four essential elements for employee advocacy

Samantha StoneAuthor, Founder & CMO The Marketing Advisory Network

FOUR ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF EMPLOYEE ADVOCACY

Only 3% of employees share company-related content

Source:LinkedIn

Copyright2017MarketingAdvisoryNetworkwww.unleashpossible.com @samanthastone

But they drive a 30% increase in total likes, shares, and comments

Source: LinkedIn


78%Employees say something positive about their employer to someone else directly


3%

You can eliminate 70% of the big obstacles holding employees back


#1 Treat employees as individuals


A passionate workforce drives advocacy


#2 Write down guidelines



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TrainingorGuidelinesProvided NoTrainingorGuidelines

69% of the people who

never advocate work for

organizations that have no

written guidelines or

training

It drops to less than

40% when guidelines or training are

offered

#3 Create content for multiple channels


Provide prompts


#4 Take a programmatic approach


Measure the right thingsEmployeeRecruitment Increaseparticipation Grow reach Increaseimpact

• #ofqualifiedjobapplicationsperopenposition

• #ofemployeereferrals• Acceptancerateonjoboffers

• Percentofemployeeswhosharedworkrelatedcontenteachmonth

• Averagenumberofworkrelatedpostsperemployeeperquarter

Note:Ifyouarefocusedonaspecificfunctionorgeographybesuretomeasure%change

fromthepreviousperiodforthatgroup.

• %growthinemployeefollowersbychannel(pickoneortwotofocusoninitially)

• #ofinboundinquiriessourcedbyemployees

• $valueofrevenuegenerated/influenced

• %ofemployeeshittingaminimumthresholdofengagement


Don’t forget incentives


Consider a technology assist• Measurement• Training• Create a feedback loop (rewards, leaderboards, gamification, engagement insights)

• Content distribution



A study conducted by the Aberdeen Group revealed that companies with formal employee advocacy programs have a 26% increase in year over year revenue.

Source: EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT TO EMPLOYEE ADVOCACY: A NATURAL PROGRESSION” August 2016

4 key take aways• Segment employees as you

would your customer community• Write down social sharing

guidelines & offer training• Provide prompts for several

channels• Use reward programs to drive

momentum


You can do it GIF