Small Business Advisory Council |

Advisory Council Creation and Implementation

COMPANY

Yelp

SITUATION

Yelp, the popular online review platform, recognized the importance of building stronger relationships with local businesses using their platform. To achieve this goal, they sought to expand their annual Small Business Advisory Council Summit into a year-long program.

STRATEGY

Develop and expand Yelp's fledgling Small Business Advisory Council into a comprehensive year-round program to strengthen relationships with local businesses, gain valuable insights, and establish a network of loyal brand advocates.

DELIVERABLES

Annual Summit: Organize a summit for council members featuring face-to-face interactions, executive team engagement, and product ideation sessions.

3rd Party Advocates: Establish a dedicated partner bench of solid go-to SMB advocates who can tout Yelp's benefits on its behalf for press, marketing, and community events.

Year-round Programming: Manage year-round engagement through social media, monthly conference calls, and in-market events.

Liaison: Serve as a liaison between the council and internal departments, ensuring effective communication and collaboration.

Retention Strategy: Develop a plan to retain veteran council members and leverage their experience and insights as new members join the council.

RESULTS

  • + Grew Advisory Council program participation by 300% year over year

    + Council members became brand evangelists within the SMB community, actively participating in webinars, workshops and inbound press inquiries

    + Established long-term, trusted relationships with reputable local business owners worldwide

    + Opened a steady stream of insightful product feedback, directly influencing the development of the Yelp for Business Owners app along with other products and features designed for the SMB audience

    + The council expanded representation from all countries with Yelp's presence, enhancing diversity and global insights

  • "Morgan grew Yelp's Small Business Advisory Council (YSBAC) year over year while making it fun and informative for all parties involved. She regularly emphasized the importance of listening to our customers (aka local businesses) and leveraging their feedback to help inform our product roadmap and build empathy internally."

    Rosie Akenhead | Head of Marketing, Managed Houses | Hall & Woodhouse LTD (formerly a colleague at Yelp)