Author: Gordon Glenister

EPISODE 10: HOW APPS CAN IMPROVE MEMBER ENGAGEMENT

In this episode James Thorne CEO of the Institute of Quarrying is joined by head of membership and marketing Sarah Fry, to talk about how the introduction of an app has made a huge difference in member engagement.

Whilst it was always part of a longterm strategy to encourage members to use the app, Sarah commented on their goals have been reached in their first phase. As more content is shared on the app, so adoption is growing.

Find out how they did it.

This show is kindly sponsored by RD mobile – www.rdmobile.com

EPISODE 09: THE SOCIAL CEO – DAMIAN CORBET & ALICIA RUSSELL

In this episode Gordon Glenister talks with the author of “The Social CEO”, Damian Corbet and the vice president of global marketing at Onalytica, Alicia Russell.

A recent survey conducted by Membership World and influencer marketing platform Onalytica looked at the social profiles of over 50 CEOs of membership bodies and trade associations.

Original content performed so much better than shared or branded content on Linkedin. ‘Don’t create content for content’s sake and know what your audience care about’, says Alicia. And leaders of trade associations that are sharing from their personal content is when the real value comes. Chris Skeith from the Association of Event Organisers is an example of a CEO using social media well during a challenging time for the sector. Having a leader like this lobby for the sector they can see this person is working hard for us says Damian.

Most people are seeing what you’re posting but not necessarily commenting.

Craig Bennet CEO of the Wildlife Trust leads one of the categories in the report and he shares pictures of nature on his linkedin and Twitter. ‘It feels personal and you feel like you are going on a journey with him’, says Alicia . She also praises Sophie Devonshire for doing a great job at the Marketing Society.

This show is kindly sponsored by RD mobile – www.rdmobile.com

S3 EP19: GAUTAM GANGLANI, INFLUENCER, THOUGHT LEADER AND GLOBAL EVENTS ORGANISER

How does a global event organiser and speaker management service run events in a challenging 18 month period? Gautam Ganglani ran 100 webinars last year just to stay connected to his global audience and to build value with no commercial return he says. Traditionally he represented authors and not all of these make great online speakers so it was a big learning experience. The skill set required for trainers is very different for speakers with 1,000 people. Gautam talks about some amazing events he managed with Stephen Covey. Diversity and inclusion have been major topics. Technology, strategy, gaining trust and anything in the communication space. Strategy in particular has been a major topic, hear more from Gautam in this enlightening episode. Thought leaders are providing content online. One of the best examples is Marshall Goldsmith where he provided all of his slides that can be copied and shared. He was the highest paid and most booked speaker by Right Selection.

@thebcma

Presented by @gordonglenister

Produced by Neil Whiteside at freedom:ONE

Support the show (http://www.thebcma.info/membership)

S3 EP18: FASHION AND FITNESS CONTENT CREATOR ROWAN ROW WITH 1.4M FOLLOWERS ON INSTAGRAM SHARES HIS STORY

Fashion and fitness content creator Rowan Row shares his story from when he came over from Romania not being able to speak the language but now works with global brands like Sony and Aston Martin. Rowan even had his Instagram account hacked and nearly lost everything, yet he has been resilient, consistent and smart with the way in which he has grown his brand into a full time career. Now he has over 1.4m followers on Instagram and a further 1.5m on YouTube. Moving to other platforms like Tiktok would require even more time he says. He has lots of advice for people starting out and for those developing content. Check out his content on Instagram @rowanrow

@thebcma

Presented by @gordonglenister

Produced by Neil Whiteside at freedom:ONE

Support the show (http://www.thebcma.info/membership)

S3 EP17: GLOBAL AMBASSADOR, AUTHOR AND SPEAKER MADELEINE BLACK TALKS ABOUT CHANGING BEHAVIOUR FOR SENSITIVE SUBJECTS

In this episode, I am joined by global ambassador, speaker and author, the amazing Madeleine Black who shares her own horrific story when she was gang raped at the age of 13 and suffered unimaginable trauma. It took years of personal healing to be able to know when the time was right to decide to talk openly about this. Madeleine refers to herself as the Courage Cultivator and is an inpsiration to millions of women all over the world. After growing up with a burden no teenager should ever have to shoulder, she had the heart to carry out the best revenge plan of all; leading a fulfilling and happy life. For Madeleine, forgiveness was the key. True forgiveness takes genuine effort. It takes a real desire to understand those who have done us so much harm. It is the ultimate act of courage. Listen to this amazing heartfelt interview.

@thebcma

Presented by @gordonglenister

Produced by Neil Whiteside at freedom:ONE

Support the show (http://www.thebcma.info/membership)

S3 EP16: WHAT IS THE VALUE OF HUMAN TO HUMAN CONNECTION – FOUNDER OF WARM WELCOME SHARES HIS STORY

In this episode we hear from the serial entrepreneur and founder of Warm Welcome, David Jay. David is one of the top photo journalists in the world, has been featured in the top 100 tech and innovation influencers by Intercon and an international speaker. We discuss community and human-to-human connection through the power of personalised video. David talks about your network being your NETWORTH. Take a listen to this highly engaging episode.

