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Cultivate Brand Influencers and Superfans

April 5, 2018

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Word of mouth has always been the strongest and most effective form of advertising. Back in the day, your audience sought advice from a small circle of friends and family. But today, social media-savvy consumers have a much wider circle of influence. The great news is that you can now be in on the conversation and can even cultivate real relationships with brand influencers, and superfans.

This type of audience is often highly connected and wants to engage with brands on a personal level. They will even willingly amplify a brand’s image…if they are truly passionate about your product, service, mission, credo, community, or business model. So, it really becomes your job to deliver a brand experience that captures, enthralls, and embraces your best fans – and gives them something to shout about.

What are some brands that are known for their superfans? Harley Davidson, Apple, Nike, Starbucks, and although I’m a Pats fan (being from New England and all), the Green Bay Packers have the most intense superfans – in fact, they’re the only NFL team that is actually owned by its players. While you may not be a multi-million (or billion) dollar company, you can still create a strong following. Here are some ideas to foster your brand influencers and superfan relationships:

• Be clear with your position – give fans something amazing to stand behind
• Listen, learn, participate in social media platforms that your fan base utilizes most
• Be generous with those who promote, share,and comment on your brand: give them discounts, free swag, recognize them in your marketing and on social media
• Strive for exceptional customer experiences at every touchpoint
• Ask superfans for content or give them content that they can share about your brand
• Build platforms or communities where your top fans can share the passion of your brand (e.g. events, VIP shopping days, Facebook group page, consumer insight or advisory panel, insiders club, etc.)
• Most of all, be appreciative and show your brand influencers and superfans the love – they are the key to your growing business

Author:

Christine Tieri, President and Certified Brand Strategist at Idea Agency