5 Reasons to Create a Customer Advisory Board

In case you’re on the fence about starting up a Customer Advisory Board (CAB) for your organisation, we’ve listed five key reasons why you should consider it. These points outline how starting up a CAB can positively influence your business.

Customer Insight

Regular CAB sessions, provide valuable and targeted feedback about your market’s demographic, spending insights and what they’re after. Customer advisory boards allow you to gather information about what is working with your service or product – and what isn’t! These structured meetings give you concrete knowledge. You will be able to “know” what is (and isn’t) working and not “think” that you know. It’s an opportunity to get inside the hearts and minds of your consumers. It’s an avenue for you to build deeper relationships with your customers and hear how they feel about your current offerings. By investing in a CAB, you could grow your business to be more profitable and cut out unnecessary expenditures.

Client Referrals

Upon carrying out successful CAB sessions, you immediately open up the floor for your CAB members to refer your service, product and business. Happy customers talk. And word of mouth is the most powerful and most listened to source. If your CAB members walk away feeling heard and see their feedback is truly valued, they’ll want to share their CAB experience; plus the product.

Think about a product you love. Have you told your colleagues about how wonderful it is? Do you feel delighted and appreciative when you use it? It could be as simple as the washing detergent tablets you put in your dishwasher, a new BBQ grill or even your brand new mattress. Isn’t this deep satisfaction the very thing that’ll have you sending your friends to their stores or purchasing their brand?!

Marketing Planning

A well planned CAB can provide great insight into many aspects needed for marketing and PR solutions. You can learn: where your customers shop, what publications they read, who they seek advice from around essential purchases and even what terminology they are punching into Google search. Gaining this type of knowledge firsthand can fine tune your marketing and PR initiatives and save you from spending in places that you won’t see a return on investment.

Increase in Customer Spend

When you have an honest and strong relationship with someone, in business or socially, aren’t you more likely to go above and beyond for this person? It is no different with your customer relationships. If clients feel valued, heard and are recognised, they will feel a sense of community and loyalty toward your business. These feelings encourage your customers to spend more with your company next time.

Remember, it’s first and foremost about how you make the customer feel. For example, Apple does such an incredible job because they focus on how they want their customer to feel and inevitably their clients fall in love with the product.

Case Studies

CAB’s are the perfect place to gather case study material with the permission of the CAB member. Consider capturing testimonials on video. Share a customer’s personal story and capture how your service or product impacted their life. People love to share their experiences. Be sure to ask your CAB members to sign release forms and advise your customer where their testimonial or case study will be featured. This content and feedback can serve as a basis for future PR campaigns and social media content.