As a result, many companies actively encourage their employees to be brand advocates by promoting the company’s products to their friends, family, and the broader public.
Employees are typically the finest product advocates – if they are passionate about their workplace and care about its bottom line, they are likely to be inclined towards their company’s brand. That’s understandable: greater brand positioning assures higher revenues, bonuses, and other benefits.
If you want to transform employees into brand ambassadors, you must be a brand worth advocating for. If your products and services are subpar, and your atmosphere is hostile and employees are mistreated, chances are they’d rather leave than go against their personal principles and promote something they don’t believe in.
Why aren’t incentives enough?
Many companies provide incentives for employee advocacy, whether through referral bonuses, discounts for friends and family, or internal badges of honor. While rewards might be satisfying, they should not be the primary reason for employees to advocate, and it is up to the organization to make that distinction. Brands that are worth advocating for can count on a loyal and passionate staff base to spread the word – without offering incentives – since their conviction in the brand is based on its quality and values.
Genuine advocacy is required.
Second, employees should not feel frightened by the prospect of losing their jobs if they choose not to advocate. Recently, the CEO of a large technology business stated at an all-company meeting that he expected every employee to “sell” his services to their personal networks. The problem was that the services were sometimes subpar, and employees didn’t feel comfortable recommending them to people they care about. As the CEO stated, the other choice was to leave the company. Despite the brand’s perceived size and repute, employees began to question their future and hunt for work elsewhere.
Advocacy should be real, and advocacy should be based on integrity. If this is not the case, it runs the danger of alienating employees from their employer and jeopardizing personal ties.
How to Raise Advocacy
Listening, informing, and engaging are the first steps in advocacy. When companies ask their employees to advocate for them, whether it’s for their products, services, or the company as an employer, it’s the company’s responsibility to provide enough information so that employees can make their own decisions about using those products and services and promoting the brand. That information should always be readily available and easily accessible, and it should be communicated to employees in an interesting manner.
Some businesses run internal campaigns at certain periods of the year to increase sales by asking employees to suggest their products to friends and family in exchange for a referral bonus. The rest of the year, little internal advertising of the same products is done. As a result, the advertisements come across as pushy and sales-y, with little regard for what employees, much alone their friends and family, genuinely desire. Before making a request, wise organizations will solicit feedback from their employee base – engaged employees can be a tremendous source of truth, assisting their employers in understanding market demands and developing not only the advocacy program but also the products and services they sell.
Some businesses ask their staff to act as brand storytellers. While all good brands tell stories, businesses must spend in internal communications and employer branding to guarantee their tales are heard by employees. A firm cannot expect employees to be informed on the benefits of the brand offering, have an emotional connection to the brand, and go out of their way to act as advocates unless they make an effort to link them to the brand story. Great employer brand communications go beyond informing; they engage employees in a way that resonates and forges bonds based on pride, passion, and conviction.
Companies seeking employee advocates must ensure that: 1. They provide high-quality products and services; 2. Those products and services resonate with employees; 3. Advocacy stems from genuine concern rather than a desire for a reward; 4. There is no fear of repercussions if employees choose not to advocate; 5. Employees are familiar with the benefits; 6. Employees are active participants in the advocacy program and provide feedback; 7. Employees have the tools a
Companies wanting employee advocates must guarantee that: 1. they deliver high-quality products and services; 2. those products and services are appealing to employees; and 3. those products and services are appealing to employees. 3. Advocacy is motivated by genuine concern rather than a desire for a reward; 4. There is no fear of sanctions if employees choose not to advocate; 5. Employees are aware of the benefits; 6. Employees participate actively in the advocacy program and provide feedback; 7. Employees have the necessary tools.