Brand Advocates: Turning Enthusiastic Customers into a Powerful Marketing Force

Chapter 21

Mobilizing

Energizing Advocates is about turning Advocates into a powerful marketing force on an ongoing basis to generate a steady stream of recommendations that continually enhance your brand and business.

Mobilizing Advocates, on the other hand, is about focusing Advocates on a short-term marketing opportunity or challenge. Mobilizing is like activating your Advocate SWAT force to boost your sales quickly or defend you from a sudden attack by Detractors. You can think of mobilizing as campaigns, while energizing is an ongoing program.

In this chapter, we'll explore three key situations where you can mobilize Advocates.

1. Product launches, including introducing new brands, products, or services. It also includes things like opening a major new store or hotel or introducing an entirely new product category like Apple did when it launched the Mac.

2. Social media crises occur when your company or brand reputation or products are hit by a sudden wave of highly negative word of mouth. These crises spread like wildfire across the social web.

3. Sales promotions, including seasonal marketing campaigns plus a wide range of other tactics aimed at spiking sales. You can also mobilize Advocates to promote worthwhile causes; drive attendance at online events; boost downloads and trials; increase participations in contests; and even help your company win awards.

Table 21.1 summarizes how you can mobilize Advocates in these three situations and how this can help you.

Table 21.1 ...