Brand ambassadors have somewhat become a social media phenomenon with the rise of Instagram and various other platforms.
But what makes for a great brand ambassador beyond uploading pictures with filters?
In this article, there are some actionable tips for promotional staffing agencies to take note of as well as up-and-coming brand ambassadors too.
#1 Brand Ambassador with a Legitimate Online Presence
Go beyond the vanity metrics with this one. Followers, likes, comments etc are all great indicators but it’s almost like looking at a jackpot lottery ticket with $xxx,xxx and taking the plunge to try and win it – it’s going to be difficult and your odds of success will be against you.
So what’s meant by an established online presence? A brand ambassador will have in most cases a blog to discuss thoughts, ideas and provide tips.
They will have active social accounts and not just the 1-way conversation photo platforms but Twitter and Facebook will also be used.
Something to consider here as well is that you shouldn’t base your search on the number of followers. It will not work. There are so many bots and online services out there to inflate and deceive that it’s become a seriously poor indicator of reach.
An engaged network is a vital statistic. How many comments are left on updates, does the ambassador reply and engage in conversation beyond ‘thanks for the comment’ or ‘that’s right!’ etc? These are the areas that you should be focusing on.
#2 Knowledge of Events Industry and Marketing
Presenting yourself on the world wide web, behind screens is one thing. Doing the same thing out in public, meeting with consumers, discussing the key elements of the brand that an ambassador is representing, for the majority of the day is a whole new ball game.
Knowledge of a social platform is one thing but to understand that authentic conversation, especially as a resource of brand knowledge, requires conversation and not just a 1-way share and bask in glory system.
Ask if they have worked in marketing, events or represented brands in a location such as a promotional marketing campaign or brand activation. For an agency, you will know right away if the time it will take to train and develop will be worth it, especially after the first interview.
#3 Professional, Professional & Professional
Anyone that represents your brand needs to have a level of professionalism that matches with your full-timers. Just because they are temp, doesn’t mean that they can do as they please whilst holding on your brand.
A quick review of their blog, social media profiles comments and updates will give you an idea of just how professional they are. It’s vital to understand that brand ambassadors who lack professionalism will cause headaches, as you’ll need to handle their training and other related tasks.
#4 Passionate About Growing Relationships
Generally, brands bring on ambassadors not to sell, but to use their expertise and influence to build relationships.
Bringing on board a top, well-known brand ambassador to an event, even for a few hours to simply take photo’s and engage in conversation will help to further grow brand relations. Factor in social media posting of the event and location and chances are you will get additional traffic because of this.
Brand ambassadors need to be harnessed beyond their digital profiles. Consider a pop-up event. Based on shock and awe, you can add in an additional level of excitement by bringing along the ambassador.
#5 Confident & Positive
With the promotional marketing industry, the backbone is the promotional staff. These individuals are, generally, not full-time with the brand and will only be part of the team on a temp basis, yet their natural ability to be confident and positive about brands and products becomes instantly contagious.
#6 Sales & Marketing Focused
Because brand ambassadors have a connection with consumers, they will be a cornerstone of gathering feedback and listening to the customer. This insight, if they are sales and marketing focused, will really help to push your product or brand leaps and bounds in a condensed amount of time.
However, this requires the brand ambassador to be aware of these requirements and opportunities. Through education or training, this can be achieved. But chances are the brand ambassadors who will be the best option for you will be the ones that already have some knowledge or experience of this.
This level of direct consumer intelligence is fantastic to have and the feedback will generally be more authentic then you would get via a company survey.
#7 Creativity
In a crowded digital space, creativity is key. A star Brand Ambassador brings fresh, innovative ideas to the table that help your brand stand out. Whether through eye-catching Instagram stories, viral challenges on TikTok, or engaging blog content, their creativity helps keep your brand top of mind. This level of innovation ensures your marketing efforts are always fresh and engaging, drawing in new audiences and keeping existing followers interested.
For example, a viral TikTok challenge created by an ambassador can lead to increased user-generated content, significantly expanding your brand’s reach without additional ad spend.
#8 Results-Driven Approach
What truly sets a star Brand Ambassador apart is their focus on delivering measurable results. They understand your brand’s goals—whether it’s driving sales, increasing web traffic, or boosting event attendance—and they work to achieve these outcomes. Their performance can be tracked through metrics such as conversions, social media engagement, and lead generation.
After implementing a brand ambassador program, you can experience a 20% increase in leads within the first quarter, thanks to ambassadors who were committed to measurable results.
Studies show that campaigns involving ambassadors can deliver a 10x return on investment (ROI) compared to traditional advertising methods.
#9. Authentic Connection with Target Audience
A star Brand Ambassador understands the needs, interests, and pain points of your target audience. They can tailor their content and messaging to speak directly to these concerns, creating a deeper, more meaningful connection. This authentic connection fosters trust and loyalty, which ultimately drives conversions and customer retention.
Brands that leverage ambassadors with a strong connection to their audience can see a 20% increase in customer retention.
How Our Platform Helps You Find Star Brand Ambassadors
Finding and managing the right ambassadors can be a complex process, but with our staffing software, you can streamline the recruitment and management of your brand ambassadors effortlessly. Our platform helps you:
- Identify top ambassadors with the right influence and audience.
- Track performance metrics such as engagement and conversions.
- Simplify communications and campaign management.
Boost Your Brand’s Influence Today
By focusing on these top qualities, you can ensure that your Brand Ambassadors are not just promoting your brand but truly driving results. Their passion, influence, creativity, and results-driven approach will help take your brand to the next level.
In Conclusion
Brand ambassadors are a unique promotional staffing asset. They can have a wide reach via digital platforms harnessing the web to promote your brand message but they can also carry the same level of clout in the physical world with events.
For both agencies and influencers or promotional staff looking to zero in on a focus area then a brand ambassador is a vital part of the team and successful growth. Take the time, as with any hire, to find the right candidates and get them on board.
Ready to build your brand ambassador program? Get a free demo of our software and discover how we can help you find the right talent to elevate your brand.
