What is Customer Advocacy? Proven Methods for Customer Loyalty

This means that businesses have the opportunity to get highlighted on social media, which can be a great way to gain exposure and attract new customers.

When a business is highlighted for something positive, a number of benefits can follow. For example, if a business is recognized for its charitable work, it can help to improve the company's reputation and make it more appealing to potential customers who are looking for socially responsible companies.

Similarly, if a business is highlighted for how well it treats its employees, it can help to improve morale and productivity among the staff.

It's no secret that social media has a reach that extends to almost every corner of the globe. While this can be a good thing for businesses, when customers post positive reviews online for all to see, it can also be a double-edged sword. When a customer leaves a negative review, the reach of that review can be even greater, leading to potentially damaging consequences for the business. This phenomenon, known as "cancel culture," occurs when the public collectively withdraws its support from a business, often leading to boycotts and decreased revenue.

This highlights the enormous power that customers hold in today's digital age. One bad review or negative experience can quickly snowball, leading to a cascade of negative reviews and a decline in business. On the other hand, happy customers can be a primary growth factor for a business, making customer satisfaction a top priority.

Let's take a look at the three customer categories:

The Critics

Critics come in many forms, from dissatisfied customers who have had a negative experience to those who are actively against your business for personal reasons. It's important to take all criticism seriously and address any issues promptly in order to avoid negative reviews and maintain a positive reputation.

One type of critic to be on the lookout for are marginal customers. These are customers who only occasionally patronize your business, and can often be identified by their ratio of adds-to-cart versus check-out. It's important to pay attention to these customers, as their feedback can provide valuable insight into areas for improvement.

By keeping an eye on customer behavior, such as abandoned carts or low return rates, you can identify potential issues and address them before they escalate.

The Buyers

Buyers are the backbone of any successful business. They are customers who have tried your product or service and are satisfied with it, making them likely to continue spending their money with you in the future. To nurture these relationships and turn more prospects into buyers, it's important to guide them through the buyer journey and provide excellent customer service. By doing so, you can increase the chances of them leaving positive reviews and recommending your business to others.

To get the most out of these customers, it's important to put a follow-up system in place to request their feedback and identify opportunities for improvement. This way, you can coach your buyers into becoming advocates for your business.

Let's say your business is a hair salon. If you have customers who consistently choose your salon for their haircuts, they have likely experimented with other salons and have found yours to be the best fit for their needs. These customers are likely to be long-term, valuable buyers for your business.

The Advocates

The advocates are also known as evangelists. These customers are so satisfied with your product or service that they go out of their way to promote it to others through word of mouth, social media, and other online channels. That’s why it's essential to have a customer advocacy program in place to encourage and reward these customers for their efforts.

One way to differentiate advocates from buyers is to think about their level of influence and social reach. Advocates are not just returning customers; they are individuals who have the power to attract new customers to your business through unsolicited marketing.

It's important to note that while rewarding and recognizing your advocates is recommended, it's generally not a good idea to pay them to endorse your business. Doing so can raise questions about the authenticity of their endorsement and may even damage your reputation.