Word of Mouth Markerting Blog. Brand Advocates Blog

Advocates vs Influencers

cara@zuberance.com — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:18:02 +0000

Tuesday’s #techchat topic was “Leveraging Social Media for Influencers and Customer Advocacy in the Enterprise,” run by Ann Handley of MarketingProfs with special guest, Michael Brito (VP of Social Media at Edelman Digital.) Part of the discussion addressed the difference between Brand Advocates and influencers, which Micheal does an excellent job explaining in his latest blog post.

He says that influencers “may have a crush on you or find your product useful; but they are too busy being influencers – tweeting, blogging, and recording webinars to really care. Of course they love getting free trials and new products before they hit the market; and very rarely will they say no when you offer to send them that new shiny object.”

Influencers have their own agenda. When your company is the hot new brand on the block, they want to be associated with you; that is, until the next hot new brand moves in and shortly after, you’re left scratching your head wondering what happened to the influencer’s new born enthusiasm for your brand.

Michael goes on to say, “the reality is that with many influencer programs, brands are just renting the conversation; and unfortunately the conversation isn’t always authentic. If it was, you wouldn’t have to keep sending them products to fuel their conversation.”

This is why brands need to shift their focus onto their authentic evangelists, their Brand Advocates. Unlike influencers, Advocates love your brand unconditionally. OK, don’t take that completely literally. But what I am trying to say is that, for the most part, Advocates will stick by your side even when you’re not the hot brand at the moment or come out with a product that maybe you shouldn’t have.

I always like to think about Advocacy in relation to music, because most of the “brands” I advocate are music artists. I am a huge Advocate of B.O.B. (He’s a Hip Hop artist, and if you don’t know of him, check him out.) There are definitely a few tracks of his that I’m not really into, but that doesn’t make me any less of an Advocate; and I am sure the same goes for all of you Pearl Jam, Tim McGraw, and Madonna Advocates out there.

While we’re on the topic of differentiating Advocates from other segments, it’s important to point out that loyal customers are not always Advocates. Think about the airline that you normally fly. Are you an advocate of them? Probably not. I have been an AT&T customer since the Nokia snake-playing days, but I am far from an Advocate.

Similarly, Advocates are not equal to Facebook fans and Twitter followers. Again, these people may have a “crush” on you, or are interested enough to simply click a “Like” or “Follow” button. But that doesn’t mean they would recommend, write a review, share offers, or do anything on behalf of your brand voluntarily.

*Note: There can be (and surely are) Advocates within each of these segments (influencers, loyal customers, fans, and followers.) In fact, it is very likely that Advocates will be a fan of you on Facebook, follow you on Twitter, and continuously purchase your products. It is the Advocates within these segments that need to be recognized and treated like VIPs, because that’s what they are.

Make sure to tune in to #techchat everyday Tuesday at 5pm PST.

Don’t forget to register for our upcoming webinar with WOMMA, “Turning Facebook Fans into Brand Advocates” on Sept 22 at 11 AM PST.

Why Consumers “Like” Brands on Facebook

cara@zuberance.com — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 17:36:20 +0000

A recent study by ExactTarget examined reasons why people “Like” brands on Facebook. They found that the top three reasons were to receive discounts and promotions, show support for the company to their Facebook friends, and to get a “freebie.”

“Consumers use Facebook to interact with friends, be entertained and express themselves through their public affiliation with brands – factors that combine to create a potent viral marketing platform,” said Jeff Rohrs, principal, ExactTarget’s research and education group. “By engaging consumers on Facebook in a way that keeps them entertained, brands have an unprecedented opportunity to mobilize Fans and get introduced to their friends.”

Some key findings:

64 percent of all U.S. consumers—and three quarters of Millennials—have created a profile on Facebook making it the “default” social community.
40 percent of Facebook users who become fans do so to receive discounts and promotions, 39 percent become fans to show their support for a brand to others.
Consumers’ capacity for exposure to brand messages via Facebook is limited—half of all fans “like” only one to four brands and only 17 percent of consumers say they’re more likely to buy after becoming a “fan” on Facebook.

This study indicates that not all brand fans on Facebook are Brand Advocates. Marketers need to distinguish which fans are the true champions for the brand and energize these Advocates to spread positive Word of Mouth and help drive sales.

