How To Find Brand Ambassadors: 7 Tips
Many organizations tap into the power of ambassadors because they are often the best at building trust and authenticity. It’s something paid ads do not deliver. However, knowing how to find brand ambassadors can be a struggle.
Companies are pivoting away from traditional marketing strategies as the cost of digital advertising on search engines and social media continues to rise. The cost of advertising is increasing. Ads are becoming less effective, making the situation even worse. When it comes to marketing, there’s no better option or strategy.
If you wonder how to find brand ambassadors, welcome!
Perhaps you are starting from scratch and would like to have a program template. Or maybe you want to grow your current community of enthusiasts.
Either way, we know the best representatives leave regular clues that make them easy to recruit.
First, let’s define a brand representative so we’re on the same page.
A brand ambassador is a person who genuinely loves a company and authentically generates buzz with their network, regardless of their social media following. Often, these individuals are loyal customers and promoters who generate content, awareness, and sales for a company.
The following list combines industry best practices and methods the most successful programs use to recruit and search for brand champions.
How to find brand ambassadors [Prep Work]
- Create your an application form.
- Use Google Sheets or a platform like Roster to organize people who apply.
Create an application form
Requesting people apply to your program needs to be easy and accessible. Without a form, people will reach out via DMs or email. Brands even get applications when they don’t have a structured initiative.
The recruitment form should outline the program, create visibility, and give the brand something tangible to promote. The application form should outline your program. Include information such what is expected, the perks and potential option to earn a brand ambassador salary. Define exactly what does a brand ambassador do for your company.
You can keep all the details in a spreadsheet if you’re just launching your program. Transfer the answers from your application form to a Google Sheet or Excel, where you can manage your advocates. An easier option is to use an ambassador marketing platform such as Roster to create applications, automatically collect the information, and upload it into a CRM.
Many brands create an application and post it on their website. This approach is much more automated and scalable.
At a minimum, make sure potential applicates share the following details:
- Name
- Phone Number
- Address
- Social profiles
Your 7 tips on how to find brand advocates
Looking to turn customers into brand ambassadors for your business? There are various strategies that you can employ to convert customers into enthusiastic brand champions who naturally promote your products.
Here are some effective tactics that you can use to promote your program:
- Announce the program via email
- Send post-purchase email invites
- Include a banner or module in every email
- Announce the program on social media
- Feature advocates in IG story highlights
- Use package inserts
Convert from your website
First and foremost, your application must be easy to find. Your website is the perfect place to house your program application. Plus, people on your site organically find out about the opportunity and apply!
Websites are the perfect touchpoint to inspire visitors to join your community. Publish a link in the website footer that announces “Become an Ambassador” or “Join our Ambassador Team.”
Recruit brand representatives by adding a graphic or banner to every blog post’s end. Insert program links on your contact and about web pages.
Another idea is to use your post-purchase communication. Include messaging about the amazing opportunities on your “thank you for your purchase” pop-up and email.
Announce program with a customer email
Your current and past customer base is the number one source to find people passionate about your brand. These individuals like your brand. They purchase and use your products, which is a huge clue they’re a fan.
Salomon ran a worldwide sports marketing program and at the same time blazed a new trail with women athletes. Learn more about their word-of-mouth program and how they reached more than 350 million people without paying for one ad. Check out the Salomon case study.
Send an email to past customers thanking them and announcing your new ambassador program. In the email you can share the details about your program and invite them to join.
Another approach is to recruit all repeat customers to participate and accept everyone. A less inclusive strategy would ask customers to apply.
Here are a few pointers for your email to recruit customers:
- A catchy subject line
- A quick review of your brand’s mission
- Explain your program.
- Invite the customer to join the ambassador team.
- A discount code for the product
- Review of other incentives
- Clear call-to-action or CTA
Post-purchase email with invites
Again, customers are the best source of adoring supporters. An effective way to encourage participation is to send an email after purchases.
Include the invitation into an automatic email sequence. Make it part of your post-purchase campaign. It works best if the email hits the customer’s inbox between 2 to 14 days after receiving their physical product. This way, they have time to use or try the product.
Also, you capitalize on their initial excitement of receiving your product.
The program at Woven Nook produces over 100 user-generated content posts per month and has an 8.4x return on investment. The brand incorporates every one of these seven tips to help their customers become a brand ambassador.
Tips for post-purchase emails which have led to massive success:
- An engaging subject line
- Authentic thank you for the purchase
- Establish your connection with the buyer
- Introduction of your program
- Invitation to become a brand ambassador
- A discount code for future product
- Review of other incentives
- Clear CTA
Banner or module in every email
This excellent evergreen recruitment strategy will ensure you always have a steady stream of applicants. All you have to do is design the banner once and automatically include it in your email templates!
Announce the program on social media
If you have invested time and resources into your social media strategy, you probably have a strong brand community on social media. Leverage your social community by announcing the program to your followers. Post links to more information and the application page. Prompt followers to learn more and apply.
Create an eye-catching graphic and pin it to your Twitter and Facebook pages. Promote using Instagram and inside your YouTube videos and video descriptions.
Tips for finding brand ambassadors on social media:
- Briefly post the benefits of becoming an “insider”
- Explain the process
- Make the process simple and easy to follow
- Link directly to the application page
- As always, have a clear call to action
IG Story Highlights
Another great approach on social media highlights both the program AND your advocates. You can pin an Instagram story highlight called “Ambassadors” and repost content from advocates along with a swipe-up link with info to join the program.
People love seeing their content featured, and it’s a great way to create a community feeling for the program so others will want to join!
For a deeper dive into this topic, check out our blog on recruiting brand ambassadors on Instagram.
Package inserts
Add a special invitation to your program in every product shipment. You can include a QR code or the link to the application page for them to apply.
Who doesn’t love opening the package they’ve been waiting for? We all do! This is the perfect time to combine the thrill of new merch with sharing the joy and earning perks.
Tips for parlaying deliveries into new memberships:
- Add a QR Code that sends the customer to your application page
- Provide a simple link to your website
- Let them know the benefits of being a brand ambassador
- Drive applications with a clear CTA
Summary
Following these seven tips will save you SOOO much time manually reaching out to people. The people who join your program through these sources will also cost less, stay engaged longer, and be more excited about the program because they genuinely care about your brand. This will lead to more content, higher awareness, and more sales in less time.
One last thing, we recommend setting up automated recruitment strategies to keep a steady volume of incoming applications. The best way to recruit people is by leveraging multiple touchpoints.
Here’s a recap:
Publish the application on your website – House the recruitment form on a landing page and link it within your website.
Send invitation email to customers – Share the news about your ambassador program and directly invite them to join.
Post-purchase email – Capitalize on the excitement and send a dedicated email 2-10 days after customers receive their product.
Email newsletter banner – An excellent evergreen recruitment strategy that ensures you always have a steady stream of applicants.
Social media posts and Stories – Leverage your social community by announcing the program to your followers and driving them to the application page.
Packaging insert – Add a special invite to their product shipment! You can include a QR code or the link to the application page for them to apply.
