Loyal customers are frequent buyers, but they are not necessarily Advocates. In fact, your loyal customers may be your harshest critics.

The classic example is the airline industry. Many members of frequent flyer programs go out of their way to blast the airlines they fly. Yet they continue to fly the same airline because they want to pile up points or because corporate travel policies require them to do so.

In one study by Zuberance, we found that 20% of a company’s loyalty program members were Detractors – they were highly unlikely to recommend the company to friends and colleagues.

Don’t assume that your loyal customers are Advocates. Identify your true Advocates now.

A fan is a consumer who likes your brand or product. Fans may be willing to join a group on Facebook. They may post something positive online about you on their blog or Tweet out news about your latest promotion or sale.

Advocates, on the other hand, go out of their way to evangelize you. They champion you to their colleagues. They bring you new customers and prospects. (In many companies, Advocates generate 80 to 90 percent of qualified leads.) They eagerly answer prospects’ questions, defend you from critics, and give you profitable ideas that grow your business. And, unlike fans, Advocates evangelize you without asking for payment or perks.

Smart marketers are identifying and energizing their Advocates now.

Creating and leveraging a thriving group of Advocates should be the #1 mission for your company.

Advocacy is the key to business success. Companies with higher advocacy levels and positive WOM grow revenues two times faster than companies with low advocacy levels and negative WOM, studies by the London School of Economics and others have found.

Example: Apple’s Advocates are the lifeblood of its success. Since the company’s founding, Apple’s Advocates have served as a Virtual Salesforce, spreading positive WOM, helping boost sales, and even defending the company from critics. And the same consumers who were advocating Apple long before Steve Wozniak was dancing with the stars are still evangelizing Apple today.

Buzz, on the other hand, is tactical and short-lived. Buzz may result in a short-term spike in awareness and sales. But getting people to talk about your brand is not nearly as valuable or sustainable as getting them to advocate you.