Search
Blog posts tagged advocacy
Brand ambassadors could give you wings
April 21, 2010
Recently I spent a very enlightening evening in the pub chatting to a friend’s son. Fresh from his first term at university, studying for a business degree, I thought I would pick his brains for some fresh ideas and inspiration. It turns out that using an impressive enterprising spirit, he has become a "student brand manager" for several high profile companies operating on his campus.
A student brand manager is basically the campus's “go to” guy or girl; they are being paid both in cash and freebies to promote a particular company’s brand or product. Companies as diverse as Microsoft, Red Bull and Wilkinson Sword employ hundreds of students across the UK.
I can see the attraction. For the brand, it’s a great foothold in the market. Gaining new customers is never an easy task, but having a living, breathing advocate passionately selling your brand or service to their peers certainly pays off.
Ask any student what their favourite energy drink is and I bet Red Bull is top of the list. As marketers we can really learn from this. Red Bull targeted students as a potential market for growth; they had a strategy and have continued to invest time and effort into it. This really got me thinking about customer communities and the impact brand advocates or influencers can have.
Influence is almost impossible to measure; the benefits are likely to take a long time to become established. However, it’s worth asking whether a brand ambassador could be the kickstart your business needs to gain a foothold with a new or even existing group of customers. Could they get them involved and interested in your company?
As for my friend’s son, he’s hoping to carve out a long-term career with one of the companies he represents on his campus. He’s not just an advocate, he’s a diehard fan and I haven’t seen any marketing campaign that can get close to his enthusiasm. Personally I would prefer to make up my own mind, and not be too influenced by someone who is effectively being paid for their views.
Strong, surviving or tired – Five key questions for established brands?
March 04, 2010
A strong brand will help you win more sales and keep more customers, so spend time on a health check:
1. Is my brand position strong?
Think about what makes your brand unique. How does your brand stack up now and in the future? Why should people care? What your brand stood for in the past may just be that, so have a look at what your competition offers, how they operate and what they do, as well as wider influences and trends.
2. Is my brand clear?
If you are clear about what you stand for and what makes your brand unique, are you clearly communicating it to customers? Be careful of jargon and complicated wording, and be single-minded too – a list of 5 or 6 messages will just lead to confusion, leave the detail for later once you have attention.
3. Does my brand look good?
How current is your look? Think across all your activity, from the logo and identity, to your web site and promotional materials. Are layouts clear? Is your imagery current and clear? Are there elements of consistency? Do fonts work together or look a mess. Brands that look current and relevant feel looked after and worthy of attention, so customers will feel you’ll pay the same attention to them.
4. Does my brand sound good?
All flash looks with not much to say? Ouch. Supporting your central brand promise by what you say and how you behave is critical. Think about how you and your people talk about, sell and service your brand – attention-grabbing looks might get you over a hurdle, but people soon wise up to brands that can’t deliver a promise.
5. Am I my only brand supporter?
Think about who talks about your brand, and where. Is it as much as it used to be? Word of mouth, recommendations, testimonials, social media and news stories will prove it has fans. Prove your brand is worth a look, and maximize every opportunity.
If you’re feeling uncomfortable about two or more of these then it’s time to spend time paying closer attention.
Founding partners
Small business marketing - free advice, tools and resources | Marketing Donut
Published by 
