I get asked about brand ambassadorships so much, so it seemed like a great subject for a podcast. The thing is, brand ambassadors can get a hard time… and sometimes quite rightly. I’ve worked with a number of people who take their role really seriously and do an amazing job, and others who don’t. Working with someone, even ‘just’ on a brand ambassador level costs the company money. Money that could be spent elsewhere. So it’s really important to make sure that you as a business invest your budget in the right way. Equally, from an ambassador point of view, you want to make sure you’re connected to the right brands, or else your personal brand takes and beating… and you lose that reputation you’ve worked so hard to build.
So, in this episode, I’m going to talk about this subject from two sides. From the brands seeking to work with the right people, to influencers looking to work with the right brands. Yes, brands, you need to pick carefully, but in a time where personal brands have never been stronger, influencers need to be really picky too!
Let’s talk about brand ambassadors – how to pick the right ones for your brand… and how to decide, as an influencer, which brands you want to be an ambassador for.
Show notes for the Small & Supercharged Podcast – Episode 16 – Brand ambassadors 101 with me, Rhea Freeman. In this episode we talk about brand ambassadorships from both sides of the coin. Whether you’re a brand looking for the right people to work with, or an influencer who is looking to work with more brands, this episode for you. In this episode you’ll hear…
- What a brand ambassador is, how it came to be a term… and how social media, in my mind, is a key part.
- Why brand ambassadors don’t need to be high performing athletes as per sponsored riders or sponsored sportspeople (depending on your industry!), but how they can be ‘normal’ people who are excelling on social media.
- How sponsorship and brand ambassadorship differs, and how sponsorship used to work before the rise of ambassadors.
- That you don’t have to work with sponsored riders or ambassadors… and why I believe this.
- Why the numbers aren’t everything – how engagement matters. Whether you’re a brand looking for influencers, or you’re an influencer trying to appeal to key brands.
- How as an influencer you can be really valuable to a brand, even if you have a modest following.
- Why it’s important to be genuine and honest with your following if you’re being paid, have products gifted, or something else.
- How using hashtags like #ad and #gifted aren’t a negative if you’re assessing an influencer. However, if the post doesn’t fit the feed and they’ve just done it for the money, then it is.
- Why you need to look at the person as well as the following… are they the kind of person your target market can relate to? Or are their worlds miles apart?
- We go through a mini ambassador checklist and things to look for and assess over time before making an approach.
- We talk about how to start small and test the water with potential ambassadors. And how you can get the most out of the influencers you do decide to work with (and how you should allow them to create the best content for their audience). And how this will help you in the long run.
- The importance of a potential ambassador having a genuine affinity to the brand. You want to know them and see that they really do love the brand.
- From an brand ambassador’s point of view, we talk about why it’s important to find a good fit for YOU. You don’t need to appeal to everyone.
- Why it’s important to respect you audience at all times. As in influencer, you have a personal brand, and your following have invested their time and energy in you. You need to respect that.
- The importance of sitting back and learning about brands before you agree to be an ambassador.
- Why saying yes to one things means you’re saying no to something else, so make sure you say yes to the right things.
- The importance of gut feeling. You might not be able to explain it but if you have that niggle, watch a bit longer. You’re in no rush.
And that’s this episode. I hope you enjoyed it!
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When you should say yes to being a brand ambassador