A brand ambassador program enlists or creates vocal advocates for your product(s) and increases awareness, credibility, and new customers.
Brand Ambassadors use the most credible form of marketing, word-of-mouth, to create a buzz about a brand. Their credibility boosts brand awareness and builds trust, so they are an excellent option to add to your marketing mix. They can either be people you hire, people you recruit, or people who sign on voluntarily. Brand ambassadors don’t say “buy this,” instead, they share why they like a brand based on their experience. (This is a form of influencer marketing introduced two articles back.) If your brand ambassador is not an employee, because there is no script, using brand ambassadors comes with risk.
Benefits
- If you want to tap into a new market, the right brand ambassadors can help you do so in the quickest way possible.
- Ambassadors can create and share content for you. You can then link back to their testimony.
- They provide credible access to a community you may not be able to reach on your own.
Your program requirements can be customized for every relationship, or you can recruit for a pre-set program with perks for the ambassadors.
A Few Tips:
- Genuine recommendations from people who are genuinely enamored with your product are critical.
- Growing a strong base of brand ambassadors is also essential.
- A formal program is not always needed but often helpful if you can organically build a following of brand enthusiasts.
Next week: More on Finding, Setting Up and Managing Brand Ambassadors.
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