What is an Advocate?

TL;DR

Advocate is a customer, employee, or channel partner who promotes a brand or solution. They share positive experiences, influencing others through testimonials and recommendations. This helps expand a partner ecosystem, driving channel sales and attracting new partners to a partner program.

Key Insight

Advocates are the authentic voices of your partner ecosystem. Their genuine endorsements cut through marketing noise. They build trust and credibility faster than any traditional campaign. Empowering and recognizing advocates is a direct path to accelerated growth and stronger channel sales.

1. Introduction

An advocate is a person or organization actively promoting a brand, product, or solution. Sharing positive experiences, advocates champion its value, often influencing others' purchasing decisions. For instance, an IT channel partner might advocate for a software vendor, sharing their success in implementing the software for clients. Such practice helps the vendor attract new partners to their partner program.

Building trust through authentic recommendations, advocates provide testimonials, case studies, and word-of-mouth promotion. In manufacturing, a distributor can advocate for a specific equipment manufacturer, highlighting the equipment's reliability and efficiency to potential buyers. Strengthening the manufacturer's channel sales efforts, advocates are crucial for expanding a partner ecosystem.

2. Context/Background

The concept of advocacy, with its reliance on word-of-mouth referrals, is not new to business. In today's digital world, however, advocacy takes on new forms, with social media and online reviews amplifying an advocate's voice. Strong advocates help overcome buyer skepticism, providing credible, third-party validation. This is especially important in complex B2B sales cycles.

For partner ecosystems, advocates are essential, whether they are customers, employees, or channel partners. A partner program thrives on positive external validation, as advocates help recruit new partners and existing partners sell more. Building a reputation of reliability and success, their contributions are significant.

3. Core Principles

• Authenticity: Advocates share genuine experiences. Their recommendations are believable.
• Credibility: Advocates are trusted sources of information. Their opinions carry weight.
• Influence: Advocates inspire others to action. They can drive purchasing decisions.
• Reciprocity: Advocates often receive recognition or benefits. This encourages continued support.
• Visibility: Advocates share their stories publicly. This increases brand awareness.

4. Implementation

1. Identify Potential Advocates: Look for satisfied customers, successful partners, or engaged employees.
2. Gather Success Stories: Collect testimonials, case studies, and usage data.
3. Provide Advocacy Tools: Offer templates for reviews, social media posts, or presentation slides.
4. Recognize and Reward: Acknowledge advocates publicly. Offer exclusive access or incentives.
5. Support Sharing: Create platforms for advocates to share their experiences easily.
6. Measure Impact: Track how advocacy influences sales, recruitment, or brand perception.

5. Best Practices vs Pitfalls

Best Practices: Do actively seek out and nurture advocate relationships. Do provide clear guidelines for sharing information. Do personalize your interactions with advocates. Do listen to advocate feedback to improve offerings. * Do showcase advocate successes prominently.

Pitfalls: Don't force advocacy; it must be genuine. Don't over-incentivize to the point of artificiality. Don't neglect to follow up with advocate leads. Don't fail to recognize their contributions. * Don't make sharing difficult or time-consuming.

6. Advanced Applications

1. Formal Advocate Programs: Create structured programs with tiers and benefits.
2. Referral Networks: Establish systems for advocates to refer new business or partners.
3. Co-Selling Initiatives: Involve channel partners as advocates in joint sales efforts.
4. Content Creation: Partner with advocates to create case studies, webinars, or blog posts.
5. Event Participation: Feature advocates as speakers or panelists at industry events.
6. Product Feedback Loops: Engage advocates in early product testing and feedback.

7. Ecosystem Integration

Advocacy touches several POEM lifecycle pillars. During Recruit, advocates attract new channel partners, with their positive stories validating the partner program. In Enable, advocates share best practices and success stories, helping other partners learn and grow. For Market, advocates generate organic buzz and credibility, and their testimonials are powerful through-channel marketing assets. During Sell, advocates can participate in co-selling efforts, providing customer references that close deals. In Incentivize, recognizing advocates reinforces their loyalty, encouraging continued support and referrals. Advocacy is a continuous cycle that strengthens the entire partner ecosystem.

