With the spread of digital marketing, companies are using various methodologies to impress their targets. Whether it is social media promotion or content marketing, the options to reach out are increasing. Brand ambassador as a concept gained prominence in continuation to this.
However, for the smaller businesses, this idea is still quite far away. This is probably because they are yet to understand the importance of a brand ambassador. Earlier the brand ambassador was a celebrity who gave a sort of voice to the brand.
But times have changed since then. Nowadays, companies look at different possibilities before signing up one for their brand. Even ordinary people like you can become brand ambassadors. You must have sufficient followers on your social media handles. Apart from that, there are specific guidelines that you have to fulfill for each brand.
You might want to become a brand ambassador as it gives you high exposure. Plus, you get to choose your work timings. If you are still unaware of the same, we tell you what brand ambassadors are and how they help a brand.
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Who are brand ambassadors?
A brand ambassador promotes the brand and its associated products. The aim behind doing so is to inform the customers about the brand. When the concept started, brand ambassadors were usually celebrities.
The target audience believes what the celebrity says or does. It is this trust that celebrities used to their advantage.
But, nowadays, the idea of being a brand ambassador is changing. Companies want a more believable candidate convincing their customers. Therefore brand ambassadors could be ordinary people advocating for the brand’s qualities.
The definition of brand ambassador therefore is:
A person that the company hires to show their brand in a positive light and promote is a brand ambassador. This promotional effort leads to an increase in brand awareness, and sales follow subsequently.
A brand ambassador uses his established networks for marketing the brand. Apart from that, he may also represent the company at trade events. There he may demonstrate how the product works. Or give away samples to interested customers.
In situations where the products are sold business to business, the brand ambassador is the company’s employee. These days the employees promote their products on social media and other means. Since an employee knows best about the company, he proves to be somewhat effective.
Responsibilities of a brand ambassador
Moving on, you should know what a brand ambassador’s responsibilities are. A candidate tackling this job should be outspoken and driven. Plus, you must check that he has a significant social media presence and at least a medium-size network.
Apart from that, he should understand everything that your brand stands for. Since you would be sending him to events, he should have self-transport. Here we are telling you his responsibilities as such.
- He should represent your brand positively at various places
- Help in the creation of content like product reviews and brochures
- He must help in organizing events and promotions
- Creation of brand awareness through Word of mouth
- He should be an opinion leader in his network
- Provide and share customer feedback on the brand’s image.
- Promotion of the brand through his social media channels
Difference between brand ambassadors and influencers
It is usual for you to be confused between the job of a brand ambassador and an influencer. Before anything else, there is a stark difference between both. Let us have a look:
- A brand ambassador promotes the brand through word of mouth. At the same time, the influencer uses the brand and shows that as an example to the target audience.
- The relationships with an influencer are relatively short-term. They promote your product once or twice, and the job is over. The brand ambassador will remain with your brand for a long. He has to promote the brand multiple times to maintain relations.
- Influencers promote in return for an incentive. You have to offer them monetary benefits to get engagement. But a brand ambassador may boost your product for free. This holds especially true if he is your employee.
- An influencer may not have used your product before this association. But your brand ambassador will have detailed information about the product’s functionality.
- Companies choose influencers based on their capacity to interact with customers. On the flip side, they chose a brand ambassador considering his loyalty to the brand.
- Brand ambassadors are committed to promote the brand. There is no such commitment expected from the influencer. He may or may not promote the brand. It is purely his choice.
- If you wish an influencer to promote, you must contact them with all the details. In contrast to this, a brand ambassador would have already promoted your product. When you add him to your brand ambassador program, the relationship becomes official.
Despite this, there are some similarities between influencers and brand ambassadors. Companies select them because of their authority. Both of them strive for a single goal that is the promotion of the brand. Creating and sharing content is a part of their job. Also, they have to indulge in promotion without appearing too sales-oriented.
What is a brand ambassador program?
Let us now tell you about the Brand ambassador program companies offer. Under it, the companies manage a working relationship with their ambassadors. These programs are supposed to work with other departments like sales and marketing.
Most companies select their ambassadors after careful discretion. The salaries they receive can vary depending on the brand. As per salary discussion boards, the average compensation you can get is between $20,000-$58,000 a year. Plus, the job offers a high level of flexibility.
If you are not operating on an hourly basis, you could get a 10-16$ rate. Certain companies provide commission for each customer the ambassador gets. The more referrals you get, the more your chances are of earning.
How can you become a brand ambassador?
Moving on further, we will tell you how you can become a brand ambassador. You must be capable of dealing with work deadlines. Initially, you will have to work a little harder. Once your credibility is established, your network will believe what you have to say. Follow the below steps to become a brand ambassador.
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Discover brands you are interested in
Your first step toward becoming an ambassador is to look for brands you could tie-up with. Companies want people who identify with their brand values. For example, if the brand is travel-based, they would like a person who enjoys traveling. Plus, you should have decent photography skills.
Have a look at the company’s social media handles. This will give you an idea of what the brand stands for. In case you have always supported the brand, it is easy for you to make a choice. A dedicated follower gets a preference while choosing brand ambassador candidates.
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Building engagement
Getting likes on your posts is your first step towards building engagement. You have to write engaging posts that fulfill the need gap of your customers. While sharing on social media, do not forget to converse with your followers.
The comments you receive on your posts are a reflection of your credibility. Reply to them and solve any queries that customer has. If your customers reshare your blogs on their handles, you will get more exposure.
As an ambassador, your focus should be on making the brand exciting. Customers love to share their opinions online. You must ensure the feedback they offer is communicated to the brand.
