The term ‘brand advocate’ is nothing new when it comes to marketing: similar terms are ‘ambassadors’, ‘evangelists’ or ‘mavens’. And this form of marketing is often referred to as ‘advocate marketing’ or, more commonly, ‘word-of-mouth’. However, new technology and the corresponding social changes, are changing the criteria once used to define a ‘brand advocate’.
Firstly, the increase in internet usage – combined with the rise of manufacturer/product information available on the internet – means that consumers are now a lot more savvy about products and services. Savvy in the sense that this knowledge goes far beyond what the company provides: it now also includes information from customers, competitors and independent publishers.
As a result, not only can a consumer read what the company has to say, but can also compare prices and specifications with competing products – plus receive feedback/online reviews from actual customers.
Secondly, the rise of online social networking means that ‘word-of-mouth’ marketing now exists on a much greater scale. The once sage marketing wisdom – ‘If a customer gets bad service, they’ll tell on average 7 people, but if they get good service, they’ll only tell around 3′ – is no longer relevant. Online networking sites, such as Facebook, mean that one comment (whether positive or negative) will be sent to an average of 120 people. So with these changes taking place, who exactly are the new brand advocates? And are you one of them?
A study conducted by Deloitte, discovered the following about brand advocates:
Brand advocates spend significantly more than the average consumer on their favourite brands. Brand advocates are a small segment of the total customer pool, but get high points for involvement. While they definitely are influencers, conversely they are open to being influenced. They are hard to win over, it takes time and effort, but it’s well worth it. And just when you think you have secured a brand advocate, they’re not necessarily loyal: they have high expectations from brands and can therefore also tend to be easily disappointed. They tend to be tech savvy, but will spread their recommendations in both the online and offline world. Social media is interwoven into their lives. They are active searchers and researchers.
And if you think you are a brand advocate, you are POWERFUL. McKinsey reckon that 67% of all consumer purchase decisions in the US are primarily influenced by brand advocates.
If you’re interested in finding out more about advocate marketing and how it can help your brand, Red Dot will be hosting a free workshop on the topic later this year. Email dani[at]thereddotagency.com for more details.
