3 BEAUTIFUL OBJECTIONS AND 3 EVEN MORE BEAUTIFUL ANSWERS

“Capture” all possible customers. “Fix” everything that customers ask to imprve. “Is it worth it” to focus only on our fans? This is usually the approach, or sometimes even the obsession, of many brands. Are we sure that it is the right path? 

“Promoters ” of a brand are “fanatics” of that brand: those who assert they are very likely to make diligent and positive word-of-mouth and to give a score of 9 or even 10 to their brand (on a scale of 0 to 10). “Passives” are those who vote 7 or 8: they are satisfied but not enough fascinated to spread the word. “Detractors” are those who vote from 0 to 6: real “detractors”, usually spreading a negative word of mouth.

The relationship between the percentage of a brand’s promoters and detractors forms one of the most important indicators for measuring the health condition customers attribute to that brand: the Net Promoter Score  (Click here).


Intelligent brands are doing anything to collect the email addresses of their fans as they perfectly know that their fortune is coming from the constantly dialogue with them. The dialogue has a dual purpose:

  • building and continuously offering an advanced customer experience (connected with purchase frequency, average receipt value, customer loyalty and investment attractions);
  • approaching new customers through the promoters’ word-of-mouth.

1ST OBJECTION: PROMOTERS ARE ALREADY CONQUERED. INSTEAD, PASSIVE AND DETRACTOR MUST BE CONQUERED!

Answer: the promoters can’t be conquered once and for all. The promoter is interested about the relationship with your brand due to memorable past experiences. This means that the relationship must always be memorable, surprisingly and full of innovation, otherwise he stops to be a promoter and begins to be a passive. On the other hand, in the saturated market it has been seen that, once the claim reasons for the detractor are “settled”, all companies get is to become filled up with costs and other services without managing the detractor to become a promoter. This approach was typical one from the previous economic Age, the  Marketing Age (Click here), during which markets were not that saturated and the client wasn’t so demanding, informed and connected.

2ND OBJECTION: PROMOTERS ARE FANS OF THE BRAND AND THEY JUST COMPLIMENT US. WE HAVE TO LISTEN PARTICULARLY TO PASSIVES AND DETRACTORS TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE HAVE TO IMPROVE.

Answer: When the promoters are listing the reasons for their interest, actually in the same time they are listing the reasons of delusion, in case the brand ignores the reasons for their interest. The more the client is enthusiast about the relationship with a brand, the more will he be “justicialist” if the relationship is betrayed, changing to be a relentless detractor. That’s why it is essential to concentrate on getting to know the reasons for the interest also in the opposite side.

The promoter is very reliable and influential in his interest/critic because he is enthusiastically interested  in the brand promise (Click here). Instead, the critics of the detractors start from a promise which is usually the client’s himself expectation which normally is not that of the brand. That’s why some say that the detractors are not “real” customers of the brand: they actually love other promises!

This also explains why brands with a high index of Net Promoter Score have clear, explicit and maintained promises. Without a clear and explicit brand promise, the brand approaches, confuses and then loses the client who naturally is attracted by a promise alligned with his feelings and with his values.

3ED OBJECTION: IS IT REALLY WORTH IT? HOW MANY CUSTOMERS DO PROMOTERS BRING WITH THEIR WORD-OF-MOUTH?

Answer: a lot, a lot, a lot! Of course, the number depends on so many factors and the first is obviously the type of market. But promoters mostly attract to the brand they are fan of friends and colleagues (especially friends) who have a system of values and preferences similar to theirs. Friend and colleagues who are likely to become additional promoters! Or better, authentic brand customers, available at a major frequency of purchase, a larger value of the average receipt and a higher loyalty.