How to Start an Ambassador Program


When was the last time that word of mouth referral was the reason you purchased? Was it a referral code sent to you by a friend for Uber credits? Or maybe it was a brand of clothing that has your size? Or maybe a friend just simply suggested you try out the new restaurant around the block? No matter what it is, because you know the person, you probably considered it. and that’s all because there is trust.

Now, when was the last time that you ignored a referral? What made you not consider it? What made it unimportant to you? Was it because you didn’t trust the person referring you? Was it in the way they referred you? Normally, when a referral is done in a way that it would make you feel like it’s a spam, we tend to not consider it from the very beginning. In chances when they are, the referrals sound more like an ad that is interrupting you compared to a genuine recommendation. Knowing that, marketers question themselves: which type of referrals do my brand ambassadors use to drive for my business?

If your answer is the latter then by now I’m sure that you already know that it’s unlikely to drive enough to be successful. And that is why it’s very important to qualify ambassadors as well as let them know what you need. Remember, they are your supporters and you trust them to drive more conversions to your business and they also bring your brand so you better be sure you have the right ones. When you are able to manage your brand ambassadors properly, you would be able to reap the benefits, but if you got it wrong then beware cause it could come back and hunt you.

Core traits every brand ambassador should have:

So, are you wondering how a good brand ambassador should look like? Do you know how they should act? How about what things they should know? Well is you are still processing and setting up your brand ambassador army then here are 10 core traits they should have.

  1. Marketing appreciation and knowledge
    Don’t get this wrong, they don’t have to have a marketing degree, you just have to make sure that they understand the core principles of marketing. They should also be able to understand how important it is to have originality in their marketing strategies. They should also be absle to turn into a digital marketer and drive high quality referrals from their social media channels.
  2. They should have a well-established social presence
    This is somehow connected to the first but is also equally important. Word of mouth really works well, there’s no doubt in that. But in order for it to be successful your ambassador needs to have as many as possible engaged followers in their social media channels. It’s not just about how many followers they have because it’s more important that their followers actually listen and accepts recommendations from them.
  3. Professionalism should be practiced
    Even if your ambassadors won’t really be your employee, they would still be a representation of your brand. They would be the one to talk about your company, they would be the one to talk to your prospect customers and encourage them to try your products or services, aside from that they would be the one to influence people on how to see your brand. So, if a person has embarrassed your brand, you won’t be hiring them, right? that standards should also be applied to your ambassadors.
  4. They should have leadership skills
    Go ahead and think about the people who you go to when you need recommendations. Yes, they are knowledgeable in some aspects, but the main reason why you go to them for opinions is because they have positivity and confidence. Those are traits that would make people want to listen. And those are traits that you would want your ambassadors to have.
  5. They should be a team player
    Your ambassador should not act like she/he is better than the others, they should strive for their own quotas but not fight against each other because at the end of the day, they are a team.
  6. They should be passionate about building and growing relationships
    Ambassadors aren’t out there to make one time sales because they want to do it on one time for the rewards. They should be there to help you grow more, and they should be passionate in seeing your brand grow while having them as part of the reason why. It’s not also about their marketing skills alone but their passion in growing relationships with you and your future customers.
  7. They should be able to gather feedback and give an innovative insight
    There’s no loyalty program that would be perfect. There isn’t any product or service either. Brand ambassadors are people who can alse be the one to gather feedback from their own experience as well as from the competitors. The information that they will be able to provide would give critical intelligence that can help them improve your marketing program.
  8. They should be an extrovert
    Or you should at least seem to be one online. If you’re acting all shy online and on your promotions then there isn’t any confidence in there and that’s one thing your ambassador should have. You ambassadors should be welcoming to chats about your products and services because if they aren’t how can they encourage other people?
  9. They should be flexible
    Your ambassador should be flexible, they shouldn’t mind if you give them a small extra task, or a different but still relevant task. They should always try their best to give their best and make sure your event goes flawlessly.
  10. They should be TECHY.
    Well, this is something already given. Your ambassador should definitely be tech adequate as well as a social media savvy. They should be able to be active on social media, and if there are basic problems, they should know how to trouble shoot. They should at least know their way around Microsoft office the least.

5 Ways To Start Generating Referrals

It’s not easy to build a group of passionate ambassadors. But when you have the right people, the right approach, and strategy it sure will become a success. Especially when you listen and check ambassadors for the 10 core traits listed above. When you have all of those and pair it with well thought out strategies that you could find below, it sure will be possible.

You should know what your aim is

Before even starting your referral program or ambassador program, you have to make sure that you have already set a goal. Because if you don’t then you won’t be able to measure how much progress there is. So before running your program list down what you want to happen, also, make sure to let your ambassadors know what your goal is.

Understand that timing is everything

A good ambassador is a person that knows your services or product, and this should not just come from hearsay but from experience. Just like when you ask a customer for a referral and it’s their first time to talk to you, you won’t get anything from them and worse you might scare them away for good. Make sure that your ambassadors know when to talk to people and what to offer. Remind them that it’s best to always create a relationship first.

Make it worth their time

If you want people to talk about you then you have to make sure you’re worth talking about. Offer your ambassadors something worth it, something that would motivate them into putting more effort and helping you reach your goal. Also, show them they mean a lot to the success of your brand, make them feel valuable because everyone likes to feel that way. When your customers feel valuable, the more likely they would tell people about what you offer.

Be ready for success

Yes, you can definitely manage your referral program alone, but the aim is to have the right referral software that would turn your regular program into a much more upgraded one. It should allow you to track your ambassadors work, manage it, and even optimize things from a single dashboard in order for you to easily measure and see if there is success and progress.

The Magic of Thank you

After every successful referral, make sure that you thank your ambassadors, remember that without them you wont have new customers. You could thank them through an Email, a gift, or whatever way you could think of. This will then in the future encourage your ambassador purchase more from you.

Conclusion

Here’s the thing, when your ambassadors are successful, they can allow your brand to profit so much more than you already are. But you have to make sure that the effort and people you put in is as good as the goal you are aiming for. When you follow the core traits and implement these traits then you’re on your road to success!

 

5 Response to "How to Start an Ambassador Program"

  1. Comment From Krisha Roberts

    I was just planning to build my ambassador program, good thing your article came out right away because it’s just what I needed!



  2. Comment From Mark Andrews

    You got the cores needed correctly! A lot of teams lack these and should really practice it.



  3. Comment From Kaithleen Martin

    This post has everything needed and it’s not as long as I imagined it would be. More posts like this please.



  4. Comment From Carl Harris

    The magic of thank you is definitely important in every business, but when is it necessary to say sorry in this industry?



  5. Comment From Matt Walker

    These core traits should be practiced by every business especially in this industry. It should also be emphasized more.



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