Beyond buyers: 3 lessons from the Stanley brand on harnessing the power of Ideal Advocates
If you’ve seen a Stanley Quencher, you’ve seen the product that boosted Stanley from $70 million in annual sales to $750 million in 2023 in 4 years. Now, you’re probably wondering what in the world vacuum-sealed steel tumblers have to do with nonprofits and cause-based organizations that are trying to do the most good possible. The answer lies in a communications pivot that Stanley eventually embraced—activating an existing, enthusiastic group of brand advocates to expand their brand visibility. In other words, Stanley’s adoption of advocate marketing propelled the company into the 10x growth phase we witness today and amassed the brand loyalty of a whole new generation along the way.
In this blog, we distill Stanley’s winning strategy through the nonprofit strategy and marketing focus of Fervor. We point out three critical lessons for nonprofit organizations wanting to tap into advocate marketing. Before we dive into this, however, let’s take a quick refresher of why it’s vital for nonprofits to wrap communication strategies around Ideal Advocates rather than merely targeting donors.
Ideal Advocates vs. the donor persona
An organization can have many donors or even faithful repeat donors. But if you’re an organization looking to grow, you’ll want to zoom in closer to find more of the right ones, the ones who don’t just give or volunteer but the ones who turn around and bring others with them. At Fervor, we identify these individuals as Ideal Advocates™ and recognize them by their combination of personal connection to a cause, their shared experience, and their innate willingness to express their passion.
What distinguishes Ideal Advocates from a conventional buyer persona or donor persona is that Ideal Advocates possess an unwavering dedication and emotional investment in the cause of the organization. They may not always be the biggest donors. They may not be the ever-present volunteers, but the right Ideal Advocates feel so strongly aligned with the work your organization is doing that they’ll want to turn around and draw in others to support it, too. “I believe it’s just too limiting to solely focus on donors, particularly for nonprofits seeking to amplify their message in the market,” insists Fervor CEO Mike Farag. “We often hear from nonprofits who feel like they’re the best-kept secret or struggle due to limited budgets. They approach us seeking to launch major marketing campaigns with a goal of attracting new donors. However, the solution to these challenges often lies in looking inside and enlisting individuals who are already inclined to support the cause or have a deep connection to it. These individuals serve as message-bearers in the market. They leverage personal networks, voices and connections–including friends and family–to spread awareness and engagement. And that’s how you get the word out, and donations in, to grow your organization.”
Yes, there is an overlap between donors and Ideal Advocates. Many donors may be advocates, but it’s important to recognize that not all Ideal Advocates are donors. And this does not, should not, diminish their value to an organization. “In our experience–over 15 years of focused nonprofit strategy and marketing–these individuals are ‘the right ones,’ the Ideal Advocates you want to find, reach, and wrap marketing strategies around,” explained Farag. In addition to expanding a network of connections, Ideal Advocates foster loyalty, trust and credibility on behalf of organizations, and that’s crucial to sustained growth and impact for nonprofits. In essence, while a donor persona might contribute to short-term transactions, the right Ideal Advocates fuel long-term relationships, sustained giving and catalyze transformative change.
Ideal Advocates and nonprofit growth: 3 lessons from Stanley
The Stanley-Advocate journey story of growth did not unfold overnight. In fact, the enterprising ladies who believed that the Stanley Quencher had real value in the market had to strategize and distribute the product on their own through their site, The Buy Guide. It was several months before Stanley executives eventually recognized their power as brand advocates and invited The Buy Guide ladies to the table; their input drove significant changes to the way Stanley began to market itself. The ladies’ advocacy not only propelled the product into the spotlight but also reshaped the brand’s perception, highlighting its relevance in everyday lifestyles.
Stanley’s advocate relationship translates into three actionable insights for nonprofit organizations.
Lesson 1: Regularly update and ratify your Ideal Advocates
For over 100 years, the Stanley brand created messaging and marketing that resonated with a niche market of workmen and outdoor enthusiasts. This meant that when the Stanley Quenchers tumbler hit product shelves, they remained largely overlooked by consumers despite their high quality. It wasn’t until a trio of astute women—Linley Hutchinson, Ashlee LeSueur and Taylor Cannon—recognized the Quencher’s potential and took advocate-style action that its trajectory changed. The trio tapped into an audience segment that Stanley marketing had completely neglected—on-the-go millennial females, especially moms, yogis and female fitness enthusiasts.
Like Stanley, nonprofit organizations can get too comfortable with their existing target audiences. “The process of establishing Ideal Advocates and then periodically updating them needs to be a priority,” insists Farag. “You might just uncover something truly valuable that unleashes a very different level of organizational growth. Such is the power of advocacy over the power of just donors or buyers.” Updating your Ideal Audiences every five years assures you that you have the right audiences front and center when working on communications strategy. This process also helps nonprofits ensure alignment with evolving community needs and values.
Lesson 2: Be flexible and willing to see something new
The pivotal moment for Stanley came when the three passionate advocates we mentioned above championed the Quencher. Despite not matching traditional Stanley buyers, the ladies highlighted the Quenchers’ untapped potential for an unreached market. Can you imagine if Stanely executives had disregarded the ladies of The Buy Guide simply because they were nontraditional buyers? We often hear nonprofit leaders say, “That’s not how we do things around here,” or “That’s never been done before,” or even, “That’s not in our wheelhouse.” Capturing the growth potential your Ideal Advocates fuel often requires flexibility and a willingness to depart from historic practices. This could apply to something as simple as the tools and platforms you use or could involve entire shifts in strategy, target communities, events or services. By remaining open-handed and flexible, organizations can avoid missing simple solutions to big problems and, instead, find themselves on new avenues toward growth.
Lesson 3: Listen to your Ideal Advocates for strategic insights
It isn’t sufficient to just identify your Ideal Advocates. They need to be at the metaphoric table where their input can impact communications plans. The Stanley team invited their advocates to speak into product design, messaging, and marketing methods and channels. Similarly, nonprofits must actively listen to their Ideal Advocates, who offer invaluable insights into effective communication strategies. “It may not look like what you think it should look like,” warns Farag. “It was not a big ad campaign that got Stanley all this visibility. What they did was allow these ladies to start referring people. Stanley set the table and prepared the advocates to share. Similarly, we have to be real and understand the pain points of our Ideal Advocates, and understand how they want to be reached.” Farag went on to share how organizations often want to fit communications to Ideal Advocates within their existing schema. “But that’s not going to be effective. Once you figure out your Ideal Advocate, you’ve got to reach them with the right kind of communications plan.” By soliciting feedback and engaging with advocates, organizations can uncover valuable data that will inform authentic messaging, streamline ad spend and guide how marketing resources are distributed.
If you’re a nonprofit leader, we hope you’re taking away the following: focus on nurturing Ideal Advocates rather than just targeting donors. They hold the key to expanding your organization’s reach and impact.
Not sure how to find or bring in your Ideal Advocates? Let’s talk!