Often, brands try to trigger an excitement among their community, which quite 
a lot leads their supporters and fans to get promotion done for them. This step is a healthy one, and often thought of to be better than self- promotion. This is nothing but what we call advocacy. Well, there is an antonym for this too, in the business world – badvocacy, which is nothing but negative promotion about the brand by spreading negative comments. It is essential in any business to keep track of, prevent and handle badvocacy with care. Let us trail the important factors of badvocacy and check how to deal with them.
What causes badvocacy?
There are many factors that may contribute as the causes of badvocacy
- Inconsistency in customer relation – A brand and its associates can keep in touch with the customer at various points called the touch points. And there are various channels to keep in touch. Inconsistency among any of these points and channels can get the brand a bad name, easily.
- Inconsistency with expectations – ‘Customer is always right’, not all follow this policy. Forget God; taking them just as lifelong customers will do more than enough. Customers have got numerous and newer expectations every time from their beloved brand. Definitely, if the brand expects them to spread a good name, why would they not expect quality and satisfaction from the brand? Failing to meet these expectations of inconsistency in the process of fulfilling them can bring about risks of badvocacy.
- Negative relation with the front ends of the brand – There are many organizations and people who promote or outsource a brand’s products. PRs and HRs are few of them. Failing to maintain a good relationship with these people or orgs can lead to badvocacy.
Even bad badvocacy
A brand might have numerous blogs and public participation pages on various websites and social networks. Badvocacy has already begun even if a single bad comment against your product or service has been posted. They may be chronic complaints by visitors who always cry. They may even be fake profiles. Letting these complaints stay where they are and not take action to prevent them from further contaminating your brand’s name, there are certain steps to be taken. Find those badvocates by first figuring out the problem, reaching out to them via available contacts, respecting the privacy of the conversation, and offering individualized solution regarding the complaint. Do not letting the issue gear up and answer the complaint as quickly as possible. Do not take bad comments personally. Don’t leave loose ends open, close the loop of the problem.
Prevention of badvocacy
Rather than solving the problem, preventing it in the first place is always better. Channel the excellent experiences people have had about your brand more than its possible badvocacies. Social media optimization can help in creating such online reputation management services. Create a dialogue with the fans and supporters of your brand. Humanizing the brand is another excellent option, and this is the last I can add.
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