Consumers that are advocates make that brand look
really good, simply because they tell the world that they love that company without getting paid to say it. This is the most valuable review that your company can have. Getting employees to become advocates is a
great start, but the end goal should be converting consumers into your biggest fans.
Here are five ways to turn consumers into brand advocates:
1. Make use of loyalty programmes
If a brand has a good loyalty programme in place, and consumers can reap the rewards, they will
definitely be back to spend more money. Not only that, when they receive that free gift or discount, they will also be more likely to go on social media to talk about how amazing your brand is.
A brand that has a good loyalty programme in place is Starbucks. With its mobile app, consumers can get points in a virtual cup. These points are in the form of stars and, when the cup is full, the customers get rewards.
2. Look at including referral programmes
When a brand has a referral programme, it is vital that they remember that their clients don’t
actually have to fill in their details. When a consumer feels pressured into filling something in, they will either give incorrect information or just not come back. But if the referral programme comes with some kind of reward, consumers feel more enticed to fill it in.
A referral programme makes a brand look good because a current consumer is saying that they would invite others to come and check out the brand. Uber has a great referral programme in place where each customer receives a personalised referral code that they can give to their friends and family.
When those people use the referral code and sign up, both clients receive the next uber trip for free. This is a great programme to have in place because both parties gain something from it.
3. Have amazing customer service
Consumers will
always rave about brands that have excellent customer service. When a customer feels valued and appreciated, not only will they continue going back to your brand, but they will tell other people about it, making them brand advocates.
A study done in 2018 by Ask Afrika showed that Woolworths Food was at the top of the list. Consumers felt that Woolworths has excellent customer service. And this is why we hear so many people talking about how amazing Woolworths is. It is simply because they show that they care and value their consumers.
4. Respond to all reviews
The Internet can be a brand's best friend, or
worst nightmare. This is because when a client leaves a negative review on a platform, such as hellopeter, people who are unhappy will start piggy-back riding on that review and turn it into a huge issue. The
same thing can happen when a consumer leaves a positive review and receives no response.
A brand that assists consumers who had a bad experience and rewards those who left great reviews is more likely to receive positive feedback and spread the good word about your brand!
Being attentive to your customers and engaging frequently shows that you don’t
just care about making money — you also care about the people who support your business.
With all of that in mind, responding to reviews on social media is vital. A brand that does this really well is
Embury Institute for Higher Education. You can view all of their responses below:
5. Use social media to your advantage
Social media isn’t just for posting about your products or services. Brands
can and
should encourage their clients to post a photo of them using or consuming their products and to tag the brand. They can then share those photos on their social pages, giving their consumers a minute of fame.
Brands can also use social media to encourage consumers to become brand advocates, without asking them directly to
actually do something. A South African brand that has done really well in terms of encouraging consumers to share their posts is
Aroma Coffee Roastery. Check it out here:
What other ways do you think brands can convert their consumers into brand advocates? Let us know in the comments section below.
*Image courtesy of Pexels