The topic of advocacy has been on the rise. From companies looking for ways to harness the power of their employees’ social communities to more brands enlisting loyal customers to speak on a company's behalf, organizations are beginning to understand the reach and value advocates have.
Here at Sprout, advocacy has been top-of-mind. We recently launched Bambu, an advocacy platform that makes it easy for companies to curate content for employees or brand ambassadors to share with their social networks. On Monday, January 25 we're celebrating Community Manager Appreciation Day with a virtual panel. Plus, we just hosted a robust #SproutChat on the topic. If you’re thinking of starting an advocacy platform, consider these key points for success.
Dedicate Time & Enlist a Decision Maker
Establishing an advocacy program and getting it up and running is the hardest part. For an employee advocacy program, enlisting the power of a decision maker to motivate colleagues is key. If you’re building advocacy externally, start with a small, dedicated group and plan to scale from there. A nebulous concept can only go so far. Take the time to plan carefully in order to achieve a high-level of buy-in.
@SproutSocial A1: Potential impact is HUGE. It amplifies your brand exponentially for little to no cost to the organization #SproutChat
— Aaron Lumnah (@aaronlumnah) January 20, 2016
@SproutSocial A1. Your community starts internally with your team. Brand advocates build on that dedication, & beyond. #SproutChat
— Margot Mazur (@margotcodes) January 20, 2016
A1) Employees reflect the true culture of the organization, which makes it feel more human to consumers. #sproutchat
— Gary Taylor (@garytaylorceo) January 20, 2016
A1: Employee advocates can be excellent resources to speed up customer response on social channels #SproutChat
— Sarah Reece (@SarahTheAdGirl) January 20, 2016
A1. Employees are your first audience. They have to believe in the organization & giving that feeling accross to your customers #SproutChat
— Troy Sandidge (@Troy_Sandidge) January 20, 2016
A1b and the client tends to trust companies that has happy enthusiastic employees , so it improves the self image #sproutchat
— Terry Lo (@calgarydreamer) January 20, 2016
Establish a Sustainable Plan for Long Term Success
Throughout the planning process, you’ll want to think holistically and long term. Consider sustainable practices you know your team can realistically commit to. Establish a process that can turn into a standard by investing in a dedicated tool for distributing messaging. Offering incentives or rewards is also an option, as long as they're not the sole motivation for action.
A2. Arming your advocates with the right content & having a great platform to share from
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