Are you in-housing or out-housing your branding and advocacy?

One thing that is becoming apparent is the way the Brands seem to be focusing on Celebrities and the Media over Reality for promoting their brand.

Is there a reason for this?

Do the Brands feel that just because the Celebrities are seen with their product it is going to make people rush out and buy? Apart the Media/PR opportunities, how often do these people really use the items?

The same can be said for the Media too! A classic example is in the Technology or Motoring Industries where these journalists get their hands on the products and cars yet only probably only spend a few hours testing them. Plus, these tests are comparing them against other experiences and never really the way they are used in everyday life.

If in reality they actually got real users to test these products, then these users would be able to give the feedback that other users (or potential purchasers) are wanting to hear when they upgrade or make the switch from another brand to that one.

So if the Brand’s Customer Service, Marketing or Digital/Social teams were actually in place to handle the Brand’s Advocacy/Ambassador programmes, the feedback would be deliver a much wider and better placed foundation for Social Selling.

With more and more people actually taking to following Brands based on their Social Engagement and Social Story’s – then the Brands need to start having real testers.

These testers can (and will – warts and all!) share their experiences – highlighting what went right and wrong whilst discussing it with their family and friends. People are now start starting to trust family and friends much more than they have done over last 20 to 30 years and aren’t being swayed by Cold Calling, Marketing Mailing and Push Marketing anymore.

As with the shift of people engaging and relying on Social Selling more and more, these Brands really need to look who and how people are chosen to represent and promote their products via their Brand Advocacy and Ambassador programmes.

A classic example is say cars – just because a Celebrity, TV/Film star or Sport Stars is photographed driving one, does that mean all their fans are going to rush out and buy a Jaguar or Range Rover?

So Brands – isn’t time you actually looked at what is happening in the Digital and Social world to re-evaluate what you are doing?

Take for example the likes of Pew Die Pie, Zoella and Cutie Pie with 42.5 Million, 10.1 Million and 6.1 Million subscriber’s respectively.

These people actually started discussing and their share thoughts/opinions of brands they could afford and used/played with in their own lives.

Because of this, they generated huge followers based on their honest opinions and these brands have stuck with them as well as now sending them products to test as they know that these people’s audiences are the ones they want to sell to and will by the their products.

So, Brands, follow the lead above and make sure you are using Advocates, Ambassadors and Testers who will actually really use the products, test them honestly and share their opinions with their family, friends and audiences that will actually buy these products.

Time for you to bring things in house and actually start using your real audiences and users…..

” Are you ready to Social Selling via your real Advocates and Ambassadors into your Community yet? “

To learn more on how to implement Brand Advocacy along side Internal and External Communities, “Influencers”, “Brand Ambassadors” or about what The Social Piggy can do for you and your business when it comes to implementing The Social Family, then please complete the form below…..

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