Every SMB leverages organic growth to expand their business. From incentive programs to campaigns that promote user-generated content, there isn’t a shortage of ways to drive organic revenue without spending a cent. But there’s one hidden resource most SMBs haven’t tapped into yet: their power users.
Who Are Power Users?
Power users are a brand’s most active and engaged customers. They rave about products they love, give the best feedback, and on average have a higher brand loyalty across the board. Plus, they know your product or service better than anyone else.
You probably know who these users are. But did you know they’re your brand’s most valuable hidden asset? Most businesses neglect to recognize the true value of their power users in their organic marketing efforts and miss out on wasted precious ROI. Are you one of them?
The fact is, power users are five times more valuable than average users. Not only do they spend twice as much, but research shows that building and maintaining relationships with these kinds of customers can pay off big time in the long run. A study by Brand Key suggests that a loyalty increase of just 7% can boost the lifetime profits of a customer by as much as 85%. Woah. That means that by focusing your efforts on a core group of top users, brands can see long-term ROI come back to them over the course of a lifetime.
Building an Inner Circle of Power Users
If you aren’t working on building these kinds of relationships––you should be. If you’re still throwing money at paid influencers to promote your service or product, you’re missing out on what could turn out to be your competitive edge in a crowded marketplace. The reality is, building relationships with power users isn’t difficult. You can start by creating a small, tight-knit community––an inner circle if you will. Invite your most active and engaged users to be a part of it. Doing so not only shows customers you recognize them for their loyalty and contribution but that you want them to be a part of your growth too. Plus, making it exclusive hypes engagement ten-fold.
Leveraging Power Users for Organic Growth
Let’s take a look at just a few ways you can benefit from building a community of your power users:
1. User-Generated Content
Ask customers to share user-generated content with their followers. When power users share personal photos or photos about your product or service, it’s more likely to have a greater reach because of its authenticity. Boxed Water, a sustainable drinking water company, re-posts their customers’ Instagram photos on their Instagram. In fact, almost all of their Instagram photos are from customers – making loyal customers feel appreciated and recognized.
2. Customer Testimonials
Testimonials about your business is a great way to produce social-proof. User social proof is when your users recommend your products and services based on their experiences with your brand. This, in turn, drives higher acquisition rates among potential customers who may have never heard of you before.
3. Polls
Get anything from customer experience feedback to product feedback using surveys. Who knows your product or service better than the customers who use it most? Make power users feel a part of the product-development cycle by giving them a stage to voice their opinions and thoughts. Reach out to hyper-engaged users to get honest, real-time feedback on new features, campaigns, or products. Most will jump at the chance to tell you what they think about your product or service and how you can improve.
Turn Your Customer Into Your Competitive Edge
Your power users are an untapped resource of value and information. As SMBs look for ways to grow and monetize, they should be turning to their most engaged customers to join the effort. Because, let’s face it, who knows your product or service better than the customers who use it most? Recognize your most valuable customers for their true value, and they’ll reward you right back with loyalty and trust.
So what are you waiting for?
Start building better relationships with your power users today with Innercircle:
