One of the sad things about many brands, especially eCommerce, is that they don’t fully utilize the opportunity they have to create growth at scale without making a big-budget commitment to digital advertising.

We’ve most likely all heard that 20% of customers account for 80% of the profits. While the numbers may vary from business to business, the truth is that there’s a big difference between the number of slightly profitable, and very profitable consumers. The problem for many businesses already start here. Because the slightly profitable show up in larger numbers, many people don’t contribute as much to the profitability of the company. So they end up making a big push to acquire low-margin customers, without even thinking about the opportunity you have with your most profitable customers. Your real ambassadors.

Many companies are using time and effort to get ambassadors with a big following to join an ambassadors program - where they give perks and free products in an attempt to bribe someone into liking your brand. Why not just leverage your most loyal customers? I understand the value of having your favourite influencer using your products, and it’s a great Top-of-funnel initiative, but it requires resources, and it’s often less effective at driving conversions.

So imagine that you can have someone pay you - to promote your brand. Pretty amazing, right? Many companies look at this opportunity as nothing more than another good customer, but you now know better! Getting started is incredibly easy: Start asking them about why they use your product, in what context and discover what their pains, gains and jobs are with your product. Learn where they talk about their favourite brands. This personal follow-up will be a great start to a long-term relationship. You might think it’s awkward, but these people will appreciate your close contact!

The next point is to nudge them into sharing their great experiences. They have most likely already talked about your brand to their friends, but through regular communications, reminders of incentives and ensuring that they communicate the right message, a single person can create a network effect no digital advertisement or influencer will ever come near!