The Advocacy Advantage: Strengthening Brand-Customer Relationships

Traditional marketing has long been centred around converting prospects into customers. Businesses invest significant time, effort and financial resources to attract potential buyers, guide them through the sales funnel and ultimately close the deal. While this approach is undeniably vital for a company's growth and revenue generation, it often emphasises the initial transaction - the point at which a prospect becomes a customer.

Customer advocacy challenges this conventional perspective by recognising that the journey doesn't finish with the sale. Instead, it heralds a new phase, one that's equally, if not more, crucial for a brand's long-term success. Advocacy represents a paradigm shift in the way businesses engage with their customers, acknowledging that the relationship is far from over once a product is purchased or a service is rendered.

At its core, customer advocacy understands that customers are not mere one-time buyers but valued, ongoing partners in a brand's narrative. It's about transforming what might have been a transactional encounter into a meaningful and lasting connection. Loyal customers are more likely to return for repeat purchases, become advocates and even provide valuable feedback for product improvement.

Understanding Customer Advocacy: From Theory to Tangible Connections

Genuine connections are the currency of trust within customer advocacy, meaning authenticity holds more sway than marketing hype. When customers endorse a brand from their heart, it carries something that traditional advertising can't replicate. The acquisition of consumer loyalty is rooted in real experiences, not scripted messages.

'Real experiences' is purely theoretical, but as we all know, it is practice that makes perfect. Take, for example, Ted Baker - a global high-street clothing retail brand originating in the UK. Through A/B testing with Mention Me, a leading customer advocacy software provider, Ted Baker discovered that its customers were more willing to share offers with friends rather than claiming them for themselves. Interestingly, they showed a preference for a fixed discount of £25 over a percentage-based discount of 10% on their next purchase. These valuable insights not only enhanced Ted Baker's understanding of its customer base but also enabled the brand to deliver precisely tailored rewards at the right moment, significantly boosting customer loyalty.

Creating an Advocacy Culture: Engaging Employees in Customer Relationships

In the pursuit of fostering an advocacy culture within your organisation, it's imperative to identify and celebrate employees who consistently go above and beyond in demonstrating customer love, embodying a deep commitment to grasping and fulfilling customer wants and needs.

1. Establish formal recognition programmes that spotlight employees who have shown exceptional dedication to customer satisfaction. Recognising their efforts publicly through awards, certificates or shout-outs in team meetings reinforces the importance of customer-centric behaviour.

2. Share customer success stories that highlight employees' contributions. This not only acknowledges their efforts but also inspires others by showcasing real-world examples of outstanding customer interactions.

3. Encourage peer nominations for customer love champions. When employees recognise and nominate their colleagues, it creates a culture of peer-driven recognition, which can be incredibly motivating.

4. Provide regular feedback to employees about their customer interactions. This feedback should focus on specific instances where they've excelled in understanding and addressing customer needs, amplifying the desired behaviours.

To truly enhance customer happiness, you need to create a systematic approach to gathering feedback and suggestions from those in direct contact with customers, as these frontline employees often have valuable insights into customer pain points and preferences. Here's how to establish an effective feedback channel:

Feedback Platforms

Implement digital platforms or tools where employees can easily submit feedback and suggestions related to customer happiness. These platforms can be integrated into existing communication channels, making it convenient for employees to participate.

Regular Surveys

Conduct regular surveys or polls among employees to gauge their perceptions of customer happiness and gather their input on how to improve it. Use their feedback as a basis for making strategic decisions.

Cross-Functional Teams

Form cross-functional teams that include employees from different departments, such as sales, customer support, marketing and product development. These teams can meet regularly to review feedback, brainstorm ideas and collaborate on customer-centric initiatives.

Actionable Insights

Ensure that the feedback that is collected leads to actionable insights and concrete changes. Regularly communicate the feedback outcomes and steps taken to address customer concerns. This demonstrates that employee input is valued and results in tangible improvements.

Employee Ownership

Empower employees to take ownership of customer happiness initiatives. Encourage them to propose and champion projects aimed at enhancing the customer experience. Provide resources and support to help them implement these initiatives effectively.

Leveraging Customer Feedback: Turning Insights into Advocacy Opportunities

Going back to the Ted Baker example, in an era of instant communication, the brand realised the significance of every customer's voice and its immense potential. To tap into this potential, Ted Baker embarked on establishing a comprehensive feedback system that actively sought input at every stage of the customer journey. This approach went beyond mere transactions; it forged a partnership where customers became more than consumers - they became valued collaborators, actively shaping the brand's growth and evolution.

The integration of customer feedback wasn't limited to just shaping the referral programme; it evolved into a cornerstone of the company's broader customer advocacy initiatives. When customers witnessed their suggestions materialising in the form of tangible improvements, a profound sense of ownership emerged. This transformation turned customers into advocates who weren't just endorsing products; they were championing a brand that genuinely respected and valued their insights.

The Role of Personalisation in Customer Advocacy: Tailoring Connections

Understanding that the customer journey extended far beyond the point of purchase, Ted Baker took care to curate and personalise every touchpoint, from the initial discovery to post-purchase engagement.

With a commitment to customer-centricity, Ted Baker embraced a data-driven approach that was a testament to the company's dedication. By meticulously mapping the intricate pathways of customer interactions, the brand was able to predict customers' needs, offer personalised recommendations and craft a seamless journey that felt tailor-made for each individual. This synergy between data and the customer experience served as the foundation of the customer loyalty programme's remarkable success.

Ted Baker didn't stop at personalisation; it proactively engaged its community of customer advocates in meaningful dialogues. This approach fostered a sense of partnership and exclusivity, transcending the transactional nature of the relationship. From personalised shopping recommendations to exclusive previews, every interaction was an opportunity to strengthen this bond.

The result of this optimised customer journey, coupled with insights from customer advocacy, was not only a triumphant response to the challenges in the fashion retail market but also the creation of a comprehensive playbook. This playbook now serves as the guiding North Star for customer engagement and growth via earned channels.

If you are interested in leveraging advanced loyalty marketing techniques just like Ted Baker did, feel free to request a free demo with one of Mention Me's dedicated specialists.