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Create a robust online personality
Most brand ambassadors have to work hard on developing an online personality. You will also have to work on that. Initially, you must start with creating content that your audience understands. If you are endorsing a fashion brand, ensure your page reflects the style.
Obviously, if you do not match the companies taste, they will not choose you. Use visually enticing images that subtly present the brand identity.
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Involve the audience
Invite the followers to offer their opinion. They can ask questions, share their comments and build a rapport with you. If you have a network of friends, get them together for a meet-up. Let them know about the brand and ask for their feedback.
By keeping an interactive touch, your chances of getting more followers increase. Even the existing followers would willingly discuss your association with the brand further.
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Build a following
Next, you will have to create a large following for your brand. Increase the number of subscribers you have at present. Ask the loyal followers to discuss your brand association with others. This might get you those followers who are out of reach at present.
At this point, you can reply to other influencers’ comments. These influencers have their own followers’ base. Suppose they see that you are knowledgeable about the brand they would want to join. As we mentioned before, the more followers, the greater is the earning potential for brand ambassadors.
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Start contacting brands
Your basic footwork is complete. Start by reaching out to brands you can join. Once you start contacting, you will get some clarity. You can identify which companies are looking out for ambassadors.
Also, you can get to know what is the level of involvement they expect. You could contact the relevant brand through their social media pages. Or prepare a detailed email and send that across. If the brand is interested, they will surely get back to you.
When sending an email, mention your education and professional credentials. You can also share any past work you have done on similar lines. In case you do not receive a response, do not lose heart. Try applying somewhere else, as some brands tend to be exclusive.
You can also contact the brand representatives at events. That is if any such event is happening near you. A lot of brands use such events for networking and choosing brand ambassadors.
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Keep looking for opportunities
Moving on, do not restrict yourself to one brand only. Most companies use unofficial methods to choose a brand ambassador. But there are a few who keep it as a job on job boards. Keep researching and such job openings. Going through the relevant channel increases your chances of selection.
If you know which brand to reach out to, you may visit their website. Sometimes such jobs are posted on their website separately. Apart from that, you could also contact people who are already doing this job. Such people tend to know if there are any more openings. In fact, they might just help you with the application process.
Some popular Brand Ambassador programs
In the end, we will share some Brand Ambassador programs that are pretty popular. The companies we are mentioning do not just use employees to promote them. They want someone from the customer base to endorse them. This increases your chances of getting picked.
Patagonia
Patagonia deals with adventure clothing. For their promotion, they choose Instagram celebrities. You will see these people sharing pictures of their travel escapades. Travel is a visually exciting field. These Brand ambassadors show how they use Patagonia gear for their journey.
Dell
Dell decided to utilize its employees as its spokespersons. They also reached out to their channel partners. Most of these people had a substantial social media following. The company activated around 10,000 employees to do this job. Since the employees are using the product, they can vouch for its credibility.
Lululemon
Brand ambassadors of Lululemon write content for the brand. Plus, they host free events at stores and model the clothes on their website. Most of these people are average. Seeing them use the clothes inspires the followers to associate with the brand.
Coupa
Coupa is a software company, and they also chose their employees. Since their employees used the products, they amply shared their experience. This focussed approach got Coupa the audience following they were looking for.
Lyft
Lyft is a popular cab service. It is one of those companies which pays its Brand ambassadors on a commission basis. Each referral that the person gets entitles him to a $10 commission. Also, if you get a driver referral, the commission increases to $750.
Lyft’s brand ambassadors are different from regular ones. The company offers other chances to earn through the events. By participating, you get hourly rates that are separate from the commission. The ambassador can choose his hours of work. Someone who wants to work in marketing later will find this as a lucrative opportunity.
Adobe
Adobe realized that customers wanted something different. They decided to move away from the traditional marketing ways. It introduced a program called ‘social shift.’ The employees were now representing the brand on their social media platforms. The company also introduced a blog named ‘Adobe Life.’ The aim is to engage with the customers on a more personal level.
One Tribe
The brand here is bohemian in nature. Their collection comprises tops, jewelry, pants, and dresses. In fact, they create collections that represent a particular theme. If you become their brand ambassador, they will give you a custom code. You have to share this code with your network. In return, you get a 25% commission each time someone uses your code.
Pura Vida
It is possible you would want to associate with a social cause. Pura Vida creates exotic bracelets and donates the sales proceeds. So far, they have donated nearly 1.5 million dollars. You can also join this cause. To become an ambassador, you should be above 18 years. Also, being active on Facebook and Instagram is necessary.
Trendy and Tipsy
This brand sells jackets, dresses, and vintage apparel. The company propagates the Trendy Girl gang program. You must be active on Instagram and comfortable with creating content. As an ambassador, you will get prominence on their social media pages. You will get a 15% discount for yourself and other family members. Also, you will get credits each time someone uses that 15% code.
The SkinCare boutique
The brand has everything related to skincare. They even give virtual consultations if you are not sure what to pick. To be their ambassador, you must understand their product range. You will have to post one picture every week on your social media handle. Manage the brand and endorse it respectfully. Also, you will have to share the discount code with your friends and family.
Evy’s Tree
This company is into women’s hoodies. They are looking for women who maintain similar values as their brand. The requirement is to have at least 5000 followers on all social media platforms. You will have to spread the word about their products. Using high-value photos is a must.
Conclusion
Brands looking for ambassadors have only their growth in mind. Nowadays, customers want to be close to their brands. An ambassador is a stepping stone to learning what that brand portrays. It is also an upcoming career choice as there is flexibility associated with it. But you should finish all the work before entering the field. This increases your scope of performing well without any obstacles.
