If you’re not living under a rock, then you have probably seen or read the story of Cinderella. If not, it’s basically about a girl who faced a series of unfortunate events because of her stepmother and two stepsisters. Further in the story, she attends a ball and meets a prince then the clock strikes 12 and Cinderella had to go back to her miserable life with her evil step mother and step sisters, leaving her glass slipper behind. If you want to find out what happens next, you should just research it on the internet. Anyway, this article is not really about this magical tale but about engaging your customers to join and advocacy campaigns. You might think that these are no related to each other, but there are actually some similarities between the two.Let’s pretend your customers is Cinderella and your advocacy campaign will be playing the part of the prince.
Let’s treat your customers as damsels in distress who needs to be aware of the existence of your advocacy campaign and how you can retain their trust and love to result in a happy ending.
1. Once upon a time
An advocacy campaign needs careful planning before implementing it. Your advocacy will be attached to your business’s name for a long while and it will most likely come out once your customers research about your business. Therefore, choose the right advocacy you would want your business to be related to and think or the perfect content that could relay your campaign’s message to your customer.
2. The Stepmom and step sisters
As a business owner, you can only wish for the best outcome for your campaign but pre-empting setbacks should also be a part of your plan. Let’s pretend your advocacy’s message was taken the wrong way by your customers. Should you address the situation or should you just keep mum until it’s over? Should you hire a PR or would it be better for you to just address the issue on your own? These are just some examples of setbacks your campaign may encounter so again, going back to number 1, always plan carefully and expect the unexpected.
3. The Fairy God Mother (FGM) aka Social Media
May God bless the internet. Social media has opened ways for companies to advertise and promote their products and with its existence. It’s now easier for you to implement your advocacy campaign.
Give your customers an easy- access to your advocacy’s information and let them be the one to spread the message to their friends and family. Another great thing about this FGM is the price and the efficiency. You don’t need to spend a thousand dollars just to get your message across. With a catchy content in the form of blogs, infographics, videos etc., your advocacy can be shared by everyone who has internet access. Plus, you can track the progress of your campaigns through software available online such as Google Analytics.
There are still several methods you can use to maximize the promotion of your advocacy such as below-the-line and above-the-line advertising–what’s important is to spread your campaign’s message for everyone to see and be inspired by.
Related: FACEBOOK PAGE HEALTH CHECK FOR HOSPITALITY BUSINESSES
4. The Ball
Now that you’re done with everything, it’s now time to attend the ball and hope that your campaign and your customers would fall in love at first sight just like Cinderella and the prince. Of course if there’s no initial attraction, you can always get the glass slipper and search for Cinderella. The key is being consistent and persistent. Be consistent with your campaign’s message and continue spreading the message. One good way of spreading the message is through referral programs where customers can get perks from promoting your advocacy.
5. The Perfect Fit
Once your customers engage in your campaign, customer loyalty will definitely follow and soon your company will increase its customer base. It’s similar to a domino effect but with an A-Z back-up plan (for the setbacks).
After all these, it is, of course, always recommended to make your customers feel appreciated to maintain or increase their level of loyalty to your business—a win-win situation for your business and your customers.