8. Conclusion

Advocates are invaluable assets for extending a brand's reach and building trust. They achieve this through authentic recommendations and shared experiences. For partner ecosystems, advocates drive growth and credibility, attracting new partners and accelerating sales.

Building an advocate network requires strategic effort, involving identifying, nurturing, and recognizing these key individuals. By doing so, organizations can significantly strengthen their partner relationship management, leading to a more robust and successful partner ecosystem.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an advocate in a partner ecosystem?

An advocate is someone who actively promotes a brand or solution. They share positive experiences with others. This person could be a customer, an employee, or a channel partner. Their support helps drive new business and build trust. They champion the brand's value and influence purchasing decisions. For example, a software reseller might advocate for a specific cloud platform. This helps grow the platform's user base.

How do advocates help B2B companies?

Advocates help B2B companies by spreading positive word-of-mouth. They provide testimonials and case studies. This builds credibility and trust with potential clients. For IT companies, a partner advocating for their software can lead to new sales. In manufacturing, a distributor advocating for a machine can increase equipment sales. Their recommendations are highly trusted by prospects.

Why are advocates important for partner programs?

Advocates are crucial for expanding a partner ecosystem. They attract new partners and customers. Their positive experiences show the value of joining a partner program. A successful IT channel partner, for instance, can inspire others to sell the same software. This strengthens the entire sales channel. Their endorsement speeds up growth and adoption.

When should a company encourage advocacy?

Companies should encourage advocacy after partners or customers have positive experiences. This is often after successful project implementations or product use. For a software vendor, this means after a partner closes a big deal. For a manufacturing firm, it's after a distributor successfully installs equipment. Prompt encouragement captures enthusiasm and strengthens relationships.

Who can be an advocate for a B2B solution?

Many people can be B2B solution advocates. This includes satisfied customers who love the product. Employees who believe in the company also make great advocates. Crucially, channel partners who successfully implement solutions are powerful advocates. For example, an IT consultant who recommends your CRM is an advocate. A manufacturing representative promoting your machinery is also an advocate.

Which forms of advocacy are most effective?

Effective advocacy comes in many forms. Testimonials, case studies, and online reviews are very impactful. Word-of-mouth recommendations are also powerful. Partners sharing their success stories at industry events are highly effective. For example, a manufacturing distributor showcasing efficiency gains with your equipment is a strong advocate. These real-world examples resonate with potential buyers.

What is the role of an IT channel partner as an advocate?

An IT channel partner advocates by sharing their success. They highlight how a vendor's software helped their clients. This could involve improved efficiency or cost savings. They might present case studies or give testimonials. Their advocacy helps the vendor attract more partners. It also convinces end-users to adopt the software. This strengthens the vendor's market position.

How does an advocate influence purchasing decisions?

Advocates influence purchasing decisions through trusted recommendations. People trust personal experiences more than advertisements. An advocate shares their positive results and genuine satisfaction. For a manufacturing client, a peer's review of equipment reliability is persuasive. In IT, a partner's success story with a platform can seal a deal. Their endorsement builds confidence.

What is the difference between an advocate and a salesperson?

An advocate promotes a brand based on personal experience and belief. They are not directly compensated for each sale. A salesperson's primary role is to sell products. They earn commissions or salaries based on sales targets. Advocates offer unbiased opinions, which builds trust. Salespeople focus on closing deals. Both roles are important for business growth.

How can a manufacturing distributor act as an advocate?

A manufacturing distributor acts as an advocate by highlighting equipment benefits. They share success stories of improved production and reduced downtime. They can showcase the equipment's reliability and efficiency to potential buyers. This strengthens the manufacturer's channel sales. Their practical insights and positive experiences are very convincing to other businesses.

What are the benefits of having advocates for a B2B brand?

Having advocates brings many benefits to a B2B brand. It increases brand credibility and trust. Advocates generate authentic leads and reduce marketing costs. They help shorten sales cycles by providing social proof. For example, a trusted partner's endorsement can quickly close a deal. This organic growth is highly valuable for any business.

How can companies identify potential advocates?

Companies can identify potential advocates by tracking positive feedback. Look for customers or partners who achieve significant success. Monitor online reviews and social media mentions. Engage with those who consistently praise your products or services. For example, an IT partner with consistently high customer satisfaction scores is a strong candidate. Ask happy clients if they are willing to share their story.