Supercharging Your Brand Advocacy Program:

The Secrets to Making Relationships That Last

Jess Skelton, TripIt

@Jess_Skel @TripIt

This is What We’ll Be Talking About

• Who in the world is this woman?

• Who are TripIt’s brand advocates?

• What’s the value of relationships & how do they fit into your brand advocate strategy

• How to create a relationship action plan to supercharge your advocacy program

Some of our strongest advocates—our employees!

@Jess_Skel @TripIt

This is Me! All your travel plans in one place

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TripIt’s social media & content marketing manager

Animal lover, wine drinker, wanderlust haver, & not an actual cowgirl

Attended first TBEX in 2012 (Keystone)

@Jess_Skel @TripIt

@Jess_Skel @TripIt

Influencers

Users

Employees

EventsEvents

Blog

TripIt’s Brand Advocacy Program

PR

The Anatomy of TripIt’s

Brand Advocates

Make Meaningful Connections

“Business is personal, and relationships do matter. This is a team sport. You are dependent on others for your success” - Morag Barrett, CEO & Founder of SkyeTeam and author of “Cultivate. The Power of Winning Relationships”

@Jess_Skel @TripIt

Create a 5 Step Relationship Action Plan to Supercharge Your Advocacy Program

1. Define

2. Identify & Engage

3. Align

4. Measure

5. Extend

@Jess_Skel @TripIt

Step 1: Define DO define your relationship

objectives

DO tie these objectives back to your business goals

DO get in the right mindset

✕ DON’T have unreasonable expectations

@Jess_Skel @TripIt

Step 2: Identify & EngageDO look at who’s already vocal

DO find advocates who genuinely interest you

DO remember that business is personal

✕DON’T forget to do your research

@Jess_Skel @TripIt

Step 3: Align DO ask what you can do for

your advocates

DO provide context and education

DO the heavy lifting

✕ DON’T be impatient

@Jess_Skel @TripIt

Step 4: Measure DO measure performance

against specific KPIs

DO benchmark & record learnings

DO share takeaways with your advocate

✕ DON’T be discouraged

@Jess_Skel @TripIt

Step 5: Extend DO have a crypt sheet on all

advocates you’ve worked with

Do gameify or engage when possible

DO celebrate your advocates as often as possible

✕ DON’T lose touch

@Jess_Skel @TripIt

@Jess_Skel @TripIt@Jess_Skel @TripIt

Influencers – Relationship Action Plan

@Jess_Skel @TripIt

Employee – Relationship Action Plan

@Jess_Skel @TripIt

Real Time – Relationship Action Plan

@Jess_Skel @TripIt