Learn how to harness the power of Brand Advocates and Word of Mouth by registering for our upcoming webinar with WOMMA, “Turning Facebook Fans into Brand Advocates” on September 22 at 11 AM PST/ 1PM EST.

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Upcoming Webinar with WOMMA: “Turning Facebook Fans into Brand Advocates”

cara@zuberance.com — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 23:38:57 +0000

Click to Register

We are excited to be teaming up with WOMMA (Word of Mouth Marketing Association) for our next webinar coming up on September 22, 2010 at 11 AM PST/ 1 PM EST!

Millions of Facebook members are “liking” brands or products via Facebook’s ubiquitous “I Like” widget. But as Forrester pointed out recently, Facebook fans have no intrinsic business value unless companies do something with them.

In this informative webinar, you’ll learn how to turn Facebook fans and other engaged consumers on Twitter and elsewhere into raging Brand Advocates who will spread positive Word of Mouth and drive qualified leads and sales.

Key Takeaways:

What’s a Brand Advocate, and how do Brand Advocates differ from Facebook fans and followers?
What’s a Brand Advocate worth?
How can you identify your Brand Advocates and energize them to become a Virtual Salesforce for your brand?
How can you measure the results and ROI of advocacy?

The webinar will feature real-world case studies of companies that are getting 10% conversion rates and more by turning Facebook Fans into Brand Advocates.

Free Whitepaper:
All webinar attendees will get a copy of a free whitepaper: “Five Ways to Turn Your Facebook Fans into Brand Advocates.”

Presenter:
Rob Fuggetta, Founder/CEO, Zuberance

Rob Fuggetta is the world’s foremost authority on brand advocacy. Rob has over 20 years of experience in Word of Mouth marketing and brand advocacy. Rob is the founder and CEO of Zuberance, the leading social media marketing platform company focused on Brand Advocates (and a proud WOMMA member!) As CEO/founder, Rob is the company’s visionary and advocacy thought leader. Prior to founding Zuberance, Rob was a senior marketing consultant for Apple Computer and also served as CMO for Genuity, where he created the award-winning Black Rocket brand.

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Recap of #140conf San Francisco

cara@zuberance.com — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 23:42:03 +0000

I attended the 140 Characters Conference (#140conf) last Thursday at the Moscone Center in San Francisco and left with some great insights about Twitter and the real-time web. Hosted by Jeff Pulver, the conference covered various topics ranging from Twitter etiquette to “Farming and the Real-Time Web” to legal issues regarding Twitter to music (which was my personal favorite) and more.

Key Takeaways:

1. Twitter is now a hugely important customer service vehicle for companies.

Twitter allows for fast and efficient communication with customers to address issues and concerns. Being accessible and responsive through Twitter allows companies to build trust with their customers. Mia Dand (HP) said that when she considers vendors, she will “test” their responsiveness via Twitter before doing any business with them. Guy Kawasaki tested Virgin America by tweeting on his flight from his seat that he wanted a drink, and they jokingly tweeted back at him to order it himself.

2. Twitter isn’t enough.

Companies must now be present and accessible on all social media channels. People differ regarding their preferred social medium whether it be Twitter, Facebook, YouTube etc. Brands must understand the landscape of each and how people interact with each other within that community. Additionally, there needs to be collaboration across these channels that creates a greater and deeper impact, which is what Dean McBeth (Digital strategist at W+K) said was a key factor in the success of the Old Spice campaign.

3. Brands should use Twitter to connect with people, not to market to them.

Self-centered people aren’t fun to talk to face-to-face, and the same goes for Twitter. This is especially true for the music industry. Rapper, “International Quincy,” mentioned that people don’t want to constantly hear “buy my album,” they want to get to know the artist on a personal level and learn what inspires them. He went on to say, “Twitter can make people feel like a family member instead of a fan.”

The tour is not over! Make sure to check out which cities the #140conf is scheduled for next.

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Webinar Slides: Your Brand Advocates- How to Find Them and What They Are Worth

cara@zuberance.com — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 00:13:02 +0000

Your Brand Advocates- How to Find Them and What They Are Worth

View more presentations from Zuberance.

Presented live on July 28, 2010

Presenters: Esteban Contreras, Samsung Electronics

Kety Esquivel, Ogilvy

Rob Fuggetta, Zuberance

Frank Eliason, (formerly) Comcast

Unfortunately, there were some technical difficulties involving the audio of the webinar. However, this is the deck that was presented. Please feel free to share it with your friends and colleagues.

