This document discusses how to create brand advocates using digital tools and strategies. It begins by defining what a brand advocate is - someone who independently recommends and supports a brand through their own credibility and reputation. It then discusses why brand advocates are important by noting that peer recommendations are more trusted than advertising. The rest of the document provides tips for how to make brand advocates, including understanding your target audience, committing to your brand values, engaging in two-way communication, and providing ongoing value and support to retain advocates. The overall message is that digital tools can be used to build awareness, engage customers, and foster long-term retention through community-building.

2. This is me:
…digital strategist, hopeful runner, entrepreneur, terrible cook,
media planner, ex-fat man, email marketer, husband, business
owner, atrocious singer, communicator, avid wearer of flip-flops,
digital evangelist, aspiring photographer, tweeter & Mac convert.

3. Using digital to create
brand advocates.
Ben Akin‐Smith
Head of Strategy & Planning

4. What is a brand advocate?
brand advocacy. [brand ad‐vuh‐kuh‐see]
n. the act of pleading, supporAng or
recommending a brand or idea by a third
party

5. Why

6. Peer endorsements trumps adverAsing

7. RecommendaAons = £

8. Increased sales
http://www.flickr.com/photos/asimchoudhri/

9. Warning
Bullet points ahead

10. What is a brand advocate?
They:
• convince others to purchase through independent credibility
• defends & supports your brand
• puts their own reputaAon on the line
• provide unsolicited praise and suggesAons of improvement
• forgives occasional dips in product experience/service
• do not want to be bought
• are adventurous opinion leader
• are socially well connected (50% vs. 12% non‐advocates)
• expresses opinions and viewpoints (65% vs. 12%)
• conAnually discovers new content online
• turn on their megaphone post purchase
• want to be the first to know and spread the word on a specific topic
• need an audience

11. Brand Advocates are passionate

12. How to make brand advocates
using digital.

13. Customers You Business Brand
objecAves story
Audience profile Commitment DirecAon Personality
Purchase habits Stories PrioriAes Community
Lifestyle, passion People Budget Results/growth
Digital usage Assets Resources posiAoning
Channel choice

14. Understand
your Audience

15. Understand
your Audience
Emma, 29, lives in London. Loves
fashion, but is a tradiAonalist at
heart. Enjoys sale shopping.
Makes purchases at the start of
the month. Normally buy 3 or
more products. Has returned
items twice. Has only bought
women's items. Size 8/10

16. Really understand
your Audience
And….Is concerned about the
environment, but not an acAvist.
She is a passionate about London
Loves eaAng out, where she can
she will buy organic food, would
buy more but it can be expensive.
Her friends and family are the
most important thing to her. She’s
looking forward to Christmas

17. Define what you stand for
COMMIT TO IT & BE CONSISTENT.
What do you stand for - list Top 3
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gtmq8/2303591849/

18. How do you make people listen and care?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/carrier

19. This isn’t about….
http://www.flickr.com/photos/constantine-graphics/3859971253/sizes/o/

20. Itʼs about over arching
principles because…
© hugh

21. Creating brand advocates
Awareness, engagement, retention

22. Awareness - Introduce yourself and what you do
,
Think new people, new product, new ideas
,
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lrargerich/3063054521/

23. Awareness
1. Be consistent
2. All media types, find the right channels
3. Find exisAng audience, meet people where they are.

24. Be consistent when you talk
(reaffirm your commitment)

25. 2. Use all appropriate channels.
Appropriate = audience profile, community
size, value, effort and consistency.

26. 3. Find your Audience – get them talking
Simons Cat - RSPCA
Where are your audience?

27. • What do you stand for?
• Which channels/ media are you using, what’s working?
• Where do your customer live online?

28. Engagement
• Know your customers (eCRM)
• Start a conversation
• Make it personal (to you & them!)
• Talk about more than just sales
• Build social equity
http://www.flickr.com/photos/28953625@N07/3171642571/

29. • How well do you know you customers ( when, what and how they buy?)
• What else are you conversing about, not broadcasting.
• Are you giving them social equity?

30. Retention
• Provide tools
• Giving people space to evolve
• Respond to comments/ideas
• Community communication and support
Little Big Planet, Iglabs

31. Committed customers keep coming back
How do we ensure this commitment remains?
http://flickr.com/photos/eschipul/2371505523/sizes/l/

32. • Do you feel you have a “community”?
• If so, what are they doing?
• What are they asking for, how can you bring value?
• What are you giving, how are you responding? (equity)?

33. • Communication
The glue • Honesty
• Value
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nifer/353230456/sizes/l/

34. It is all about communication
ConversaAon (communicaAon)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nichollsphotos

35. It is all about communication
Getting someone interested is
all about sharing, information, a
story, a passion, an idea etc...
It’s about people, not technology (but technology helps)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nichollsphotos

36. Tell your story
Stories
http://collectionofcrumbs.wordpress.com/2007/12/13/the-power-of-story-in-youth-ministry-intro/

38. “In the past you were what you owned. Now you are what
you share.” Charles Leadbeater. We Think
http://www.flickr.com/photos/milivoj/2166043959/sizes/l/

39. Listen
Act on their feedback
Encourage discussion, be a part of it
http://www.flickr.com/photos/twenty_questions/

40. Create a dialogue with them
Not a monologue
What can you talk about with your customers?

41. People are talking, getting together
and changing the world…

42. …. people will tell you what they think
Image: farm3.static.flickr.com/2088/2213647530_4506ce2671_o.jpg

43. You will get it wrong
Survey… http://www.tealeaf.com/resources/Harris_2008.asp http://www.flickr.com/photos/thomashawk/

44. Get it right and people notice
BIG
http://discussionleader.hbsp.com/haque/2008/09/how_to_build_a_nextgen_business_now.html

45. Be useful
How else can you be useful?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/xgray/

46. Be Honest
Image: http://www.outdoorlens.com/funny-animal-signs/

47. Create space for agility, flexibility and iteration
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mundilfari_gjk/2497402169/sizes/l/
How can you do this for your customers?

48. It’s good to have brand advocates
because..
http://thisisindexed.com/

49. • Will this change the way you approach digital?
• What changes do you think you could make to encourage brand
advocacy?

50. Thanks and bye for now…
www.gapingvoid.com
Ben Akin-Smith
:07723 051 507
:Ben.Akin-Smith@Enableinteratctive,co.uk