One of the most often overlooked reasons why an experiential marketing program fails is staffing. A brand experience can live and die by its representatives in the field. Hiring a Rock Star Brand Ambassador not only means that you can sleep better at night knowing the details are in the hands of a capable, confident professional, but also that you will have a holistic view of the entire experience.
Here are the seven things we look for in brand ambassadors
Friendly/Relatable: The brand ambassador is the first face that most customers will see. By being friendly and finding common ground, they will create a comfort and trust with customers. A friendly smile and light conversation will help create and maintain positive relationships that will transcend the mobile tour. By greeting consumers, guiding them through the experience in a positive and memorable way, they are able to send them on their way wanting to purchase the product. Any misstep along the way can lose a potential consumer.
Solutionist: It's not a matter of if unexpected things will happen… it’s a matter of when they will happen. We put people in place that must be able to see through the chaos, formulate a quick plan, and communicate the solution to the team. That allows the agency and client to have confidence knowing things are taken care of, and that the brand ambassador has support from the supporting team and the back office of the marketing agency.
Flexible: Things that were originally planned or expected will change. The brand ambassador needs to be flexible to adjust to the situation accordingly. They need to be comfortable with change, and they must be aware that all programs can change scope and execution tactics, especially when the agency delivers an optimizable program.
Strong Communication Skills: Experiential marketing is all about communication. Since the brand ambassador is the face of the brand, managing the relationships on the ground, and coordinating with the remote support team, it’s crucial that they can articulate verbally and written what they need. As well, they should be attuned to the communication patterns established with the agency, and confirm that they are effective in getting feedback from the various stakeholders involved.
Hard Worker: These positions are not your typical desk job. Preparation, coordination and execution of mobile tours is extremely hard work. There are long hours of coordination, set up, customer engagements and tear down. Brand ambassadors are "always on". Not to mention the hours on the road transporting to each location, checking in to new hotels, etc. It’s important that the brand ambassador is aware of these expectations from the onset, and is ready for the adventurous hard work of a lifetime.
Social Media Savvy: As the digital landscape changes, so do our in-person behaviors. Brand ambassadors need to be knowledgeable of the social media landscape, as more and more experiential programs are drivers of social media conversations and word of mouth. They need to understand how social channels work, and how consumers are sharing on them in order to encourage more and more online sharing.
Storyteller: Agencies like ours rely on our brand ambassadors to tell a story, and also relay that story back to us both verbally and with visual media. The brand ambassadors we place on programs are capable of taking great event photos and often times video of the experiences and activations along the way. We often want them to document their trips from market to market. It helps to provide the brand with content for an authentic story around what we do for them.
