Invest in the people who are already invested in you.

It’s a no-brainer. Yet brands work tirelessly to produce endless creative marketing campaigns on social media to capture a slew of new customers.

Now, don’t get me wrong, constantly building up your customer base is important (arguably the most important aspect of business!), but with all the commotion, it can be easy to lose sight of the committed customers who have been with you the entire time.

Working with social media monitoring software and people passionate about your brand has many perks and should never be overlooked. Not only can you build strong relationships with the people that support you the most, but you can also appeal to your desired target market in ways you would never have been able to on your own.

So put those huge marketing campaigns to the side for just a minute and focus on the value a brand ambassador program can provide for your company! The outcome might surprise you.

Why run a brand ambassador program?

If executed correctly, brand ambassador programs give your company an ‘in’ to your target market through the most authentic and genuine way possible: peer-to-peer marketing. By spreading your brand’s message to your target market through the opinions of like-minded people, your target market will be more inclined to be curious about your offerings and, hopefully, try it out for themselves if they see their friends and people just like them already like it.

It's a widely known fact that consumers are more likely to trust content shared by their peers rather than content shared by brands, which means recruiting ambassadors that fit within the persona of your target market is the key to gaining positive brand recognition.

You can also have a mix of both types, but if you choose to hire social media influencers, it’s crucial that you choose the ones that already have a liking for your brand or the types of products you sell and create social media content around them. By doing it this way, the partnership will make complete sense to the influencer's audience, which will make their followers more trusting and likely to accept the message your ambassador is sharing.

Do you need a brand ambassador program?

If you’ve made it this far and think you want to start a brand ambassador program of your own, then it’s time to ask yourself the following questions to gauge if your brand is ready.

Brand ambassador programs are not suitable for every brand, so these questions will help you get a greater sense of whether it’s right for you.

• Do you have an engaged community of customers on your social networks?
• Are your customers sharing and tagging your brand on social channels?
• Does your brand (or products) fit easily into a specific lifestyle niche?
• Are your customers taking the initiative to leave raving reviews about your products or your brand?

If you answered ‘yes’ to a majority of the questions, then you can feel confident continuing on to the next step. An ambassador program is a right fit for your brand! It’s time for the fun part: the program build-out.

How to create a brand ambassador program

It’s important to remember that every successful brand ambassador program on the market is a little different depending on individual company needs. By following the tips outlined in this article, you can be sure that you have all of the key elements covered, which you can continue to build on as your program grows.

1. Establish your main goal

A brand ambassador program is difficult to measure, especially in the beginning when your main goal is something intangible, like brand awareness or advocacy. This is why it’s incredibly important to establish your goals and what your key performance indicators (KPIs) are in the beginning, as well as once it’s successfully up and running. Not only the organizational structure of your program but for your company's record. If you can’t show results and ways the program is working, your company’s execs will pull the program fast.

2. Discover ideal candidates

The first step to any huge undertaking is always research. You can’t begin without it, and you certainly can’t be successful without it. Knowing exactly who is a good fit to lead your ambassadorship might be more difficult than you first thought because they aren’t always your customer profile.

For example, Recently, Max Verstappen, a dutch racer, has been named the brand ambassador of Heineken, a Dutch brewing company. He has joined the brand to become a part of the ‘When You Drive, Never Drink’ campaign to help raise awareness for responsible consumption. This partnership will bring out world-class entertainment, resonate with target audiences and create a long-lasting impact on the brand.

Your ambassadors must fit within a profile your target market looks up to, seeks advice from, or is easily influenced by. It’s also worth taking note of the people who have a strong social media presence and are already advocating for your brand on social. Those people, if they have a prominent enough network, are fantastic options for your ambassador program. Their network will likely match the exact profile you are looking for, so tapping into it can make your market research and marketing efforts a lot easier.

