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How to segment your customers based on their level of advocacy

Written by Jimit Mehta | Feb 18, 2023 8:00:00 AM

Are you struggling to create personalized and effective marketing strategies for your business? One of the most effective ways to do this is by segmenting your customers based on their level of advocacy. When you understand how much your customers love your brand and how likely they are to recommend it to others, you can tailor your messaging and approach to better suit their needs and preferences. In this article, we'll dive into the various levels of customer advocacy and show you how to segment your customers accordingly. Whether you're a small business owner or a marketing professional, you'll come away with a deeper understanding of your customer base and the tools you need to create more targeted and effective marketing campaigns.

The importance of customer advocacy in marketing

When it comes to marketing, there's no greater endorsement than a satisfied customer. People trust their friends and family more than any other source of information, and when someone they know and trust recommends a product or service, they're more likely to try it out for themselves. This is why customer advocacy is such a crucial part of any marketing strategy.

Customer advocacy refers to the level of loyalty and enthusiasm that customers have for a particular brand. It's a measure of how likely they are to recommend the brand to others and how willing they are to speak positively about it. When customers become advocates for your brand, they essentially become your most effective marketing team, spreading the word about your business to their own networks of friends, family, and acquaintances.

By segmenting your customers based on their level of advocacy, you can identify those who are most likely to recommend your brand and target them with specific marketing messages and campaigns. This can help you not only increase sales and revenue but also improve your brand's reputation and visibility. By investing in customer advocacy, you're essentially investing in your brand's long-term success and growth.

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Understanding the different levels of customer advocacy

Not all customers are created equal when it comes to their level of advocacy for your brand. Some may be loyal customers who are happy with your products or services, but don't actively promote them to others. Others may be more enthusiastic and vocal, actively recommending your brand to their friends and family. In order to effectively segment your customers based on their level of advocacy, it's important to understand the different levels of advocacy and what they mean.

At the lowest level of advocacy, you have passive customers. These customers may be satisfied with your products or services, but they're not particularly engaged or vocal about their experience. They may not actively recommend your brand to others, but they're also not likely to speak negatively about it.

At the next level, you have active customers. These customers are more engaged with your brand and are willing to share positive feedback with others. They may post about your products or services on social media, write positive reviews, or refer friends and family to your business.

At the highest level of advocacy, you have brand ambassadors. These are customers who are not only loyal to your brand but actively promote it to others. They may be influential in their own networks, sharing your content on social media or even creating their own content about your brand. They're passionate about your brand and are willing to go above and beyond to promote it.

By understanding the different levels of customer advocacy, you can better identify those who are most likely to promote your brand and tailor your marketing efforts to target them specifically. This can help you create more effective marketing campaigns and ultimately drive more revenue for your business.

Using Net Promoter Score (NPS) to measure customer advocacy

NPS is a widely-used metric for measuring customer advocacy. It's a simple yet effective tool that can help you understand how likely your customers are to recommend your brand to others.

NPS is typically measured by asking customers a single question: "On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend our brand to a friend or colleague?" Customers are then grouped into three categories based on their response:

  • Promoters (9-10): Customers who are highly likely to recommend your brand to others.

  • Passives (7-8): Customers who are satisfied with your brand but not particularly enthusiastic about it.

  • Detractors (0-6): Customers who are unlikely to recommend your brand and may even speak negatively about it.

To calculate your NPS, you simply subtract the percentage of detractors from the percentage of promoters. This gives you a single score that ranges from -100 to 100.

NPS is a useful metric because it provides a clear and easy-to-understand measure of customer advocacy. It's also easy to administer and can be used to track changes in customer sentiment over time. By using NPS to measure customer advocacy, you can identify areas where your brand is succeeding and areas where you need to improve. You can also segment your customers based on their NPS scores and tailor your marketing efforts accordingly, focusing on the most enthusiastic customers and working to win over those who are less enthusiastic.

Other metrics to measure customer advocacy

While NPS is a widely-used metric for measuring customer advocacy, it's not the only one. There are several other metrics that can help you understand how loyal and enthusiastic your customers are.

One of the most common metrics is customer satisfaction (CSAT), which measures how satisfied customers are with a particular product or service. This can be measured through surveys or by tracking customer feedback on social media and review sites. While CSAT doesn't directly measure advocacy, satisfied customers are more likely to be advocates for your brand.

Another metric is customer retention rate, which measures how many customers continue to do business with your brand over time. This is a key indicator of loyalty and can help you understand how effective your customer retention efforts are.

Social media engagement is another metric that can help you measure customer advocacy. By tracking the number of likes, shares, and comments on your social media posts, you can get a sense of how engaged your customers are with your brand. This can help you identify your most enthusiastic customers and target them with specific marketing campaigns.

