With observations and insights from a Prairie Farms brand ambassador:
The benefit of brand ambassadors isn’t a big secret.
Physically getting your product into your consumers’ hands is nothing short of powerful. Purchases are inspired from the moments when people had the chance to interact with your brand.
All it takes is one opportunity, one taste test, one sample. No matter how amazing your product looks or tastes or is, it can’t always speak for itself. You need that hook, that connection. And brand ambassadors do just the trick.
When you have these representatives working the front lines of an experience, like a product sampling opportunity, you have a direct connection to your consumers. Brand ambassadors embody your brand. They add meaning to your message when other marketing efforts are lacking that ability.
And it’s not just about placing them at an event or confining their efforts to your local retailer; their impact affects your brand in various ways. Brand ambassadors capture data as they win over hearts and minds. They help promote and build your social media presence. They collect customer feedback via surveys and content via photos or videos.
When it comes to the situations where brand ambassadors thrive, think dynamic experiences, not static environments. When Prairie Farms Dairy saw the need for product sampling, we pushed past a retail setting and put brand ambassadors in action at St. Louis Cardinals games for that sweet Ice Cream Sundays treat. That opportunity offered samples to over 2,500 fans every single Sunday home game.
Your brand can have brand ambassadors on other platforms, too; it’s not only about taste testing products. Even consumer encounters with brand ambassadors through social media offer the opportunity to create emotional connections and positive customer service experiences.
Brand ambassadors are trained and equipped with knowledge of your brand and goals. When ExxonMobil was looking to increase participants in their Plenti Rewards loyalty program, they utilized our team of brand ambassadors to increase participation by over 300% in select On the Run c-stores.
That’s our two-cents on how brand ambassadors are assets to your company. But don’t just take our word for it – we caught up with Prairie Farms brand ambassador Mallori Green to take a peek into her perspective:
Q: In your opinion, what is the purpose of a brand ambassador?
A: Brand ambassadors are helpful for the company to have a face-to-face interaction with someone in real life. They’re a way to humanize these food and beverage brands; you’re able to get direct responses from consumers and answer questions about the brand.
Q: What are the best attributes, skills or attitudes in a brand ambassador?
A: They need to be excited about the brand and well-versed in the product. It’s also helpful if you’re comfortable public speaking or even addressing large groups. Sometimes you just have to be a natural go-getter and work well under situations where you’re not being guided every step of the way. Brand ambassadors should be approachable and relatable; they need to ask open-ended questions in order to get useful feedback.
Q: How were you able to prep for the events you worked?
A: I was always working in a team of brand ambassadors and we were able to feed off of each other’s knowledge. We also had guidelines to follow and a ‘frequently asked questions’ list to review beforehand.
Q: How do brand ambassadors benefit a business?
A: We save businesses a lot of time and money, when otherwise they would be running the events themselves. The attendee is given a unique experience and you’re gaining a new network of potential customers.
Q: What skills have you gained from being a brand ambassador?
A: Definitely public speaking skills – building on that is huge! By learning to adapt to new situations, I’ve become better aware of how to understand and cater to different audiences better.
Q: What do you like best about being a brand ambassador?
A: I’m always talking to new people and learning how to adjust my approach. I’ve even learned more about my own personality from a business sense. It’s fast paced and constantly changing!
