Definition – What is SAPS?
SAPS is an acronym that stands for Status, Access, Power, and Stuff. It is the framework of motivators developed by Gabe Zichermann that allows marketers to identify what types of tasks will appeal to their customer advocates. The primary goal of SAPS is to highlight that cash (aka the stuff) is not the ultimate reward for your customer advocates, and is actually the least of their desires.
But what do status, access, power, and stuff represent, and how do they help with customer advocacy?
- Status – recognizing customers for their efforts goes a long way, so allowing them to continually grow that status, and be rewarded for it, ensures brand loyalty.
- Access – as part of that growing status, the customer is given unique access to something, such as offers, early access, exclusive items, or entry to an event.
- Power – your customers know what they want from your business and your products or service. Giving loyal customers a say not only encourages advocacy but helps improve what you offer.
- Stuff – this is the product or service customers receive for being loyal to the brand. Whether it’s a free month of usage, a cup of coffee, or a complimentary upgrade. While the stuff is of course a great incentive, it isn’t as powerful as it is when accompanied by the three previous stages of the model.
By not utilizing SAPS and only offering the stuff, it can cost your business more than it has to – after all, the cost of rewards can quickly add up, even if they’re small. And, if the rewards are too small, customers may not think they’re worth it. Having to wait for the reward can be time-consuming, and without the prior incentives, customers can lose interest.
How SAPS is used for advocacy marketing
As we’ve already highlighted, SAPS is used as a method of increasing employee advocacy in a way that rewards alone cannot. Gamification is a powerful tool for building customer loyalty, and SAPS helps to achieve this by peppering smaller, more accessible, and even more valuable rewards into the process. These rewards are more frequent, yet can cost businesses less long term..
SAPS drip-feeds loyal customers with rewards and benefits the more they spend and the more loyal they are, and many of these benefits don’t even cost your business anything. For example, something as simple as a badge beside a customer’s username elevates their status and displays their loyalty for all to see.
Also, giving customers a say in how your products or service should develop not only costs your business nothing, it provides feedback and insight that might otherwise be expensive to obtain. This gives customers a feeling of authority and allows them to feel as though they can make a difference.
Access rewards allow customers to view or experience something that other customers don’t, which they can then review and share. This can also have a positive effect on reviews, with customers excited about the exclusivity.
And of course, stuff is appreciated – and in the case of SAPS it’s the icing on the cake. A free product or service, even when it’s low cost, works as an effective benefit when the customer believes the preceding benefits are of equal, if not higher, value.
Benefits of SAPS
SAPS is a way of growing customer advocacy while keeping costs low and engagement high. Stuff is a great way to entice new customers but with SAPS, customers who would otherwise be put off by time-consuming, low-value, rewards-focused loyalty schemes are encouraged to engage. This is thanks to SAPS elevating the customer’s status, access, and power, all of which are cost-effective and beneficial to your business, on top of their continued spending.
Motivate your advocates with Influitive
Want to engage your customers with SAPS? Influitive can help you with lead generation and customer advocacy. To find out what we can do for your business, request a demo today.
Related Terms: Rewards, Badges, Recognition
Related Resources: 4 Powerful Motivators That Will Get Customer Advocates To Take Action, Irresistible Incentives That Motivate And Engage Customer Advocates