Finally, referral metrics can help you understand how many new customers are coming to your brand as a result of customer advocacy. This can be measured by tracking referral codes or by asking new customers how they heard about your brand.

By using a combination of these metrics, you can get a more comprehensive understanding of your customers' level of advocacy. This can help you tailor your marketing efforts to target your most enthusiastic customers and work to win over those who are less enthusiastic.

How to segment customers based on their level of advocacy

Segmenting customers based on their level of advocacy is an effective way to tailor your marketing efforts and better engage with your target audience. There are several ways to do this, depending on the metrics you choose to use.

One common approach is to segment customers based on their NPS score. As we discussed earlier, NPS groups customers into three categories: promoters, passives, and detractors. By focusing your marketing efforts on your promoters, you can encourage them to become even more enthusiastic about your brand and to actively promote it to others. You can also work to win over passives and detractors by addressing their concerns and providing a better customer experience.

Another approach is to segment customers based on their social media engagement. By tracking likes, shares, and comments on your social media posts, you can identify your most enthusiastic customers and target them with specific marketing campaigns. You can also use this data to identify influencers in your target audience and work with them to promote your brand.

Customer retention rate can also be used to segment customers based on their level of advocacy. By identifying your most loyal customers, you can target them with loyalty programs and other rewards to encourage them to continue doing business with your brand.

Finally, referral metrics can be used to identify customers who are most likely to recommend your brand to others. By tracking referral codes or asking new customers how they heard about your brand, you can identify your most effective advocates and target them with specific marketing campaigns.

By segmenting your customers based on their level of advocacy, you can create more effective marketing campaigns and build stronger relationships with your target audience. This can ultimately help you drive more revenue and grow your business over time.

Tailoring your marketing messages to each customer segment

Tailoring your marketing messages to each customer segment is an important step in building a successful marketing strategy. Once you have segmented your customers based on their level of advocacy, you can use this information to create targeted marketing messages that speak to the specific needs and interests of each group.

For example, if you are targeting your most enthusiastic customers (promoters), you may want to focus on creating content that encourages them to share their positive experiences with others. You could also offer them special promotions or discounts as a way of showing your appreciation for their loyalty.

If you are targeting your passives, you may want to focus on addressing any concerns or issues they may have with your brand. By listening to their feedback and making changes based on their input, you can turn passives into more enthusiastic customers over time.

For detractors, it's important to focus on addressing their concerns and showing them that you are committed to providing a better customer experience. This may involve offering special promotions or discounts to encourage them to give your brand another chance, or simply reaching out to them to understand their concerns and work to address them.

By tailoring your marketing messages to each customer segment, you can create a more personalized and effective marketing strategy that drives engagement and builds loyalty. This can ultimately help you build a strong and sustainable business over time.

The benefits of targeted marketing based on customer advocacy

Targeted marketing based on customer advocacy has a range of benefits that can help businesses build stronger relationships with their customers and drive more revenue over time.

First and foremost, targeted marketing allows you to create more personalized and relevant messages that speak directly to the needs and interests of your target audience. By tailoring your marketing messages to each customer segment based on their level of advocacy, you can create more engaging and effective campaigns that drive better results.

Another benefit of targeted marketing is that it can help you build stronger relationships with your most loyal customers. By offering them special promotions, discounts, and other rewards, you can show your appreciation for their support and encourage them to continue doing business with your brand over time.

Targeted marketing can also help you win over customers who are less enthusiastic about your brand. By addressing their concerns and working to provide a better customer experience, you can turn passives and detractors into more enthusiastic customers over time.

Finally, targeted marketing can help you identify new opportunities for growth and expansion. By tracking referral metrics and social media engagement, for example, you can identify new customer segments that may be interested in your products or services and create targeted campaigns to reach them.

Overall, targeted marketing based on customer advocacy can help you build a stronger, more loyal customer base, drive more revenue, and grow your business over time. By taking the time to understand your customers and tailoring your marketing efforts to their specific needs and interests, you can create a more effective and sustainable marketing strategy that delivers results.

Case studies of successful customer advocacy segmentation

Looking at case studies of successful customer advocacy segmentation can provide valuable insights into how businesses have effectively used this strategy to build stronger relationships with their customers and drive more revenue over time.

One example of successful customer advocacy segmentation can be seen with online retailer Amazon. By using customer reviews and ratings to identify their most loyal customers, Amazon has been able to build a strong and engaged community of brand advocates. These customers receive special promotions and discounts, and are often given early access to new products and services. By tailoring their marketing messages to this group of highly engaged customers, Amazon has been able to drive more revenue and build a stronger brand over time.

