Introduction

Customer advocacy and word-of-mouth (WOM) are powerful drivers of customer loyalty, brand awareness, and business growth. A strong customer advocacy program can turn satisfied customers into passionate brand ambassadors, creating organic, authentic, and impactful marketing. This course is designed to provide participants with the tools, strategies, and best practices to cultivate customer advocacy and leverage word-of-mouth strategies to elevate customer engagement and drive business success.

Objectives

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Understand the importance of customer advocacy and word-of-mouth in modern marketing strategies.
2. Develop and implement strategies to turn loyal customers into advocates.
3. Create effective advocacy programs that foster customer engagement and loyalty.
4. Leverage word-of-mouth marketing to amplify brand messaging and drive referrals.
5. Measure and analyze the impact of customer advocacy and WOM on business growth.
6. Integrate customer advocacy into broader marketing and customer experience strategies.
7. Handle negative word-of-mouth and transform dissatisfied customers into loyal advocates.

Who Should Attend?

This course is ideal for:

• Customer experience managers and teams.
• Marketing professionals focused on brand loyalty and advocacy.
• Social media and community managers responsible for customer engagement.
• Sales and account managers who work with customers directly.
• Business leaders looking to build stronger relationships with customers.
• Anyone interested in learning how to generate customer loyalty through advocacy and WOM strategies.

Course Outline

Day 1: Introduction to Customer Advocacy and Word-of-Mouth Marketing

• Morning Session: Understanding Customer Advocacy

  • What is customer advocacy and why it’s critical for business success.
  • The difference between loyal customers and advocates.
  • The role of customer advocates in brand growth and reputation management.
  • Case studies: Brands that have successfully built strong advocacy programs.

• Afternoon Session: The Power of Word-of-Mouth

  • What is word-of-mouth marketing and how it influences consumer behavior.
  • The science behind WOM: Trust, social proof, and emotional connection.
  • How to measure the effectiveness of word-of-mouth campaigns.
  • The impact of digital and social media on word-of-mouth marketing.

Day 2: Building a Customer Advocacy Program

• Morning Session: Identifying and Nurturing Customer Advocates

  • Identifying customers who are most likely to become advocates (using NPS, CSAT, and other metrics).
  • How to recognize and segment customer advocates based on engagement and loyalty.
  • Creating a personal connection with customers to foster advocacy.
  • Strategies to deepen customer relationships and build trust.

• Afternoon Session: Designing an Advocacy Program

  • Structuring a customer advocacy program: Rewards, recognition, and incentives.
  • How to engage advocates: Encouraging them to share their positive experiences.
  • Building advocacy through community involvement, online reviews, and testimonials.
  • Case study: Building a successful customer advocacy program and its impact on business.

Day 3: Leveraging Word-of-Mouth Marketing

• Morning Session: Creating and Amplifying Word-of-Mouth Campaigns

  • Techniques to encourage customers to share their experiences (referral programs, social media contests, etc.).
  • Creating shareable content: How to craft messaging that resonates and inspires customers to talk about your brand.
  • Influencers and micro-influencers: Leveraging the power of third-party advocates.
  • How to use testimonials, case studies, and user-generated content in your WOM strategy.

• Afternoon Session: Managing Word-of-Mouth on Digital Platforms

  • Monitoring and engaging with customers on social media to amplify word-of-mouth.
  • Using social listening tools to track mentions and respond in real-time.
  • Handling negative word-of-mouth: Turning complaints into opportunities for improvement.
  • Managing customer reviews and ratings on platforms like Google, Yelp, and Trustpilot.

Day 4: Measuring the Impact of Advocacy and Word-of-Mouth

• Morning Session: Key Metrics for Measuring Advocacy

  • Tracking and measuring customer advocacy success: NPS, referral rates, and engagement.
  • The importance of customer lifetime value (CLV) in evaluating advocacy programs.
  • Analyzing customer feedback to gauge the effectiveness of advocacy efforts.
  • Tools for tracking customer advocacy performance and identifying areas for improvement.

• Afternoon Session: Measuring the Impact of Word-of-Mouth

  • Metrics for measuring WOM impact: Share of voice, brand mentions, and referral conversions.
  • How to calculate ROI for word-of-mouth marketing campaigns.
  • Using customer satisfaction and feedback to improve WOM campaigns.
  • Case study: Measuring the success of a WOM campaign and interpreting the results.

Day 5: Integrating Advocacy and WOM into Customer Experience Strategy

• Morning Session: Aligning Advocacy and WOM with Overall Marketing Strategy

  • How to align customer advocacy and WOM strategies with business goals.
  • Integrating advocacy into marketing, sales, and customer service processes.
  • How customer advocacy and WOM contribute to brand positioning and differentiation.
  • Creating a seamless customer experience that encourages advocacy at all stages of the journey.

• Afternoon Session: Developing an Actionable Advocacy and WOM Plan

  • Creating an actionable plan for building customer advocacy and WOM in your organization.
  • How to get buy-in from leadership and cross-functional teams to support advocacy initiatives.
  • Best practices for sustaining advocacy programs and scaling them as the business grows.
  • Final project: Participants will develop a customer advocacy and WOM plan for their organization, incorporating strategies learned throughout the course.

Training Methodology

This course blends theory with practical application, ensuring participants gain hands-on experience:

• Interactive Workshops: Participants will create advocacy programs, WOM campaigns, and measurement strategies tailored to their organizations.
• Case Studies: Real-world examples of businesses successfully using advocacy and WOM strategies.
• Group Discussions: Collaborative sessions where participants can share ideas and best practices.
• Role-Playing: Simulating customer advocacy and WOM scenarios to practice engaging and empowering customers.
• Feedback and Coaching: Continuous feedback on participants’ strategies, campaigns, and plans.