Case Study: Staples Business Advantage achieves 80% advocate engagement growth and 163% referral increase with Influitive

Advocate marketing program of the year

Staples’ customer advocacy program, The InsidersNetwork, faced a classic scaling challenge in 2018: grow a sizeable, high‑engagement community while keeping it warm, personal and tightly connected. The goal was to deepen relationships among advocates and engage more customers within target segments without losing the close‑knit feel that drove loyalty.

Staples doubled down on daily educational and fun content, discussion forums, quarterly experiences, special events and meaningful rewards, then layered in big data and customer personas. Tactics included a Welcoming Committee for new members, charitable rewards, personalized outreach at key life and work moments, and mobilizing advocates to create acquisition content. The result was strong engagement and growth: 220,807 completed challenges (+80%), 932 discussion topics (+80%) and 43,894 comments/replies (+109%), 4,112 social shares (19,210 clicks), 393 referrals (+163%), 34 published pieces featuring advocates, $7,500 donated in rewards and 200+ product trial participants—helping Staples win the advocacy category with 2,572 supporter votes.

Staples Business Advantage

Amanda Salem

Advocacy Manager