It’s no secret that the way your buyers find and purchase from your business has changed in a fundamental way. Today, the technology buyer wants to learn about your software from a source they trust. You can see this in the rise of crowd-sourced review sites, social media, and the consistent effectiveness of word of mouth.
If you’re still looking for proof that customer success is worth your time, here are five reasons you should launch your customer advocacy program this year:
- Your customers and fans are resting advocates. You work hard for your customers. Their experience is essential to the success of your business. Why not give the promoters of your business an outlet to spread the word about your business(and — bonus point — earn rewards) along the way? Wake them up with a strategic advocate marketing program.
- Word of mouth is still going strong. According to McKinsey, word of mouth is the primary factor behind between 20% and 50% of all purchasing decisions. Your buyers are reaching out to their network and asking what the best technology solutions to their work problems are — are you on the list for consideration? And who is going to give them their first experience with your brand?
- Referral leads drive conversions. You know customer referral leads are more valuable than any other lead. In fact, in their “Advocate Marketing Playbook,” Influitive says, “leads generated by B2B advocates are four to 10 times more valuable than regular leads.”
- Increase customer retention. By talking or interacting with your customers every day, you’ll increase customer retention by remaining top of mind, creating community around your brand, and making customers feel truly heard.
- It’s not as impossible as you think. Depending on how many customers and how many employees you have, implementing and managing an advocacy hub may seem an impossible task. Managing a customer advocacy program is not as difficult as you think, with the right tools and strategy.
Convinced?
I know, I know. It’s convenient that we’re sending you to download Influitive’s white paper after we just announced a partnership between The Starr Conspiracy Tech Unit and Influitive. But it’s truly the best damn resource around for those looking for evidence to support their customer advocacy programs.
If you’re thinking of launching your customer advocacy program — or wondering if the time is right — contact The Starr Conspiracy Tech Unit at tech@thestarrconspiracy.com to talk about advocacy and the impact it could have on your business. We know this stuff.
