Andy Cockburn on Why Advocacy Should Be the Core of your Business Growth Strategy
Sep 26, 2023
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Andy Cockburn, co-founder and CEO of Mention Me, explores the psychology of advocacy and why highly satisfied customers may not refer. He discusses measuring extended lifetime value, younger vs. older generations in advocacy, and shares an example of an online florist blown away by referral data.
Personal recommendations hold significant value in advocacy and can greatly contribute to business growth.
Businesses can encourage customers to share their positive experiences by minimizing social risk and maximizing potential for positive social capital.
Deep dives
Understanding Advocacy and its Value
Advocacy encompasses various behaviors such as leaving reviews, referrals, and social sharing to spread the word about a brand. While all forms of advocacy are beneficial, personal recommendations hold significant value. Encouraging customers to personally recommend a brand to their friends can greatly contribute to business growth and success.
Tackling Advocacy Challenges
The challenges in harnessing advocacy are threefold. First, businesses aim to delight as many customers as possible, converting them into promoters. Second, they strive to turn promoters into active advocates who actively share their positive experiences. Lastly, obtaining data on customers engaging in advocacy is crucial. Implementing referral programs can offer valuable insights into who is referring, enabling businesses to understand customer dynamics, the reasons behind recommendations, and areas for improvement.
The Significance of Social Risk and Social Capital
In advocating for a brand, individuals weigh the social risk of recommending a brand versus the social capital gained from enhancing their friendships. Factors such as the perceived judgment of their friends and the desire to enhance relationships influence the decision to advocate. By minimizing social risk and maximizing the potential for positive social capital, businesses can encourage customers to share their positive experiences, reinforcing loyalty and trust.
Implementing and Tracking Advocacy
To start implementing advocacy strategies, businesses can begin by tracking customer referrals through simple widgets or tools. Communication with customers who refer others is also crucial to gain insights into their motivations and experiences. Implementing earned growth metrics allows a deeper understanding of the impact of advocacy on business growth. By consistently asking for referrals at moments of delight and staying engaged with customers, businesses can improve advocacy rates and drive organic growth.
On this episode of the Creating Superfans podcast, I'm joined by Andy Cockburn, the co-founder and CEO of Mention Me. Mention Me is an award-winning referral marketing platform that helps brands harness the exponential power of their fans through referrals.
Since 2013, Mention Me has delivered more than 6m referrals totaling $1.8b in revenue for 500 brands, including Puma, Charlotte Tilbury, and Michael Kors. Andy shares fascinating insights on the psychology behind advocacy and why your highly satisfied customers may not be telling their friends about you. We also chat about the importance of measuring the extended lifetime value of your customers and the steps any brand can take to make advocacy the center of their business growth.
Show Notes
[00:03:41] How does Andy define an advocate and why are they important for every business [00:05:18] The three challenges to customer advocacy [00:07:04] The difference between intention and action when it comes to referrals [00:08:34] How social capital and social risk influence a customer's willingness to refer [00:012:32] What might hold a customer back from promoting a brand on social media? [00:13:08] How younger and older generations differ when it comes to the psychology of advocacy [00:14:38] The origin story of Mention Me [00:16:32] The crucial difference between a customer's lifetime value and extended lifetime value [00:18:46] Andy shares an example of an online florist who was blown away at the referral data they discovered through Mention Me [00:20:08] How can a business owner get started on tracking extended lifetime value and building a referral network? [00:21:25] What is earned growth rate and why should your business be tracking it? [00:23:42] What is a "good" earned growth rate? [00:25:44] Brittany shares an anecdote about a charity she worked with and the most effective method for asking for donations [00:26:55] How to tell your story to boost your referrals [00:28:39] The best time to ask for a review or referral [00:29:02] How to stay connected to your customers even if your industry has very unpredictable purchasing cycles [00:30:10] The genius way that Mention Me enables customers to refer each other [00:35:06] What is a brand that Andy is a superfan of and why?