@thebcma

Presented by @gordonglenister

Produced by Neil Whiteside at freedom:ONE

Support the show (http://www.thebcma.info/membership)

S3 EP15: ENTREPRENEUR REGI CASH SHARES HIS INSIGHT ON WORKING WITH GAMING INFLUENCERS

In this episide we speak to the founder of 3BLACKDOT Regi Cash. 3BLACKDOT is an influencer-driven digital studio focused on the entertainment intersection between gaming and lifestyle. They’re vertically integrated to conceive and produce digital content, merch, events, films, games and books. They partner with digital influencers to drive massive audiences to engage with both established and startup brands/IP. As gaming specialists, Regi also talks about some of the great creators in the space and why they are so successful.

@thebcma

Presented by @gordonglenister

Produced by Neil Whiteside at freedom:ONE

Support the show (http://www.thebcma.info/membership)

S3 EP14: LIVESTREAM SHOPPING IS EXPANDING HUGELY; WE SPEAK TO VIDEO COACH DEXTER MOSCOW

In this episode we are talking livestream shopping with Dexter Moscow, video coach and author of Stand Up and Sell. Dexter has worked with many well known brands and been a former guest presenter for many years on the shopping channel QVC, a brand that now generates over $9bn in revenue. Big E-commerce platforms like Amazon and Alibaba have realised the value of influencers not as mere promoters but highly successful sales drivers. In 2020 Alibaba said it was recruiting 3m influencers, 100k in the first year and Amazon too have requested similar numbers to launch their Amazon influencer programme. Dexter talks about some of the qualities it takes to be a good sales person in a live environment. Some influencers like BeautybyCarla now promote themselves as Amazon Influencers, so what does the future hold for this rapidly growing area. I started by asking Dexter about how he started out in his career.

@thebcma

Presented by @gordonglenister

Produced by Neil Whiteside at freedom:ONE

Support the show (http://www.thebcma.info/membership)

S3 EP13: MUMMY BLOGGER HELEN WILLS TALKS ABOUT MAJOR BRAND COLLABORATIONS

In this episode we hear from Helen Wills who started her blog Actually Mummy in 2011. This was when she realised that talking to the four walls and a baby was never going to be enough. Since then she has earned a reputation as a professional and innovative writer, crafting stories and video for high profile brand campaigns such as Mark Warner, Universal Studios, Heinz and Tefal. Now a full time blogger, podcaster and presenter, Helen’s work has also led to some high profile speaking opportunities at Parliament, and with the BBC, which she says are the best part of her job! Check out Helen’s podcast Teenage Kicks on all podcast platforms.

@thebcma

Presented by @gordonglenister

Produced by Neil Whiteside at freedom:ONE

Support the show (http://www.thebcma.info/membership)

BRAND ADVOCACY – why community should be at the heart of your digital marketing strategy

Developments in social media, and the lasting impact of the global pandemic, have changed the face of marketing. Social media has provided important marketing tools for many years now, enabling influencers to build, and connect with, communities of followers.

But recent shifts have meant that consumers are moving away from engagement with the type of influencer who they don’t relate to, in favour of ‘real people’ who deliver trust, authenticity and transparency instead of flash; largely through:

  • Social media sharing
  • User-generated content (UGC)
  • Customer referrals
  • Online reviews

A recent white paper from Wearisma looks at how brand advocacy is changing, in a big shift towards building communities instead of audiences.

In this article I’ll share with you some of their most important findings and outline some of the key elements of an effective brand advocacy programme.

1. What is brand advocacy, and why does it work?

Brand advocacy is a way to build an authentic online community of people who genuinely love and support your brand. Yes, we still need influencers to generate high levels of engagement and curate professional content, but making the most of our social media content now involves a shift towards content generated by customers themselves.

It’s not unlike traditional ‘word of mouth’ marketing, but now we can make use of modern digital channels to locate our genuine ambassadors within our customer base.

Wearisma have a simple way to explain the differences between influencers and advocates.

Source: Wearisma

So brand advocates can be either influencers or consumer advocates. From a community point of view, the magic happens when the enthusiasm of a consumer of your brand creates a desire to talk about you online through positive reviews, mentions and recommendations. Combine this with influencers who have a genuine passion for your brand rather than an eye solely on the metrics, and you have a potentially powerful community of brand advocates.

In Wearisma’s study, they found that 74% of people stated that more recommendations from people they know would encourage them to purchase from brands.

2. Trust, transparency and purpose – the three pillars of brand advocacy

The brand/consumer relationship has undergone a major shift recently, and the power is very much in the hands of consumers. Consumers are, increasingly, insisting on a genuine sense of connection with brands, a connection for which trust is essential.

That’s why community has become a vital online experience. Consumers trust their communities – whether physical or online – more than advertising, so messages ‘pushed out’ by a brand are no longer sufficient or acceptable for building trust.

With consumers easily able to block messages they don’t want to receive, building authentic online communities and engaging consumers personally is essential. According to Wearisma, brand advocacy is the leading strategy for achieving this level of engagement.

