rate is low . Other brands stop marketing to a customer after that particular customer has converted ( made a purchase ) instead of staying in touch with and converting that person into a repeat buyer .
In the ascension stage , customers or prospects purchase high-ticket products or services , sign up for subscriptions that bill them monthly , or become loyal , repeat buyers . Assuming that you have done the hard work in Stages 1 – 5 of the customer journey , you should find that some of your leads and customers are ready to buy more , and buy repeatedly . That ’ s because you ’ ve built a relationship with them and effectively communicated the value you can bring to their lives . When you market to your customers in this sequence , they ’ re on the path to becoming brand advocates and promoters ( see the upcoming sections about Steps 7 and 8 ). We discuss different strategies for selling more to your existing customers in Chapter 3 when we cover profit maximizers .
Step 7 : Developing brand advocates
Brand advocates give you testimonials about the fabulous experience they ’ ve had with your brand . They are fans of your company and defend your brand on social media channels and , if asked , leave great reviews for your products or services on sites such as Yelp or Amazon .
Your ability to create brand advocates depends on the relationship you have with these leads and buyers . When you ’ ve reached this step , your customer and your company are like close friends in the sense that developing the relationship to this level took time and effort , and maintaining that relationship — one that is mutually beneficial to both parties — will take time and effort also .
You build this relationship by adding value , delivering on the promise of your product ( meaning that it actually does what you claim it will do ), and with responsive customer service . By consistently delivering quality products and services , you can turn people into brand advocates and ultimately move them into the final step : brand promoter .
Step 8 : Growing brand promoters
Brand promoters go beyond advocacy and do everything from tattooing your logo across their chest ( think Harley Davidson ) to dedicating hours of their free time blogging and using social media to spread their love of your brand online . The difference between an advocate ( Step 7 ) and a brand promoter is that the promoter actively spreads the word about your business , whereas the advocate is more passive .
For brand promoters , your company has become part of their life . They know that your brand is one that they can trust and depend on . Brand promoters believe in you because your brand and your products have delivered exceptional value again and again . They have committed not only their money but also their time to you .