation will explain why Advocate Marketing is important,

and how you can use it to grow your business.

What isan Advocate?

Software providerdefines an advocate this way:

“Advocates are not just satisfied customers. They are enthusiasts who embrace your company’s vision and willingly advance your interests through their interaction with others.

Whether by sharing experiences online, referring new business, or recommending your products, these supporters

have enormous influence on your brand, demand generation, and pipeline efforts.”

The Importance ofWord-of-Mouth

In nearly every industry, consumers and business professionals alike trust the opinions of their peers more

than they trust brands.

Nielsen found that 84 percent of consumers take opinions of family and friends most seriously when making

purchase decisions.

84%

This reliance is even more pronounced in the B2B world.

When you convert someone from a customer into an advocate, you’re placing an agent on the inside.

97%

In 2014, Spiceworks research found that 97 percent of IT buyers rely on peer recommendations as well as ratings

and reviews when choosing business software.

92%

92 percent of the same audience also relied on IT forumsin their decision-making process.

How IT Buyers Consume Their Content

Use during buying cycle

Use specifically for research/awareness

Use specifically for vendor consideration

100

80

60

40

20

0

97%

82% 79%

How IT Buyers Consume Peer Recommendations

How IT Buyers Consume Their Content

Use during buying cycle

Use specifically for research/awareness

Use specifically for vendor consideration

100

80

60

40

20

0

97%

80% 79%

How IT Buyers Consume Ratings and Reviews

How IT Buyers Consume Their Content

Use during buying cycle

Use specifically for research/awareness

Use specifically for vendor consideration

100

80

60

40

20

0

89%75%

54%

How IT Buyers Consume Free Product Trials

Did You Know?

Docusign’s advocate program influenced over $3 million in revenue.

“Influitive...gives DocuSign a powerful way to gather advocates in one place and tap into our

customers’ passion.”

“Influitive...gives DocuSign a powerful way to gather advocates in one place and tap into our

customers’ passion.”

- Meagen Eisenberg, VP of Demand Generation

How to Build

Advocacy with Customers

Your current base of repeat clients is the most logical place to start growing advocates.

Before you start building the program, you need to identify the type of customer that would

make a good advocate.

Consider these three questions:

Consider these three questions:

Do you have an ideal industry or business type for your product? Do your advocates work in such an environment?

1 Do you have an ideal industry or business type foryour product? Do your advocates work in such anenvironment?

Consider these three questions:

Do you have an ideal industry or business type for your product? Do your advocates work in such an environment?

Is the advocate active in the appropriate communities? Do they engage in online forums or get involved in professional groups?

1

2

Do you have an ideal industry or business type foryour product? Do your advocates work in such anenvironment?

Consider these three questions:

Do you have an ideal industry or business type for

your product? Do your advocates work in such an

environment?

Is the advocate active in the appropriate

communities? Do they engage in online forums or get

involved in professional groups?

How can you entice a customer to advocate for your

brand? What do they need in exchange?

1

2

3

Do you have an ideal industry or business type foryour product? Do your advocates work in such anenvironment?

?At its core, advocate marketing is

melding your outreach into a coordinated campaign - complete with an ask and reward

At its core, advocate marketing melds your outreach into a coordinated campaign that

includes an ask and a reward.

Every attempt for advocacy will involve asking customers to do something in exchange for a reward.

Examples:

Examples:

• Ask for an advocate to write a review of your product

Examples:

• Ask for an advocate to write a review of your product

• Ask them to refer a new customer

Referring a new customer is obviously the higher-value advocacy action.

Try to match the reward with the amount of effort you’re asking for.

How to Build

Advocacy with Employees

Advocacy marketing doesn’t only have to target customers; employees are excellent brand advocates, too.

Employee advocacy asks could be as simple as sharing company content on social media or as detailed as leaving

a review on an employment job forum.

Especially by sharing photos and other content related to the culture of the company,

your employees can be the driving force behind your brand.

They can convince potential customers that your business is a vibrant, friendly establishment, rather than a cavern

of whitewashed walls and stale coffee.

Conclusion

Advocate marketing grants marketers the ability tocontrol their brand narrative from a perspective

outside the office.

By recruiting the real professionals who use your product or service, you’re essentially developing a network of fans who

not only reinforce your brand’s story,

but also contribute to real business results by referring new customers and leaving positive product reviews.

AboutTechnologyAdvice

Working with a third-party resource like TechnologyAdviceis a great way to build customer advocacy.

By listing products and services on our site, you not only expand your marketing reach by tapping a new audience,

but you also gain a valuable opportunity to build positive rapport through referrals and reviews.

Want tolearn more?

Have Questions?Our team of experts is ready to help! 877.720.3289Have Questions?

Our team of experts is ready to help!

Visit http://technologyadvice.com/vendor-information/