We live in an exciting time for marketers and advertisers. Technology enables us to do complex targeting, reach curated audiences, and draw even the most granular data. It allows us to be smarter than ever, especially with how ad spend is allocated. But it’s also a complicated time for marketers and advertisers. That same technology is the subject of heated debate — whether or not it’s warranted — handing consumers reasons why they shouldn’t trust marketers. And this is why advocacy marketing is more important than ever.
Right now 75% of marketers use influencer marketing, and most say they plan to keep growing influencer marketing spend while decreasing spend in traditional advertising. Influencer marketing spend tends to focus on general brand or campaign awareness, or early stages of the consumer buying journey. Since today’s consumer buying journey is so accelerated, with loyalty developed early, brands can’t afford to lose steam by focusing efforts primarily on the early stages of the consumer journey.
Defining the consumer buying journey
- Awareness
The consumer buying journey begins with early awareness — where a consumer seeks out a brand or product while on the path to purchase — and it’s where the bulk of ad dollars are spent.
- Consideration
Once a consumer knows your brand and the products you have to offer, they move quickly into consideration. They weigh options, make pro and con lists, and talk to friends and family who have experience in the category.
- Purchase
Many consumers move through consideration to purchase extremely quickly. Where today’s journey has evolved is consumers now have the opportunity to instantly share feedback and reviews, both online and offline. Every touchpoint they have with a brand is shaping their likelihood to either purchase, or (in the event of a negative experience) to go find success with a different brand. Positive experiences can lead to future purchases, skipping the awareness phase altogether.
Historically brand marketers focus ad dollars on brand or campaign awareness, believing that if a consumer knows about them they’ll buy from them. But this strategy just doesn’t meet the quick moving pace we see with today’s consumers.
Put money where the consumers are
Using an advocate or influencer to bring awareness to your brand is relatively easy; what is your brand doing to help the consumer along their journey after awareness? This is where advocates become really important for a brand. The conversations a consumer has with an advocate are conversations that cover the consumer’s specific needs, budget, and experience level — conversations that convert to purchases. But if a brand focuses too heavily on the awareness piece, they can get lost in consideration, particularly if another brand has taken the time to invest in advocates.
From consideration to loyalty
In following the buyer’s journey, once a purchase is decided upon, and made, and once the review is complete, the brand could cut ties until the next time a product is needed (what McKinsey calls the trigger). But your inbox full of marketing emails tells you this isn’t actually happening. Brands know that cutting ties would limit their ability to cultivate a repeat customer.
According to McKinsey’s analysis of today’s consumer decision journey, a brand needs to remain on the journey if they want to stay top of mind. Unfortunately for marketers, the noise consumers have to put up with is deafening, and it’s why they turn to people they feel they can trust to offer a genuine recommendation. Instead of using status quo digital methods like email campaigns, a brand marketer should remain laser focused on developing an army of brand advocates.
By doing so, a brand increases the likelihood that through advocates consumers will:
- Know about their brand
- Weigh the brand heavily during consideration
- Purchase that brand
- Come back to the brand time and time again
- Become increasingly loyal with each touchpoint
Discovering and engaging advocates
So who are these advocates? They’re retail sales associates, and category pros. They’re passionate and experienced individuals who know more about a category than just about anyone. They’re also all around you: friends, family members, coworkers. And because consumers are more likely to trust a friend or family member, marketers need to engage these trusted individuals who will help them sell more products.
