More and more brands of all sizes and from all sectors have been implementing successful advocacy marketing programs, and all along the way, learning what it takes to make them happen. And, just like most things, along with successes have come missteps and opportunities to improve. But the upside is that businesses can learn from their mistakes and make their future campaigns even more successful than the last.
A lot goes into launching a successful advocacy campaign, from implementing the right strategies to conducting a competitor analysis to see what other brands are doing that are working effectively. You can also use this to your advantage and identify mistakes that you can avoid to stay ahead of the competition.
Keep reading as we discuss just a few of the most common mistakes made in advocacy campaigns and how you can avoid them.
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Picking the Wrong Advocates
The people you reach out to act as advocates for your brand are essential. After all, you’re relying on them to spread the word about your brand so it’s important that you spend time researching and identifying the best people. Not only do you want advocates who truly believe in your brand, it’s important that they align with your business’s values, voice, and personality. An advocate with a questionable Internet presence or one who directly conflicts with your brand’s beliefs, is not someone you want promoting your business. Spend time on their social media channels to make sure your advocates are exactly who you want promoting your business. And, the better your advocates, the better the new customers they bring in.
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Too Many Prizes
Incentives and rewards can be extremely helpful in attracting and retaining brand advocates, but don’t muddy the waters with too many. Having more than two or three could bring confusion (for your business and your advocates), misalignment, and difficulty tracking rewards and outcomes. It will be easier to maintain a steady incentive program if you streamline your processes and keep it simple. In this case, consistency will pay off over quantity.
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Stale Content
If you want to keep your advocates hooked, you need to give them reasons to keep coming back to your brand. By creating and sharing fresh content, you provide your advocates with something valuable that they will be motivated to read and share. Therefore, you need to create interesting content that not only your advocates will engage with, but their networks will, too. Be sure to have a consistent schedule for posting new content to get your visitors in the habit of coming to your channels regularly. Varying the types of content you post – videos, long form stories, infographics, etc. – will keep your visitors from getting bored, and give you an opportunity to see what performs best.
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Fluctuating Posting Schedule
Many advocacy campaigns have committed this mistake—posting at random or infrequent intervals. It is recommended to post two to three times a week for most brands so that your customers come to know you for regular and interesting content. Having a consistent posting schedule will help maximize program ROI, help your business track patterns and trends, and make it easier for your advocates to share your fresh and up-to-date content with their networks.
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Complex Programs
Keep it simple. Some advocacy campaigns run into trouble when they make too many complicated asks of their advocates and send multiple emails and messages. Don’t overwhelm your advocates. Keep it simple and send one email or message with one or two clear calls to action for your advocates. Make it as easy and effortless as possible for your advocates to do what you ask of them. Everyone likes to feel helpful and by keeping it simple, you can make it easy to help your brand advocates help you. Your programs should be simple and straightforward. Keep your requests clear and simple. Don’t ask too much from your advocates in a single email. Also, make sure that each email you send out has a CTA that is simple to follow.
Conclusion
Now that you know the most common mistakes to avoid with advocacy campaigns, you know how to create even more effective strategies to make yours a success. better now to create more effective strategies. Keep these tips in mind for your next campaign and you can reap the benefits of advocacy marketing!
If you’re looking to run an advocacy campaign but don’t know where to start, reach out to InGo today. We put the social in social media marketing and know the power of leveraging customers to promote your brand.
