Advocate Marketing Defined

Including customers, fans, and influencers as a programmatic part of your marketing engine

reviews!references!

referrals!social media!

content!

intelligence!

usability!training!

strategy!

PR!

community!

speakers!

Advice from peers is the #1 most influential source of information during the B2B buying process.

– BuyerSphere 2013

Advice from a friend

Search Engine

Supplier Website Email

Industrial Intermediary

Sent by a friend

Online display ad

Social media

Wider advice

Industry community

Buyers get 57% of the way through the buying process before they talk to a sales rep.

– Marketing Leadership Council

57%  

Searching within communities is the top way B2B decision-makers discover new approaches.

– Forrester Research

Searching within communities

Vendor content

Peer content

Q&A

58%  

31%  

22%  

20%  

What’s Driving The Need for Advocacy?

Fundamental Changes at Work

These dynamics are forcing companies to develop stronger strategies for

customer success, retention, loyalty, and word-of-mouth

SaaS Social Media

•  Easier to sign up •  Easier to switch •  Pay-as-you-go

•  Unbiased expertise •  Vendor validation •  ROI proof points

“We Thought If We Didn’t Get A Press

Release, We Failed!”

The old way of thinking about customer marketing

Product Development

Launch & Training

Sales & Marketing

Brainstorming Usability Beta Testing

Community Liaison Educational Expert

Spotlights Testimonials References Referrals

Virtually  any  h

appy  customer  can  g

et  involved  

Advocate programs are based on relationships Key Concepts

•  People, not companies •  Give first, then receive •  Recognition, not bribes •  Mutual benefit •  Micro-community

70 live product feedback sessions per quarter

renewal rate for customers

in the program

100%  

139

14 opt-in references, before and after   $130K

total value returned by each

advocate

A Security Company A Marketing Automation Company

An Email Marketing Company An Education Tech Company

B2B Customer Loyalty & Advocacy Programs

•  Customer engagement programs •  Advocate communities •  Social nurturing & prospecting

About Us

Contact Brian Gladstein (781) 820-2654 bg@explorics.com @briangladstein | @explorics