Take my word: Why brands need to invest in creating 'brand advocates'

Brand advocacy is the buzzword nowadays. As big and small brands compete to garner a bigger pie of the market, it has become necessary to not only acquire new consumers but also get more and more consumers to recommend the brand.

A recent list of brand advocacy rankings by YouGov BrandIndex, which captures brand perception, shows that Google is the most recommended brand by consumers in India. What is interesting is that apart from MakeMyTrip, Swiggy, and the Metro Rail, no other Indian brand features in the top 10 on the list. Global names like Amazon, Airbnb, WhatsApp, Marriott, Hyatt and YouTube are the ones with the maximum number of endorsers and consumers recommending the brands.

Experts say brand advocacy, wherein consumers actively recommend a brand to their peers, is highly crucial for a brand to thrive. Mahema Bhutia, director of marketing, Four Seasons Hotel Bengaluru, says advocacy helps brands to tell their story and create their tribe of cheerleaders. “Brands that have strongly stood the test of time and created an overarching sense of belonging and association have been able to do this through brand advocacy.’’

As per Forrester Research, a whopping 92% consumers globally trust brand advocates. Moreover, nine out of 10 online consumers go by recommendations given by peers and family, while only two out of 10 online consumers trust online advertisements. 

“Brand advocates spread word-of-mouth recommendations and constantly push the brand’s products and services. This helps to positively influence the buying decisions of the target groups. Advocacy enables brands to harness the power of their employees, happy customers and trusted partners to drive revenues and sales,” says Hiren Shah, founder and chairman, Vertoz.

But how can brands create advocates and get more consumers to recommend, beyond, of course, enhancing their digital footprints? 

Bhutia says to garner greater brand advocacy, adopt a culture that is both “customer-centric” as well as “employee-focused”. “We are very people-oriented. This has an immediate connect as people connect with people.”

Parveez Nasyam, CEO and managing director, Xenium Digital, says the only way a consumer will transform into an advocate is if the brand is completely honest about its unique selling proposition (USP). “The brand should not be the by-product of a well-orchestrated marketing gimmick, but it should have its own distinct place in the ecosystem and engage on a much higher pedestal than merely providing some amount of utility to a consumer.’’ 

Besides quality products, it is today crucial for a brand to offer customised/personalised set of experiences. “But what is even more crucial is that brands should earnestly listen to their customers, address customer issues on a priority basis, leverage data science to provide a seamless experience and make customers feel they are a part of the brand family,” said an expert.

Brands like Harley Davidson score high on customer engagement, said another expert, adding that the motorcycle brand is known to encourage customers to join its Harley Owners Group through which new customers can engage with other riders, network and go on biking expeditions, get help on any servicing issues and feel a part of a well-connected network.

“This way brands can provide an enriched experience, which helps to build a pool of loyalists who quickly transform into brand advocates. The brand experience is not limited to only the after-sales process, but includes the entire sales cycle, right from prospecting to closing the deal and beyond,’’ says Shah, adding that top-class customer service reflects directly upon the amount of value a brand bestows upon its customers. 

Bhutia concurs. “True customer service translates into brand advocacy. To make customers endorse the brand, we must try and make them fall in love with the brand.”

Experts feel brands should walk the thin line between being truly influential and becoming repulsive by trying to bombard customers with excessive content. According to Shah, brands should focus and showcase only relevant ads and eliminate irksome disturbances that arise from out-of-context ads. “To achieve this, brands can use techniques like programmatic advertising, which facilitate the delivery of targeted ads to customers. This goes a long way in ensuring customers remain happy and recommend the brand to potential customers.”

WORDS’ WORTH

• 92% – Consumers globally trust brand advocates
   
• 90 lakh – Online consumers go by recommendations given by peers and family