Building trust relies on authenticity and transparency. Consumers need to be assured that the content they are seeing is genuine, and originating from people with a ‘passionate, emotional attachment with a brand’.

So who are these people?

Wearisma’s research included looking at the essential attributes of successful brand advocates. It revealed a demand for advocates who are passionate about the brand and will provide honest reviews – including negative ones. They need to be genuine, knowledgeable users of the products, and to be transparent about their other interests and partnerships.

Source: Wearisma

This transparency is particularly important when your consumers consist mainly of Gen Z and Millennials, as they tend not to be simply purchasers of a product. For these consumers, the brands they buy from reflect and are aligned with their personal core beliefs and values. So the personality and purpose of the brand is as important as the product – if not more so.

Brands who can have real conversations with the consumers, rather than always talking like a brand, tend to develop better relationships, and their consumers are more likely to move to becoming brand advocates.

Wearisma gives Ann Summers as an example of how building trust and connections with real people online has turned consumers into passionate advocates who go on to feature in brand campaigns.

3. Some dos and don’ts of a brand advocacy programme 

An affect brand advocacy campaign will enable you to leverage the power of your biggest fans, helping you to:

  • build the genuine brand love which is fast emerging as the most effective form of advertising
  • remain relevant to your online community
  • cut costs whilst driving impact

But some brands have made a few mis-steps, having failed to understand how vital a role authenticity plays.

Don’t rely on mass campaigns

Wearisma gives an example of brands who, in an attempt to build their online communities, have sent out mass DM campaigns, offering consumers discounts in exchange for their content. Whilst, on the face of it, this might seem like a perfectly reasonable idea, to today’s consumer it lacks authenticity, and may even look suspect – like a scam. This tactic lacks the personal touch which is at the centre of authentic brand advocacy. An offer in exchange for the label of ‘ambassador’, coming from a brand with which a consumer may have minimal or no prior relationship, is meaningless and may even deter people from engaging with you further.

Do nurture relationships with individuals

An effective brand advocacy strategy involves identifying the consumers who already love your brand but don’t (yet) consider themselves advocates. Whilst their reach might be smaller than a popular influencer, their impact within their own networks is likely to be greater. Plus, the chances are that their network consists of people like them – who share at least some of their values and core beliefs. So if they already love your brand, their community is already partly self-selected to love it too.

Do give something back

One of the ways to engage with your consumers and nurture them to become brand advocates is through gifting.

If these consumers are already posting positive content about you online, give them something back, as a thank-you for their support, and encourage them to share more about their relationship with your brand.

A well-thought out gifting strategy as part of your loyalty programmes, will enable you to reward the ambassadors for their authentic promotion of your brand. Wearisma’s research has shown that audiences are becoming more interested in content that highlights how brands are thanking their advocates for their loyalty, and also that 76% of people say they would be encouraged to purchase if first given a gift.

Source: Wearisma

Tiered gifting allows you to reward your advocates according to how much engagement their content generates – rewarding your highest performing fans more generously will help to further build the relationship and connections.

One way to approach tiered gifting.

  • Step 1: Design your tiers. You can have as many gifting tiers as you like, but a simple place to start might be a discount code (level 1), a sample product (level 2), and a full-size product (level 3). If you’re just starting out, begin with every advocate at level 1.
  • Step 2: Track your advocates. Once you’ve sent out rewards, you need to keep an eye on what your advocates are doing. Are they responding by posting further positive content about your brand?
  • Step 3: Monitor activity. Which advocates are creating the best performing content? You can track this with metrics like Engagements, Engagement Rate and Media Value, as well as tracking which content is driving traffic to your website and creating sales.
  • Step 4: Tier placement. Once you can see who are the top performers for your brand, you can reward them further, by moving them up a tier, then repeat steps 2 and 3. Keep rewarding everyone else at level 1 to maintain loyalty and engagement!

Summary: Why you should be considering a brand advocate strategy for your brand

Your best brand advocates will be highly active online, will have a great social reach, and will represent your company in the best way possible. They are likely to be customers, but could also be employees or partners.

The benefits for your brand will be:

  • using the power of your advocates to reach more potential consumers, both online and in-person
  • it’s a more authentic form of marketing, as your advocates are people who believe in your brand, andsupport it without being paid to do so
  • in an online world, it humanises your brand, and potential customers see it as more genuine, creating empathy, personality, and trust
  • it can create media interest – when publications see people talking about your brand, you are more likely to get your products featured
  • it’s a great way to educate people about your products or services
  • although you may need to invest a bit of money and effort in building your strategy, having a strong community of brand advocates can ultimately reduce the time and money you need to invest in marketing

You can download and read the full Wearisma report here.

If you’d like to explore how to build an effective brand advocacy programme, let’s talk.

Gordon Glenister is the author of a new book, Influencer Marketing Strategy. Learn:

  • how to build an influencer strategy
  • what makes a great influencer
  • about the rise of Clubhouse and TikTok
  • about future digital trends for connecting with a digital customer

Order your copy from Kogan or Amazon

Find out more at: http://gordonglenister.com/