CoffeeCup Software creates ambassadors
In 2006, CoffeeCup Software decided it was time to leverage its pool of happy customers -- people that they knew already used and liked their products -- as a way to garner new business. Thus, CoffeeCup Software's Ambassadors were crowned, and the company was able to engage this band of biggest fans to rabidly spread the word about CoffeeCup Software.
The first step was to identify potential Ambassadors. CoffeeCup evaluated its customers' purchase patterns over the past decade and came up with a slate of 6,000 candidates, who were invited via email to join the team.
Customers who accepted the invitation received an "Ambassador Kit," which included t-shirts, business cards and trial software, as well as Ambassador Buttons to put on their websites and access to CoffeeCup flyers, posters and information sheets-- pass along documents that they could use to tell a friend about their love for CoffeeCup.
The biggest secret to the success of this program was the decision to invite long-time fans of the company-- as opposed to just opening up the experience for any and all customers. This way, those who were invited to be Ambassadors gained a feeling of exclusivity and were rewarded for their loyalty, which influenced their willingness to participate and help the company succeed. Through the program, CoffeeCup was able to turn 6,000 of its customers into salespeople who love the product and aren't afraid to talk about it.
Credit Information
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Client: CoffeeCup Software
Agency: N/A
Budget: $45,000
Date of campaign: March 1, 2006
Case study URL: http://www.coffeecup.com/lounge
Excerpted from WOMMA's Case Studies Library.
