Overcoming the challenge of converting your customers or clients into brand advocates is the key to success! Advocates effectively supply you with free, powerful marketing. They have experienced what you have to offer and stamped their seal of approval on your business, telling the world about it in the process.
How many times have you visited a business and been so blown away by the experience that you immediately ran home to tell friends and family, tweeted to the world and walked around with a smile on your face for the next week? Ever…?
Brand advocates are some of the most valuable people around, 78% of consumers say recommendations from others are their most trusted form of advertising*, therefore creating your own advocate army should be a high priority.
But is it really that challenging?
To create those illusive advocates, here are the 5 things you should consider when tailoring your offer:
1. Make it personal
Your customers need to feel like they are one in a million, not just another figure on the sales report. Everyone loves to be given the special treatment, but it doesn’t have to be over the top – keep it simple.
Ask yourself, how are you personalising your offer to suit your customers?
2. Make it great
It’s vital that your customers’ expectations of your product or service are not let down. Make sure you are either meeting or – better – exceeding expectations in every interaction.
Understand and question your customer journey! Are you delivering above and beyond at every step?
3. Make it different
There are thousands of competing messages and offers in the marketplace today. It’s what we’ve all had to get used to with the advent of modern day marketing. It is no longer just about being better than your competition, but about being different. Creating a memorable experience through creativity and originality will ensure you stick in hearts and minds.
What are you doing to be different and stand out against a backdrop of noise?
4. Make it local
Whether you are a big fish or a little mino, you can still tailor your offer to the locality in which you are based. Becoming part of the community, whether that is an inner city borough or a rural village, will not only generate lifelong customers but cement your brand into the lifeblood of the area.
It’s all about working out what makes the people in your area tick. How can you go further than just selling and offer something great to the community?
5. Make it irresistible
A great experience doesn’t necessarily convert advocates by itself. You need to offer irresistible reasons to return once the initial interactions are over. Find a way to ensure first time visitors become regular, valued customers and then make it really easy for them to shout about you and your brand.
Returning customers are valuable! What are you doing to build long-lasting relationships?
Now it’s over to you. Ask yourselves these questions and build your offer around the answers. Maybe we’ve missed something? Let us know what has worked for you!
* Nielson Online Global Consumer Study, April 2007
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