Lately, I've been asked a common question: "How do you handle resistance when setting up your customer advocacy program?" Crafting these initiatives is no easy task. While the end goal is solidifying lasting customer loyalty, the first hurdle is gaining support from internal teams — pivotal players in the program's success.
A frequent stumbling block involves customer success or sales teams hesitant to share potential customer references. This can be disheartening for advocacy marketers relying on these valuable relationships. While it might seem like the challenge lies in persuading account managers to share references, I invite fellow advocacy marketing professionals to look beyond the surface-level business processes and toward the emotional dynamics that make our work unique.
"Empathy"
This has been my consistent response to questions about pushback in building a customer advocacy program. At the core of advocacy marketing is infusing a human experience into business. We understand the significance of customer relationships, but do we extend the same empathy to internal teams?
A team resistant to sharing customer information isn't inherently stubborn. It often stems from a deep value placed on relationships with customers. Without recognizing the benefits your advocacy program brings to their customers, it may feel like you're asking them to expose their clients to potential demands that could strain those relationships.
Early in my journey into customer advocacy marketing, I became frustrated when teams didn't share my vision. Customer advocacy felt like such an obvious answer to many of the needs the business had while also answering the demands of our customers. It changed when I started asking, "What are they feeling, and how can I support them?" Prioritizing the needs and feelings of the teams I collaborated with enabled me to build a more robust advocacy program, expanding the value of use cases and smoothing the reference acquisition process.
Relationship managers want to see their customers succeed. Framing your reference program as an opportunity for your brightest customers to share their expertise is a way to navigate pushback. This highlights the value of elevated recognition for the best customers (and the account managers and customer success teams that support them).
Every request should bring value not only to the customer but also to the business functions you are collaborating with to create these experiences for customers.
As advocacy marketing professionals, we're magicians of relationships between brands and consumers. We transform business functions into opportunities that enhance customer experiences and strengthen relationships. Prioritizing empathy in your approach brings a human touch to your marketing, transforming your advocacy program from transactional to inspiring.
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