Hiring a qualified brand ambassador makes a significant, positive difference for entrepreneurs and small business owners when a business is just starting out, when business is booming, or in a tight marketplace. Perfectly positioned brand ambassadors are already talking to your targeted market and will grow your business! Find your ideal advocate and hire brand ambassadors using a job description aligned with your business strategy and brand objectives.
Brand ambassadors are customer-facing, whether it is through an online strategy or in person. They act as spokespeople for your brand and influence customer purchase decisions as the face of your brand – and company. Ambassadorships are different than working with celebrities and influencers. Their following is much smaller, but they are often a best fit due to the strength of their relationships. They are also flexible in how they can and will represent your brand, whether it is through social media content and in-person events. Your product and services and your brand messaging aligns with their core values; the trust they build with your customer translates into sales and long-term relationships.
Your Goal: HIRE THE BEST!
Brand Ambassador Program – 7-Step Hiring Strategy
The steps are basic but don’t jump ahead. They all work hand in hand.
1. WRITE YOUR BUSINESS PLAN
You have the right brand. Now write the plan that backs it up.
Your business plan is your starting point. Your strategy and the success of your plan are based upon your business plan and brand objectives.
Your business plan includes:
- Executive summary
- Opportunity
- Target Market
- Competition
- Sales & Marketing
- Operations
- Milestones
- Company
- Financial Plan
Consider your future and growth, and have basic thoughts and projections around the following areas too:
R & D
Sales
Marketing
Logistics
Customer service response plan
HR/staff
Simply: know what you are working with today and your projections
2. THINK BEYOND YOUR PHYSICAL PRODUCT
The best brand ambassadors want MORE than a job description!
Defining your product or service as it is today is easy – yes. Think beyond today.
- Brainstorm further.
- How does your brand tie to your company’s mission?
- What are your core values?
- Your use case: what it is today, how it’ll develop, do you see multiple products, line extensions, additional uses?
- Do you foresee future potential brands?
- Ideally, what type of personality and attitude will best represent your brand?
- How will someone ideally advocate for your brand? Across social media? By attending an event?
3. UNDERSTAND YOUR TARGET MARKET
Hire brand ambassadors, knowing how you’ll need to grow your business!
Don’t just take a stab at it. Develop a deep understanding of your consumer.
- Who is it?
- Why do they want or need your product or service?
- Do you expect a long-term relationship with them?
- Do they expect a long-term relationship with your brand?
- How do they shop?
- Where do they shop?
- How can they currently purchase and receive your product?
- How do they want to purchase and receive your product?
- Can you supply it?
You must know and anticipate: their needs and perceived needs, as well as their living and shopping habits. Make some assumptions. Use your common sense. Your brand ambassador needs to know all of this.
4. BUILD OUT YOUR MARKETING PLAN
Ambassador marketing is about spreading the word!
Take a deeper dive. Know what you are looking for and understand results driven by marketing.
Impressions and reach are not sales. (this is not a bad thing, it just isn’t a sale at a cash register)
- How do you currently engage with consumers?
- How do your currently increase awareness?
- How do you want to reach your audience?
- Do you run social media campaigns?
- What are your content ideas?
- How will your brand ambassador engage with them?
- What will it cost to reach them with each possible strategy?
- What’s the expected conversion rate?
Sounds complicated and can be – but your plan does not have to be complicated!
Use your growth mindset & do your research!
A brand ambassador is an investment for you. Maximize the partnership!
5. UNDERSTAND THE ROLE OF A BRAND AMBASSADOR
Staff. Look to hire. Pre-build your brand ambassador job description.
- Brand ambassadors are social media savvy and create a positive presence.
- They are passionate about your brand.
- The right hire builds brand awareness but also becomes your brand voice.
- Their efforts create consumer engagement, which leads to sales.
- They’re interested, and they’re already creating trust
- You’re looking at someone who is customer-facing online or in person.
- They build your brand’s positive image and help create & expand your marketplace.
There is no set job description for a brand ambassador, which allows you lots of flexibility!
6. PLAN. THEN CREATE YOUR IDEAL ROLE
Great brand ambassadors are uniquely qualified!
Ask yourself and think: “I want an ambassador who is ____” (Fill in the blank!)
- Think about your target market and how you are reaching them.
- Think about what you want vs. what you need vs. what a brand ambassador can accomplish for you. (and no – that’s not too basic or too easy of a question)
Then brainstorm and use a whiteboard:
- Specifically, what needs to happen? List it.
- A successful program looks like?
- What are you working with already? What are the gaps?
- Ambassadors must …?
- Best candidates have ….?
- They need interpersonal skills.
- My ideal brand ambassador aligns with your brand how?
- What’s your budget?
- Remember: everyone attached to your business is a brand ambassador in some capacity.
- What are your personal skills?
- What is the skill set of your staff?
- Does this person work in a silo, or are you providing support? (yes. actual question)
- Clarify roles and responsibilities
- Who trains them, if necessary? Who goes the extra mile?
- Who reviews the content and results?
Prioritize. It’s that make or break time.
- Think through options vs. budget
- What must get done vs. what can be put off
- Skills the perfect candidate must have vs. nice to have
- Options to work: full-time permanent, part-time permanent, seasonal, contract, temp, agency, intern, independent with certain social media post requirements
- Options to pay: hourly, salary, commission, for free product only, stock, warrants
Finally…
7. CREATE THE BRAND AMBASSADOR JOB DESCRIPTION!
Interviewing brand ambassadors comes next. Be ready to hire the best!
The brand ambassador job offer can be simple: “We’ll send you three free products, you wear them and show pictures of how great it looks on two agreed-upon social sites through 3 unique posts per week for two months.”
The brand ambassador job offer can be an opportunity to gain lucrative experience or be the start of a career with your company and require much more. If so, detail it!
Think longer term, at least a year. Know what you want.
- Your ideal person may be strictly in it for free products in return for a few posts each week.
- Your ideal person may be looking for an internship experience that will fill a college graduation requirement.
- Your ideal person may want an entry-level experience that leads to an expanded higher-level position.
- Your ideal person may come with loads of startup experience across multiple functions.
Your face to the brand is human. Real. Eccentric or down to earth. Whatever your brand requires.
Your brand ambassador must be authentic!
You’ll want to be sure you’re reaching the perfect brand ambassador candidate!
If you have certain requirements, such as a certain social media following, proven level of engagement, posting history, other experience, or a specific level or type of education, list them.
Responsibilities may include any of the following:
- Creating engagement through social media posts their own accounts
- Negotiate what accounts, how often, what type of posts, and how your product will be showcased
- Managing the corporate social media accounts and creating social presence
- Content creation featuring your company’s brand
- Showcasing your product on their blog and/or developing yours
- Managing website development or enhancements
- Developing corporate creative and your brand image
- Promote your brand through digital marketing
- Attending events, tradeshows, visiting stores
- Creating and/or attending launch parties to connect with potential customers
- Dual responsibilities, such as start your customer service responses or crafting corporate communications?
- If your company is young, it is very possible to create a dual role or combination of functions, with intent to separate later.
- It is also possible to do the opposite.
You are ready to interview! The ideal person who will be a great fit will connect with your target audience, share the same values, and be a good match with your product. Whether online or in-person, they will make a positive difference for your business! Ambassadors take all they are given and expand your reach, create positive engagement, and develop a community for your company and product. The role can be developed for marketing campaigns if you want, and the role can change over time. Hire someone who meets your needs today and helps prepare you for tomorrow. Good luck!
A mutually beneficial partnership built upon a solid foundation leads to great results and brand power!
0 Comments