Another example can be seen with ride-sharing platform Uber. Uber uses a similar strategy to Amazon by offering special promotions and discounts to their most enthusiastic customers. By tracking referral metrics and social media engagement, Uber is able to identify customers who are most likely to recommend their services to others, and tailor their marketing messages to this group. This has helped Uber build a strong and loyal customer base that continues to grow over time.

Finally, clothing retailer Stitch Fix has also seen success with customer advocacy segmentation. By using customer feedback to identify their most loyal customers, Stitch Fix is able to create targeted marketing messages that speak directly to the specific needs and interests of this group. This has helped them build a strong and engaged community of brand advocates, who are more likely to continue doing business with the company over time.

Overall, these case studies demonstrate the effectiveness of customer advocacy segmentation as a strategy for building stronger relationships with customers and driving more revenue over time. By identifying your most loyal customers and tailoring your marketing messages to their specific needs and interests, you can create a more effective and sustainable marketing strategy that delivers results.

Challenges and pitfalls to watch out for when segmenting customers by advocacy level

While customer advocacy segmentation can be an effective strategy for building stronger relationships with customers, it's important to be aware of the potential challenges and pitfalls that can arise when implementing this approach.

One of the main challenges is accurately measuring customer advocacy. While metrics like NPS can be useful in identifying highly engaged customers, they don't always provide a complete picture of customer sentiment. It's important to use a range of metrics and qualitative data sources to get a more complete understanding of customer attitudes and behaviors.

Another challenge is avoiding the trap of over-segmentation. While it's important to tailor your marketing messages to different customer segments based on their level of advocacy, it's also important to avoid creating too many narrow segments. This can lead to confusion and overly complicated marketing messages that fail to resonate with customers.

It's also important to avoid neglecting customers who fall into the passive or detractor categories. While highly engaged customers are an important target for marketing messages, it's also important to work on improving the customer experience for customers who are less enthusiastic about your brand. Ignoring these customers can lead to negative reviews and decreased customer loyalty over time.

Finally, it's important to avoid relying solely on technology to implement customer advocacy segmentation. While data analysis tools can be helpful in identifying customer segments, it's also important to use qualitative research methods and direct customer feedback to gain a deeper understanding of customer attitudes and behaviors.

Overall, by being aware of these challenges and pitfalls, businesses can take a more measured and effective approach to customer advocacy segmentation, and build stronger relationships with their customers over time.

Continuous improvement: How to use customer feedback to refine your customer advocacy segmentation

When it comes to customer advocacy segmentation, continuous improvement is essential for long-term success. This means using customer feedback to refine your segmentation strategy over time and ensure that your marketing messages are always speaking directly to your customers' needs and interests.

One of the most important ways to use customer feedback for continuous improvement is by regularly collecting and analyzing data on customer sentiment and behavior. This can be done through surveys, social media monitoring, and other feedback channels. By analyzing this data, you can gain valuable insights into customer preferences and behaviors, and adjust your segmentation strategy accordingly.

Another important aspect of continuous improvement is staying up-to-date with industry trends and best practices. As customer behavior and attitudes change over time, it's important to stay aware of these changes and adjust your segmentation strategy accordingly. This may involve experimenting with new metrics or data sources, or adjusting your messaging to better align with changing customer needs and interests.

It's also important to be open to feedback and willing to make changes based on customer input. This means actively soliciting feedback from customers, and being responsive to their concerns and suggestions. By taking a customer-centric approach to segmentation, you can build stronger relationships with your customers and ensure that your marketing messages are always resonating with their needs and interests.

Overall, continuous improvement is key to success with customer advocacy segmentation. By regularly collecting and analyzing customer feedback, staying up-to-date with industry trends, and being responsive to customer input, businesses can refine their segmentation strategy over time and build stronger relationships with their customers.

Summary

In today's highly competitive business environment, building strong relationships with customers is essential for success. One effective way to do this is by segmenting your customers based on their level of advocacy - that is, their level of engagement and loyalty to your brand. By tailoring your marketing messages to different customer segments, you can better meet their needs and build stronger relationships over time.

To get started with customer advocacy segmentation, it's important to first understand the different levels of advocacy and how to measure them. This can be done through metrics like NPS or other feedback channels.

Once you've identified your different customer segments, the next step is to tailor your marketing messages to each segment's unique needs and interests. This can involve creating targeted campaigns, adjusting messaging to better align with customer preferences, and experimenting with new data sources or metrics.

However, it's also important to be aware of the potential challenges and pitfalls that can arise when implementing customer advocacy segmentation. These may include accurately measuring customer advocacy, avoiding over-segmentation, and neglecting passive or detractor customers.

By being aware of these challenges and pitfalls and using customer feedback for continuous improvement, businesses can successfully implement customer advocacy segmentation and build stronger relationships with their customers over time.

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