3. Generate value

Value is in the eye of the beholder when it comes to brand ambassador programs. Whether the value is defined by monetary incentives, free products, referrals, gained business skills, networking, the ability to be creative, or something else! You can’t please everyone, but you can work to have many elements mentioned. If you don't provide enough value, you can guarantee the best brand ambassadors will move on, leaving you with a revolving door of ambassadors, which is not good for your brand image.

4. Provide essential resources

If you want your program to be successful, you have to provide your ambassadors with the right tools to take it to the next level. This means easy access to the key players in your company, a brand manager to direct all questions and concerns to, a supply of new products, discount codes, gift cards, and so on. Provide them with whatever will make their job as seamless as possible. Make them feel like a partner of your brand with a say regarding the program’s structure.

5. Build an open channel for dialogue and feedback

Listen to what your ambassadors have to say because they are essentially your ‘front line’ to everything important to your brand. Not only are they your actual customers, but they also receive first-hand opinions from your target market, which you typically wouldn’t be privy to otherwise.

Allow your ambassadors to provide you with honest advice and constructive feedback. This will ensure you are getting the most out of your marketing strategy because you will be able to improve your brand in ways your target market wants it most and drive sales. Remember, communication is not one-sided, and in this case, it should never be all about your needs. Think about your ambassadors too. Opening up a dialogue with them and making them feel comfortable sharing anything they feel is necessary is a great way to ensure your ambassadors are fulfilled and happy with the work they are doing for you.

6. Focus on exclusivity

Yes, you should share your program information with anyone and everyone. No, you should not let just anyone who is participating in the application process become an ambassador. The looser your qualifications are, the less important the job becomes, which means you will have fewer conversions and a ton of uncommitted ambassadors who are most likely participating for the wrong reasons.

7. Look out for more talent

Keep an eye on your social media accounts for additional candidates. Your creative ambassadors are sure to inspire and influence current customers, who are eventually going to want in on the fun. But, as the content you notice through your brand tags and hashtags gets better, you'll want to take note of potential brand ambassadors - those who are engaged with your brand and looking to get noticed. This means that the exclusivity of your program has done its job. People want to be a part of your program as a result.

Get loud on social media, your company’s website, email newsletter, exclusive events, and everywhere else in between. You’ll want to make sure the word is out and everyone who would make a perfect candidate is aware of your program. If you’re looking to target a specific niche of people, consider reaching out to the big players in your industry. For example, if you are an athletic apparel brand, reaching out to big-name gyms and workout class franchises is an excellent way to target the demographic.

8. Build a strong community

Make your ambassador program a tight-knit community of people who support and encourage each other’s goals. If done correctly, you will foster a place your ambassadors will turn to when looking for new sales techniques, high-quality content ideas, inspiration, and more. It’s a great way for them to feel like they are a part of something important while working towards a mission that means something to them. Once the community is established, you can use it as your primary way to source and hire new ambassadors. Who knows your ideal candidate better than your current ambassadors? Leverage their networks to gather new talent and loyal customers.

9. Recognize and reward

Make sure your ambassadors feel acknowledged and appreciated by your brand. Remember, they are your partners in this, so their success is your success, and vice versa. Recognition can be for anything noteworthy that has happened to them, whether that be hitting a follow milestone or that they completely blew away the sales goal that was set. Personal or work-related, it doesn’t matter. You are reinforcing your commitment and care towards your brand ambassador community and building long-term relationships.

10. Let go of the reins

This is where the community you’ve built becomes even more important. Eventually, the community will be strong enough to stand independently, which is exactly what you want. Your brand ambassadors know your target audience better than anyone (because they are them), so sit back and allow them to do their thing. You should feel confident that you've chosen people who passionately advocate for your brand to potential customers and uphold your vision. Let them evolve your program into something greater than what you could have ever imagined!

Find your match

If a brand ambassador program is the right fit for your company, what are you waiting for? The benefits of implementing one can be tremendous, but follow each tip to ensure you’re building a well-rounded program that attracts the best people to support your brand.

Are you ready for your next challenge? Learn how a program for employee brand ambassadors works and why you should implement one for your business!

This article was originally published in 2019. It has been updated with new information and examples.