Account execs guard reliable customer references more closely than the “good” ergonomic chairs. Why? Because customers who can speak with experience and authority have power over B2B buyers’ decisions. A customer with wide reach and relevant opinions can put a seller on a buyers’ short list; a former customer who was not satisfied can bump a provider to the bottom. B2B companies must master how to activate customer voices to drive buying decisions.

How Do Customers Affect B2B Buying Decisions? 

Existing customers play a substantial role in buying networks, the dozens of internal and external sources that inform buying group decisions. B2B buyers consider industry peers among their top five trusted sources. Forrester’s most recent buyers’ journey research shows global business buyers identify interaction with like-minded customers as one of the top three social media interactions during their buying process.

You can’t control what customers say to each other and to prospects, where they speak, write, or record, or with whom they engage. But you’re not powerless over customers’ role in the buying network. Our new report, Amplify Customer Voices To Support Buying Decisions​ (Forrester license required) will help you understand the influence of your customers on buyers’ choices and how to nurture customers to advocate, sharing their stories with peers and influencers. 

How Can You Activate Customer Voices To Drive Buying Decisions?

Customers deliver the information buyers need through word of mouth, peer reviews, testimonials, communities, and reference calls. Case studies, for example, routinely show up among the most desirable content assets for buyers. Customers can speak in detail, addressing real questions about the offering and the seller. Their information is often recent, and realistic. It’s also trustworthy: Customers are typically not beholden to delivering a point of view other than their own.

Companies with strong customer advocacy don’t leave this powerful resource to chance.

  • Help customers attain value, which leads to positive references and compelling case studies. Customers who attain value have stories to share, a stake in your success, and a willingness to associate themselves with your brand. The essence of customer obsession is ensuring maximum value for the customer and the company, and everyone who works with customers has a role. Understand your customers’ needs and preferences, discuss measurable outcomes, and create a plan to get them there. 
  • Create a resonant experience for customer advocates from which they get symbolic and experiential value rather than one-off “favors.”  Advocate management isn’t only about keeping your list organized. It means building experiences that show you appreciate advocates. Opportunities abound for creativity here: Offer active advocates access to executives, invite-only event experiences, useful rewards, and networking to boost their brand and careers.  
  • “Influence the influencers” by keeping customers informed. Buyers find and interact with your customers through a variety of channels. Some you’ll know, such as references and online community conversations. Some you won’t know until later: conversations at events and in forums to which you don’t have access. Help customers stay on top of your product, so they have accurate information wherever they choose to share it. Personalized communications, first-look (within the bounds of regulations) at upcoming business and product developments, customer councils and advisory boards, and talking points or key pieces of information help customers stay on top of your product and messages. 

How Can You Be More Effective In Nurturing Advocates?

You might already have ‘random acts of advocacy’ throughout your company. The key to scale, efficiency, and credible measurement is moving to strategic advocacy. Customer advocacy strategy begins with objectives: enhanced reputation, demand generation, acceleration of specific opportunities already in the pipeline. Program, tactic, and resource decisions must map to those objectives. A strategy includes achievable goals and how to measure impact of advocacy. And it puts advocates at the center of this effort to ensure being an advocate is part of their own customer experience.  

Ready to activate your customers’ voices to drive buying decisions and learn more about Forrester’s Customer Advocacy Model? Reach out for a conversation about creating and activating your customer advocacy strategy.