Should You Use Brand Ambassadors?
Brand ambassadors can reach audiences you can’t.
Small businesses can use brand ambassadors to expand their brand awareness, boost brand trust and boost sales. Many business owners struggle to know where to start and how to find the right people to champion their brand.
Your brand ambassadors must be an extension of your brand.
How to choose a brand ambassador
The first step is to decide what kind of people you want representing your brand. Ambassadors should reflect your ideal customers and by extension should have a following that reflects your target market. There is no point ambassadors punting your products to people who are unlikely to buy them. Ultimately, you want to choose people that your target market trusts. In the equestrian world these people are usually popular trainers and instructors; competitive riders and sometimes even popular riders in big commercial riding schools.
Secondly, you will need to decide how big a reach your ambassadors should have. Ideally, small businesses should look for industry-relevant individuals with a minimum following of 500. They should also be active on their social accounts and post regularly. Furthermore, they should be active on accounts that are relevant to your business and your target market.
Horse brands seem to do best on Instagram, TikTok, Youtube and Facebook.
Be mindful that ambassadors with larger followings are likely to expect larger compensation.
Brand ambassador compensation
There are many ways in which you can repay brand ambassadors for their assistance.
house discount
free branded apparel
free products
commission on sales brought in by their referrals
Choosing which option - or combination of options - works best for you will depend on your budget and business model.
Brand ambassador responsibilities
You can compile a list of duties that your brand ambassadors are required to complete. These are usually along the lines of:
a set number of brand-related posts and stories per month
a set number of product reviews per month
feedback sessions where your ambassador provides you with insight on your products and how their following feels about your brand and products
Think about the gaps in the market that your marketing efforts aren’t reaching, then find an ambassador to close that gap.
Scouting for, vetting and managing brand ambassadors can be daunting yet rewarding for your business. We keep lists of promising members of the equestrian community. Should you like our assistance with finding and onboarding brand ambassadors, please get in touch with us and we will set up a free consultation to find out how best we can assist.
info@unbridled.marketing