Trying to explain the difference between customer loyalty vs customer advocacy can be tricky, but there’s a great way to consider it. Think about the last few times you shopped for something; anything. If you weren’t venturing into new territory and buying an item you’ve never purchased before, it’s probably a safe bet that you patronized one of the usual suspects in your personal inventory of reliable retailers.
That’s the essence of what companies consider customer loyalty. But what does that really mean?
At the end of the day, customer loyalty simply means that shoppers came back, repeatedly purchasing products or services from an entity.
And when you put it that way, it doesn’t seem nearly as warm and fuzzy as it does in when we’re talking about our favorite pets. This isn’t to say that retaining, up-selling, and/or cross-selling customers isn’t something extremely powerful – most businesses would give their eye teeth for a throng of customers who faithfully purchase additional products and services or renew contracts.
Customer loyalty vs customer advocacy: What’s the difference?
Let’s take a look at some of the reasons that customers may be loyal to a company, product, or brand.
- Does it have what they need? Many times, people are loyal out of necessity – simply because they have no other good options.
- Do they like what buying your products says about them or how the products make them feel? That, friends, is called brand attraction.
- Finally, is it just easier? People often stay loyal because however they procure a product or service one way is more accessible than another.
So, what’s better than this famed and fabled loyal customer?
The advocate.
These customers are willing to evangelize for your brand – meaning they share what makes your company so special to their family, friends, and colleagues.
Advocates’ actions potentially move businesses to the next level as they share their experiences via positive reviews, with their online networks, and across social channels.
The advocacy relationship to business is really special because just as the evangelist is sharing content, recommendations, and general information about a company, it’s also a method they may deploy to say something about themselves to others.
A vast knowledge of products or the inner workings of services may bring value to a conversation for the advocate. When they share, they may feel more involved at work or in other settings.
And, one of the greatest things about advocates is that even if they aren’t current customers, their memorable experience with a company sticks with them, and they continue to spread the good news.
They really love you: How a customer becomes an advocate
What tips the scale from loyalty to advocacy? Every brand would probably love to know the answer so they could deploy an army of advocates on their behalf to boost sales. Unfortunately for sellers, there isn’t a quick checklist of things to do to flip the switch for these buyers.
This is where we must mention the customer experience (CX), because how customers interact with products and services so heavily influences their loyalty, and subsequently their drive to evangelize on behalf of organizations.
Thinking about your own experiences with brands you love can be a great start. What would tip the scales to turn you into an advocate?
Across all sectors of businesses, significant opportunities exist to give customers a reason to love a brand:
- The time an airline that already had customer loyalty went above and beyond for a child?
- Did an employee at your regular grocery store attend the funeral of a fellow customer?
- Did a podcast send a personalized gift simply for a fan giving them a shout-out on social media?
These are the kinds of things that prove that companies can – and should – leverage the moments that matter.
Marketing to a mass audience of one
Beyond the moments, marketers must train their focus on that “giving” mentality. This may seem like flipping the script for many who’ve run traditional marketing programs designed to get more from buyers.
These days, we recognize that the buyers’ journey is complex and mutable. In pivoting to craft memorable CX, marketers need to focus on what they can give to customers to inspire favorable outcomes. Once drivers of loyalty are established within an organization, replication is necessary to grow your army of loyal advocates.
Next, it’s time to ensure that this top tier of customers truly internalizes how much they matter to the business.
Communication is key. Listening to feedback, and putting necessary changes into motion show advocates that what they have to say matters. Remember – these are the customers who have the power to act as real game changers for an organization as they function as influencers in their own circles and online.
Have you identified or capitalized on opportunities to convert your loyal customers into advocates? Don’t forget some of the things that an organization can do to succeed at various interactions with customers:
- Focus on nurturing relationships at all points of the buying journey
- Serve them with speed
- Reward them for their loyalty
- Always say thank you
When you go the extra mile for your customers, you’re on your way to building trust – a huge step on the path to creating a solid base of advocates.
