A famous quote has always stuck with us: “Time is what we want most, but what we use worst.” And we think that we could all agree that number one, we could be more efficient with our time and number two, we could use more of it! That’s why we’re here with more industry advice, sharing our expertise – to save you time! Today we’re discussing brand ambassadors. More specifically, finding the right brand ambassadors for your campaign. And in the essence of time, let’s get right into it!

Brand Ambassadors Defined

First, let’s quickly break down what a brand ambassador is. We’ve defined brand ambassadors as event staff that represent your brand in a way that no other marketing medium can. In essence, brand ambassadors are walking, talking commercials for your company, product, and/or brand.

Experience

Fundamentally, you should always look at past experience when recruiting or hiring brand ambassadors. First, consider their experience from past programs. Believe it or not, some brand ambassadors may specialize in a specific discipline, such as product samplings, but may not have experience in others, such as sales. Discussing the versatility of their portfolio is key to learning their strengths and identifying potential gaps in your team.

Next, you may be recruiting brand ambassadors who are new to the event marketing world, and that’s okay! We all started somewhere, right? If this is the case, which it often is for large programs or programs situated in niche markets, start by asking about their life experience! It’s almost funny how other industries or school experiences cross over into qualities that make great brand ambassadors. Finally, in terms of experience, it’s always important to consider their personal experiences. Their life experiences shape them and could bring more depth to your event. For instance, brand ambassadors who speak the same language or have shared cultural experiences with your intended audience can really bring things to the next level.

Qualities & Attributes

As with anything, while experience is important, it’s not the be-all, end-all. Individual qualities and attributes are important to consider as well. Generally, a brand ambassador should be outgoing, approachable, professional, engaging, and kind. But let’s dig deeper!

Each and every campaign is different, and there is a diverse set of qualities that may suit one program over another. For instance, for a sales-based program, you will want to consider an experienced and bubbly brand ambassador who is sales-savvy, hungry to meet targets, and highly self-motivated. Whereas if you’re planning a product launch, you may want to hire a brand ambassador who is social media savvy, comfortable in front of a camera, empathetic, and truly has a knack for understanding the company’s vision, mission, and goals.

Certifications

Finally, it’s essential to consider certifications when finding the right brand ambassadors for your campaign. Different certifications can be required for various campaigns. For example, for alcohol samplings, a smart serve certification (or equivalent, dependent on the province) is required. If sampling food that’s not a pre-packaged consumer good, your staff would require a food handlers certificate. More than that, there are a ton of other certifications to lookout for. CPR and First Aid is a fantastic add-on, especially at sporting events or large outdoor festivals. Driver licenses can be critical for team lead or event manager positions that may need to drive rental vehicles. Trust us when we say we’ve been asked for it all!

We hope we kept this one short but informative! Learn from our experience and find brand ambassadors with a wide depth and breadth of knowledge. Remember, excellent event staff can elevate your event, but not-so-great staff can derail it just as quickly. Leave a comment and tell us the top qualities you look for when finding the right brand ambassadors for your campaign. Better yet, connect with us! Click below for a free quote, or call us directly to discuss your next program. Finally, we will leave you with one parting thought. Ask yourself where you are finding your brand ambassadors. Stay tuned for part two on how to recruit winning event marketing teams.