Is anyone in Ballymena advocating for your business and brand. It’s not a new trend but, identifying customers, supporters and advocates who you can trust to share your brand is a super way to build a community and reach people who you may not connect with otherwise. Your brand advocate could be someone you already know very well or someone who you just met.
Here are some ideas that we think might help you to get started.
Befriend influencers
Don’t assume that only large brands can attract influencers to advocate for them. Find out if your regular customers blog or use social media, there may be an influencer already in regular contact with you and your business. Someone who bought a product or service from you and was genuinely satisfied could be your next brand advocate. If that doesn’t work, look for local influencers on social media who have shown interest in the type of products you sell. Could there be someone out there who could advocate for you and your business? We think there almost definitely will be, if you look.
Give away, instead of advertising
Advertising is expensive. Many businesses are chained to the belief that they must advertise in newspapers, magazines and with elaborate online schemes. To put it bluntly, a brand advocate with a large following may be capable of reaching a large audience in exchange for something of far less value than your advertising. If you can connect meaningfully with someone who wants to support your brand, ethos or the products you sell, there will be a value to this that cannot be bought. But, remember you aren’t just giving away free stuff…
Be transparent
This is possibly more important than the previous two suggestions. An influencer you can trust who has a track record of advocating good products and not just accepting freebies is vital. Having someone advocate for your brand because they are a customer and supporter will ultimately have more value than someone who just wants free goods. Building a relationship based on transparency is important so that you, and your potential advocate know exactly where you both stand.
Write about your brand advocate
You want someone who will champion you and your business but, you should also write about them on your blog or other social media accounts. Explain the relationship and how it helps your business. Be honest about how they are advocating for your brand and what it entails. Your brand advocate experience should be a two-way positive value exchange. Share the conversation.
Don’t stop
Keep paying attention to your customers, your followers, your detractors too…
Some small business that we know locally have dozens of brand advocates who are regular customers ands supporters. That kind of continued approval and support can be priceless to your business. That kind of brand advocacy can take legs of its own. It can grow into a tribe without being forced or even explained to everyone. People can end up being your brand advocate or ambassador without ever agreeing to that relationship, doing so because they simply believe in you and want to cheer you on.
Some of us can influence more with a social media post than you maybe realise.
You can’t take it for granted though. You have to build relationships first.
What’s stopping you.
Our writing on Ballymena Today is FREE. If you are in the Ballymena area and have not yet connected with us, please get in touch. Share the conversation.
