What to Look For in The Perfect Brand Ambassador

Brand Ambassador is a buzzword we hear a lot of recently, thanks to big brands like Lululemon and Toms Shoes.

They have shown us how a brand ambassador program can truly benefit your business: by spreading the word and enabling you to acquire new customers in a cost-effective way. The key to a successful brand ambassador program is picking and choosing your brand ambassadors wisely. It is okay to say no to some; not every power user or loyal customer is going to be right for representing your brand. An easy way to remember what to look for in each brand ambassador is by counting the 4 C’s.

1. Creativity

Why would you want your brand ambassadors to be creative? So you do not have to do all the work! Running a brand ambassador program can be a full time job in itself if you constantly need to monitor your brand ambassador’s interactions with your customers. The best kind of brand ambassador is going to be innovative enough on their own to come up with ideas that will initially engage and start conversations with potential new customers. It is important that you provide clear guidelines to your brand ambassadors on how they can express themselves through your brand. If they encompass all of your expectations, do not be afraid to give them a little leeway with creativity. Your customers will be able to tell if the reactions of your brand ambassadors are genuine or not.

2. Connections

Anyone can be a brand ambassador, but a great brand ambassador is going to possess confidence. And with confidence come natural leadership skills and the ability to build relationships. One way to judge this is to check if your potential brand ambassador has an established online presence. A great brand ambassador will be aware of their connections on LinkedIn, mentions on Twitter, and be a part of several groups or forums related to their industry in order to establish themselves as a thought leader in their field. They do not need to have thousands of Twitter followers to qualify, but a decent-sized network will help you decide if they are capable of creating connections and nurturing them.

3. Culture Fit

A brand ambassador is a representation of your brand, so it is important they stay professional while emulating the company culture fit. For example, a brand ambassador for Red Bull is going to act and promote a brand much differently than a brand ambassador for Microsoft. A Red Bull brand ambassador is going to embrace the culture of the brand by attending sporting and music events while maintaining a high energy. A Microsoft brand ambassador, known as a “Microsoft MVP” is more about sharing their expertise with others. They support the brand by displaying the logo on their resumes, online profiles, and in their email signatures. Every brand ambassador program is different and a true expression of your brand’s personality. The brand ambassadors you want are the ones that match the behavior and embody the personality of your own brand.

4. Care

It is much more powerful for customers to hear why a brand is great from other customers just like them, than from the business itself. However, it is too common for brand ambassadors to sit back and enjoy the perks of being a brand ambassador, without actually doing anything to support the brand. The easiest way to fix this is by choosing brand ambassadors that care. You started your business for a reason, right? You wanted to solve a problem in a market or make a difference. The people that can also envision that same opportunity are the people you want as your brand ambassadors.