A brand advocate is more than a loyal customer: they are a customer so loyal, they’ll go out of their way to tell their colleagues and friends about your product or service. Brand advocates are your best sales tool. They reach people your marketing may not, and they speak to their connections with a trusted voice.
Every business wants to grow its pool of brand advocates, and hands down, the best way to do this is by creating an excellent customer experience. Delight customers at every stage of the buying cycle and in their ongoing relationship with your business, and you are likely to create a vocal tribe of brand advocates.
Make it a priority to instill brand advocacy through every interaction you have with your customers, but especially at these three times:
When you are building a new customer relationship, it’s crucial to go the extra mile. While the particulars of this interaction will depend on the products or services you offer, every business has the chance to wow new customers in some way.
If someone from your team will meet with clients in person or provide on-site installation support, be sure they are on time and maintain a professional but friendly attitude. Small extra touches like bringing breakfast to your first meeting with a new customer or client can have a huge impact. Whether or not you will meet with them in person, go out of your way to make sure that the customer feels cared for and that they have ample opportunity to ask questions and have them answered.
Ensure your new contact that the customer support or service delivery team will be just as responsive as the sales team, and make good on your promise. Especially during the first weeks of a new relationship, provide highly-responsive, dedicated customer support. Use automated messages to respond to customers promptly when they have a problem and have a customer service representative follow up even on small requests. Surprise your new customers by going above and beyond to keep them informed and satisfied with their purchase.
Never leave your customers waiting for you when they have a problem. Make prompt response to customer complaints a company priority. Reassure the customer that you will address all their concerns, and do so in a reasonable amount of time. Avoid ever speaking to the customer in a confrontational tone, even if they have caused the problem.
And don’t rely on the customer service team alone to address problems. Make responding directly to customers part of your marketing strategy, as well: take time to address complaints in real-time on social media and solicit feedback on how well you responded to their problem. Don’t be afraid to make prompt customer service part of your brand.
Does your business have a system in place for accurately tracking referrals? Are you rewarding those who send you business?
Sometimes, the best way to create brand advocates is to make it clear how much you appreciate referrals and brand advocacy. Offer discounts or perks to those who direct others to your business and drive sales. Make it known that you reward those who contribute to your success.
In the end, it’s all about making customer delight a key element of your brand. Do everything you do, from early-stage marketing to ongoing relationship building with loyal customers, with the aim of creating the best possible customer experience.
At Movéo, we believe in offering our clients the best service possible. Learn more about why clients come to us:
Photo by Sustainable UMD via Flickr Creative Commons
(Click here to expand)
