People these days don't trust traditional ads as much as they used to back in the day. Naturally, businesses are finding new ways to connect with customers. Social media is a big part of this, but just posting corporate stuff isn't enough. People want something real, something they can connect with.
That's where employees come in.
Employees can be the most genuine advocates for a brand. In fact, leads generated through employees are being converted seven times more often than other leads.
But how does employee advocacy give sales a boost?
Let's find out.
How Does Employee Advocacy and Sales Work Together?
With an employee advocacy program, your employees get in sync with the company's social media goals. They understand what to say and what the company aspires to achieve online. When they start posting content that aligns with these goals, it not only brings more visibility for your brand but also has a positive effect on sales.
Here’s how:
Amplifying Reach and Engagement
Messages shared by employees are 24 times more likely to be re-shared than when the brand shares it themselves. This means your brand and its messaging get noticed by more potential customers (and in a more authentic way). This wider reach can attract potential customers, who may then become leads and eventually turn into sales.
But why employee advocacy?
That’s because people trust hearing about your brand more from its employees than from corporate messaging. In fact, 88% of consumers trust recommendations from friends and family more than any other type of marketing.
When employees share their thoughts on industry trends and chat with experts, they build a reputation and, by extension, the reputation of their employer. People start to notice their expertise, which can lead to:
- More engagement
- Followers
- Qualified leads
- Closed deals.
This is important because your potential customers often research online before talking to a salesperson. They might check your website, blogs, videos, or social media. And when they see your employees sharing valuable content it increases their trust in your brand.
Humanizing Your Brand with Relatable Content
Employee advocacy goes beyond simply sharing industry insights.
When your employees authentically share how they use your brand's product or service in their daily lives, it humanizes your brand. This creates a strong connection with your potential customers.
Take Monzo as an example, the online bank that's built an impressive community. In fact, 80% of their new customers join because someone told them to.
Monzo's secret? It's all about the people. Their employees don't just promote the company's features. They share their personal experiences and research like Kate Kerr is doing in this tweet.
This honesty and excitement about the product works much better than any regular ad. It helps to create a lively community where users feel close to both the brand and its people.
Moreover, when your sales team has a strong social media presence filled with such relatable content, it becomes even easier for interested individuals to reach out. They can casually message on platforms like LinkedIn or Twitter without the pressure of a formal sales call. This informal interaction can spark conversations, build rapport, and pave the way for potential leads and sales.
How Employee Advocacy Drives B2B Sales Across the Entire Buyer Journey?
Employee advocacy isn't just a single tactic; it's a powerful strategy that impacts every stage of the B2B sales cycle.
Let's break down the traditional sales cycle into three main phases that lead to a sale:
Awareness
Over 40% of salespeople say that the hardest part of the sales process is building awareness (prospecting). And rightly so, cold calls, emails—it's a time-consuming numbers game. It takes forever to find the right potential customer, and then you've got to write emails or make calls. Not fun.
This is where employee advocacy shines. Here's how it works:
- Empower your employees to share your branded content on their social media.
- Track engagement with the shared content (likes, comments, shares, etc.).
- Analyze the interactions to see if any individuals or companies fit your ideal customer profile.
- Have a salesperson reach out to them on social media. Start with something simple, like asking what they thought of the content or if they have any questions.
- Use employee advocacy to promote your gated content and lead capture efforts.
It might sound simple, but using employee advocacy can make a big difference in your sales. 65% of Salespeople who use social selling are more likely to fill their pipeline, compared to 47% who don't.
Consideration
In the "consideration" phase, potential customers are weighing two things: what's the real problem they need to solve, and if you are the solution?
This is where educational content can be beneficial. Whether it's a video, an ebook, or a whitepaper, make sure your employee advocacy program includes this type of content.
For example, imagine a potential customer struggling with inefficient project management. They know it's a hassle, but they might not realize the root cause.
Now, over here educational content can help them figure out the underlying issue.
For example, let's say your employee shares a post named "the top five signs you need new project management software" or a video demonstrating your software's unique features. Now this can be a lightbulb moment for your potential customer.
The educational content helps them pinpoint the underlying issue. At the same time it also introduces them to a solution they may not have even known existed.
This approach goes beyond simple product promotion. It positions your company as a helpful resource. At the same time, it demonstrates that you understand the customer's pain points and have the expertise to solve them.
Decision
4 out of 10 sales reps have closed deals because of social media. Not just one or two deals, but multiple. Plus, using social selling tools can boost your win rate by 5% and make your deals 35% bigger.
Now, when prospects are making decisions, they need proof that your product is the best solution. This could be:
- Case studies showing your product's success in action
- Awards highlighting industry recognition
- Testimonials from satisfied customers
- New product or feature launches
- News about your company's growth
Anything that gives them that extra confidence they need to choose you. The more comfortable they feel with your brand, the more likely they are going to convert.
Employee advocacy can get this content right in front of them on social media. Because when your employees share company success stories or customer testimonials, it amplifies the reach and credibility of your brand. This builds trust with potential customers. Plus, it also positions your employees as trusted advisors in their networks.
Doing Employee Advocacy Right
Now that you know how impactful employee advocacy can be for your sales efforts, start with the planning and strategy-making process to implement an advocacy program in your organization. Here are some best practices to keep in mind:
- Create value-infused, celebratory, and engaging content for your employees to share
- Incentivize employee participation with the help of recognition and reward programs
- Help employees build their professional reputations by sharing industry-related content
- Cultivate a work environment where employees feel valued and motivated to share their experiences
- Solicit feedback from employees to understand what motivates them and how the program can be improved
Initiating an employee advocacy program is no easy task, but the right software can make the process significantly easier. Highperformr is one such tool that can streamline your employee advocacy workflow from the beginning to the end.
Highperformr is a complete social media management platform that comes with its own employee advocacy suite. Highperformr is purpose-built to empower your employees to amplify their voices on social media. Highperformr’s AI-powered content creation, distribution, and publishing platform makes it easy to share branded content and improve your organic engagement with zero ad spending.
Leverage the Power of Employee Advocacy and Increase Sales Figures
When your employees share your content, it's more than just getting it in front of more eyes. It's their personal stamp of approval, making it more interesting and valuable to others.
People trust people, not faceless companies. That's why employee advocacy is so effective in the marketing world. Take the first step towards a result-driven employee advocacy program with Highperformr. Highperformr brings you and your employees all the necessary tools needed to create, optimize, and distribute brand-aware content across social media.
