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B2B buyers are making purchase decisions differently. They no longer rely on vendors to get educated, instead seeking out experienced peers for unbiased advice. Companies don’t have a voice in these interactions – but their enthusiastic customers can yield huge influence. It’s time for you to get smart on this subject. In this Crash Course, we introduce you to the concept of Advocate Marketing. We tell you how innovative marketers are getting ahead of the curve by mobilizing communities of advocates, and how they generate measurable results. Get up to speed on one of the hottest new topics in B2B marketing. This 30-minute Crash Course on Advocate Marketing covers: - Fundamental definitions and concepts behind Advocate Marketing - What buying behaviors are driving the need for advocacy in B2B - How to organize your team to run a successful advocate program - Specific companies that are crushing it with their advocate programs - Vendors, thought leaders, technologies, and communities you should know about - Getting started with an advocate program of your own
Citation preview
An advocate for my company is someone who…
…engages with influencers, prospects & customers by being… “one of them”
…actively recommends… to their vast network
without any compensation …has credibility when they talk about their real
business gains and achievements…
…is an evangelist for my company. …believes the …customer-business relationship
far exceeds the function of our product.
…is willing to share… tangible benefits… after their experience with our software/solutions.
@explorics #AdvocateCC
What is advocate marketing?
How do you organize for it?
Who are the players?
What do programs look like?
B2B Customer Loyalty & Advocacy Programs
@briangladstein
A personalized roadmap for measuring and increasing organic advocacy. • Who are my advocates? • What is their potential? • What is my action plan?
http://explorics.com/aa
Get an Advocate Assessment!
What the Heck is Advocate Marketing?
Advocate Marketing Defined
Including customers, fans, and influencers as a programmatic part of your marketing engine
reviews!references!
referrals!social media!
content!
intelligence!
usability!training!
strategy!
PR!
community!
speakers!
@explorics #AdvocateCC
Advice from peers is the #1 most influential source of information during the B2B buying process.
– BuyerSphere 2013
Advice from a friend
Search Engine
Supplier Website Email
Industrial Intermediary
Sent by a friend
Online display ad
Social media
Wider advice
Industry community
Buyers get 57% of the way through the buying process before they talk to a sales rep.
– Marketing Leadership Council
57%
Searching within communities is the top way B2B decision-makers discover new approaches.
– Forrester Research
Searching within communities
Vendor content
Peer content
Q&A
58%
31%
22%
20%
What’s Driving The Need for Advocacy?
@explorics #AdvocateCC
Fundamental Changes at Work
These dynamics are forcing companies to develop stronger strategies for
customer success, retention, loyalty, and word-of-mouth
SaaS Social Media
• Easier to sign up • Easier to switch • Pay-as-you-go
• Unbiased expertise • Vendor validation • ROI proof points
@explorics #AdvocateCC
Organizing for Advocacy
Exec team
Tech Support
Sales Product
Management Customer Success
Marketing
The customer
Perceived as Protective
Perceived as Exploitive
Who Owns the Customer?
@explorics #AdvocateCC
Is Your Organization Aligned?
Support
“My job is to maximize the value customers
receive from us”
Marketing
“My job is to maximize customer
lifetime value”
The customer @explorics #AdvocateCC
Achieve Alignment Through Shared Customer Vision
Support Marketing
The customer
“I believe in this company. The more I get involved, the more they can help my career.”
@explorics #AdvocateCC
“We Thought If We Didn’t Get A Press Release, We Failed” (WRONG!)
Strategy
Product Development
Testing
Launch
Training
Marketing
Sales
Brainstorm sessions
Usability
Beta Testing Community Liaison
Educational Expert
Spotlight
Referral
Appeals to
job exper.s
e
Appeals to s
ense
of community
Appeals to d
esire
to self-‐brand
@explorics #AdvocateCC
The customer
Exec team
Tech Support
Sales
Product Management Customer
Success
Marketing
The Advocacy Champion
The champion
Customer success? Customer marketing?
Client services? Account rep?
engage
match
@explorics #AdvocateCC
The Players
Superstars
Jenny Berthiaume Liz Richardson
Evan Jacobs
Naysa Mishler Danielle Camara
Jeffrey Linton
@explorics #AdvocateCC
B2B - Enterprise
Services ↓
Reference management
SaaS Customer Success
B2B Advocate Marketing
B2C Advocate Marketing
B2C Advocate Programs
B2B Advocate Programs
B2B - SaaS B2C
Product ↑
@explorics #AdvocateCC
Analysts & Influencers
“If you haven’t put structure and process around advocacy marketing, start now. One of the first discoveries that marketers encounter is that more than half their customers are willing to publicly advocate their favorite products online.” Bob Peterson
SiriusDecisions
Richard Fouts, Julie Hopkins Gartner
Peter O'Neill, Zachary Reiss-Davis Forrester Research
Mack Collier
@explorics #AdvocateCC
Customer Reference Forum
Community Roundtable
Customer Success Association
Customer Success Management Forum
@explorics #AdvocateCC
Program Design
Advocate programs are based on relationships Key Concepts
• People, not companies • Give first, then receive • Recognition, not bribes • Mutual benefit • Micro-community
@explorics #AdvocateCC
I’ll scratch your back. You scratch mine. @explorics #AdvocateCC
Recruit Engage Reward
Human Resources
Technology & Communications Stack
Analytics
Harvest
@explorics #AdvocateCC
Measuring ROI Sales metrics – Deal influence – Pipeline influence – Revenue influence – Renewal rate – Churn reduction
Customer success metrics – Customer satisfaction – Net promoter score – Product usage – Service calls
Marketing metrics – Lead referrals / conversions – SEO – Page views / downloads – Content production costs
Internal metrics – Membership rate – Engagement rate – Engagement frequency – Advocacy rate – Advocacy frequency
@explorics #AdvocateCC
A personalized roadmap for measuring and increasing organic advocacy. • Who are my advocates? • What is their potential? • What is my action plan?
http://explorics.com/aa
Get an Advocate Assessment!