To learn more about the value of Brand Advocates, download our latest whitepaper, which states that Brand Advocates are worth at least 5X more than average customers.

What’s a Brand Advocate Worth? Download Our Latest Whitepaper

cara@zuberance.com — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 00:09:36 +0000

There’s been a lot of talk recently about how much a Facebook fan is worth, with estimates ranging from zero to $137. Forrester points out that Facebook fans have no intrinsic value unless they do something to provide business value to the company. “It is what companies do with fans that create value, not merely that a brand has fans,” says Forrester’s Augie Ray.

While people may question the value of a Facebook fan, there is little debate that Brand Advocates have real business value. But what exactly is a Brand Advocate worth? Our latest whitepaper addresses this question, stating that Brand Advocates are worth at least 5x more than average customers.

Why?

1. Brand Advocates spend at least twice as much as average customers.
2. Unlike average customers, Brand Advocates go out of their way to recommend their favorite brands and products. These recommendations drive sales.
3. We estimate that the value of this advocacy means that Advocates are worth an additional 3X more than average customers.

In this whitepaper you will find:

A in-depth explanation as to why Brand Advocates are worth 5x more than average customers
Examples of the value of Brand Advocates from three product categories
Zuberance Brand Advocate Value Calculator: a formula for calculating the value of your company’s Brand Advocates

Download whitepaper

What are your thoughts? You can leave your comments below or to schedule a discussion with the author, Rob Fuggetta (Founder/CEO of Zuberance), please email cara@zuberance.com.

Do you want to win an iPad?

cara@zuberance.com — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 18:55:50 +0000

Date: Wednesday, July 28, 2010 at 10 AM PDT/ 1 PM EDT.

We will be giving out an Apple iPad to one lucky webinar attendee this Wednesday, July 28 at 10 AM PDT/ 1PM EDT. Register for our upcoming webinar discussion on “Your Brand Advocates- How to Find Them and What They Are Worth” and you will have a chance to win!

In this interactive webinar discussion you will learn how to measure the value of your Brand Advocates on Facebook, Twitter and other Social Media channels. Our panel of experts from Ogilvy, Samsung, Comcast and Zuberance will explain how your company can supercharge their marketing campaigns by identifying and energizing Brand Advocates. You will also have the opportunity to learn how Zuberance technology helps large brands turn Social Media into sales now. The session is tailored for brand marketers, performance marketers and C-level executives looking to strengthen ROI from online marketing activities.

Learn more about our panel of experts and get more details about the webinar.

Whitepaper: “What’s a Brand Advocate Worth?”

cara@zuberance.com — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 18:58:34 +0000

Welcome, readers of Social Media Examiner and Zuberance’s Social Media ROI Blog!

Read ”What’s a Brand Advocate Worth?” now (PDF File).

While people may question the value of a Facebook fan, there is little debate that Br and Advocates have real business value. But what exactly is a Brand Advocate worth? Our latest whitepaper addresses this question, stating that Brand Advocates are worth at least 5x more than average customers.

Why?

1. Brand Advocates spend at least twice as much as average customers.2. Unlike average customers, Brand Advocates go out of their way to recommend their favorite brands and products. These recommendations drive sales.3. We estimate that the value of this advocacy means that Advocates are worth an additional 3X more than average customers.

In this whitepaper you will find:

A in-depth explanation as to why Brand Advocates are worth 5x more than average customers
Examples of the value of Brand Advocates from three product categories
Zuberance Brand Advocate Value Calculator: a formula for calculating the value of your company’s Brand Advocates

What are your thoughts? You can leave your comments below or to schedule a discussion with the author, Rob Fuggetta (Founder/CEO of Zuberance), please email cara@zuberance.com.

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One Advocate is Worth $175,000 to Joie de Vivre Hotels

cara@zuberance.com — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 21:11:17 +0000

There has been a lot talk recently on what a Facebook Fan is worth to a company or a brand. Estimates of the value of a Facebook Fan have ranged from zero to $136.38. While people may question the value of a Facebook Fan, there is little debate that Brand Advocates have real business value. Take this example of an Advocate for Joie de Vivre Hotels.

