1、Unboxing Must-Have Marketing Campaigns:Referrals&AdvocacyIn this ongoing series,well be“unboxing”must-have digital marketing campaigns and programs vital to success.In this installment,well take a look at referral programs,often known as“refer-a-friend”or advocacy campaigns.Who Are Your“Advocates”an

2、d What Is Advocacy?In Customer Relationship Marketing lingo,your“advocates”are your best,most informed,most loyal customers.Theyve completed the journey to becoming your customer and understand your products and services.They know and trust you.Most of all,theyre your source of referrals.Advocacy is

3、 the process by which these best customers will recommend and refer you to new prospective customers.Traditionally,referrals occurred mostly by word-of-mouth and still do,but in digital channelslike social media,email and mobilegrease the skids by making referring easy and effortless,if not organic.

4、All it takes is a few minutes to forward an email to a friend or share on social and“word-of-click”becomes a prime opportunity you can leverage intentionally.Heres why if you dont have an advocacy program already,you should.Unboxing Must-Have Marketing Campaigns:Referrals&Advocacy|1Asking for an Int

5、ro to Their FriendsDespite how easy and impersonal“word-of-click”can be,referrals are a personal,considered process,and we would do well to design advocacy programs and campaigns that support them with a strong human(vs.decidedly tech)touch.A successful referral program isnt just about using your ex

6、isting customers to gain new leads.Its really about asking your best customers to make introductionsto their closest friends and family members,the people they care most abouton your behalf.Just as in business networking and personal social circles,were not going to make introductions willy-nilly to