Christine F. is an executive assistant at a large networking and telecommunications equipment manufacturer in the heart of Silicon Valley. One of her responsibilities is booking hotels and meeting rooms for company offsites. Recently, Christine held an event at the Hotel Los Gatos, which is managed by Joie de Vivre, an owner and operator of California-based boutique hotels.

Christine was so pleased with her experience at Hotel Los Gatos that she booked several additional company events at the hotel. Christine estimates that the total amount for the events that she’s held at Hotel Los Gatos over the last 18 months is $100,000. But Christine’s real value to Hotel Los Gatos goes beyond $100,000, given that she has recommended the hotel to her friends and colleagues over 12 times over the last 18 months both online and offline.

Based on her recommendations, Christine’s peers also booked meetings and guest rooms at Hotel Los Gatos and other Joie de Vivre hotels. This generated an additional $75,000 in revenues for the hotel group.

Importantly, Joie de Vivre did not pay or provide financial incentives to Christine to recommend Hotel Los Gatos. She recommended the hotel to her colleagues because she had an excellent experience and wanted to share this with others.

To learn more about the value of Brand Advocates, sign up for our upcoming webinar, “Your Brand Advocates: How to Find Them and What They Are Worth” on Wednesday, July 28 at 10 AM PDT/ 1 PM EDT. The webinar will feature a panel of three social media practitioners that work with large consumer brands. Click here to learn more about the panel.

Meet the Panel for Our Next Webinar “Your Brand Advocates- How to Find Them and What They Are Worth”

cara@zuberance.com — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 17:38:13 +0000

The panel for our upcoming webinar, “Your Brand Advocates- How to Find Them and What They Are Worth,” will feature four social media practitioners that work with large consumer brands on a daily basis. Kety Esquivel (Ogilvy), Esteban Contreras (Samsung), Frank Eliason (Comcast) and Rob Fuggetta (Zuberance) help brands improve their digital presence through new media channels. The webinar promises to be a lively one as the four pillars of digital marketing are represented here; the agency side with Ogilvy, the technology side with Zuberance, the customer support side with Comcast, and the consumer brand side with Samsung. Sign up today as space is limited.

The panel will discuss:

How to find and engage your Brand Advocates on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google Buzz and more
How to determine the value of a Brand Advocate so you can get real ROI on your social media effort

The panel will be available to answer your questions and explore new ideas.

Webinar Date: Wednesday, July 28, 2010 at 10 AM PDT/ 1 PM EDT

Frank Eliason, Senior Director, National Customer Operations at Comcast

Frank’s experience and goals are centered around creating the right experience for customers, and utilizing a variety of channels to reach them. Frank has worked to use new technologies to better understand and assist organizations in improving processes and tools to ensure first contact resolution and improved Customer Satisfaction. Currently, Frank works within the social and digital media to better measure, understand and assist customers. Doing so, Frank is defining the next generation of Customer Service. Follow Frank on Twitter (@comcastcares).

Kety Esquivel, VP of Digital Influence at Ogilvy

As a VP of Digital Strategy at Ogilvy, Kety provides a clear understanding of what’s important and relevant in the digital landscape to clients and their audiences. At Ogilvy Kety is a key architect in building the next generation agency focused on high impact word of mouth marketing. Kety provides clients with the strategies and solutions necessary toconnect with customers and constituencies across the digital landscape. Follow Kety on Twitter (@KetyE).

Esteban Contreras, Social Media Lead for Samsung

Esteban is the Social Media Manager for Samsung Electronics USA. He leads all Samsung Electronics efforts on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, and Google Buzz, as well as the integration of Social Media with other digital marketing strategies. Follow Esteban on Twitter (@socialnerdia).

Rob Fuggetta, Founder and CEO of Zuberance

Rob is the driving force behind Zuberance’s vision and strategy. He founded Zuberance in February 2007 because he saw a major opportunity for companies to harness the power of Word of Mouth and the Social Web to drive sales. As CEO, Rob is ultimately responsible for all aspects of Zuberance’s business including product, engineering, operations, customer success, and sales and marketing. Rob is a 20-year veteran of Silicon Valley who has played a leadership role in three start-ups including Genuity, which went public in June 2000. Rob was formerly a partner at Regis McKenna Inc., the legendary Silicon Valley marketing and communications firm, where he co-led the global Apple business. Follow Zuberance on Twitter (@zuberance) or become a Zuberance Facebook Fan.