When customers think about your company, what do they picture in their heads? Is there one particular image that reminds them why they should go back and buy more stuff from you? Or maybe it’s the smiling face of someone you’ve hired to represent the company?
If not, it may be time to find your “brand ambassador.”
If that made you giggle – well, it is a little overly serious, but it also means you’re underestimating how important this is. Brand ambassadors can generate a ton of sales, not to mention goodwill and trust from your customers.
Brand What Now?
It’s not just a concept – you can actually find legit jobs on Monster.com and such for brand ambassadors. But it’s not just people – anything can represent a company and generate sales and goodwill. The ambassador just has to be the “face” of the company and embody the nature of the business.
A perfect example is the Most Interesting Man in the World for Dos Equis beer. The commercials were an instant hit and spread across the web quickly. Then it became an Internet meme and Dos Equis ended up rolling in the money, more than they ever dreamed.
Why was it so successful? The commercials are funny, sure, but that’s only half of it. The company took their time on their company message and what the beer represents. To them the MIMITW says “if you drink the beer, you’re close to being this guy.” He’s super cool and people want to be like him.
Now, you don’t have to see the commercials. The guy’s face is everywhere. Or, someone could tell a joke about “I don’t always…but when I do…” and you want to drink a Dos Equis beer. That’s what brand ambassadors do – remind customers they want what you’re selling.
What’s Your Statement?
So as you can see, there’s a lot to think about. You can go for simple, like Wal-Mart has their particular shade of blue. Or go with cute, like the Geico Gecko, or plain goofy like Flo for Progressive Insurance.
The important thing to remember is what your company’s statement is. If the person or object you choose doesn’t represent that, it won’t stick. Customers will experience cognitive dissonance if something seems fishy. And they won’t be back.
For example, let’s say your business sells children’s bookbags for school. That calls for a brand ambassador that says “serious stuff like learning but still lots of fun to keep kids interested.” If you go too far in either direction, like a circus clown or someone who looks like a banker, it probably won’t work. Kids won’t get it and parents will choose another bookbag. Or, perhaps even worse, the connection between your company and the brand ambassador won’t stick in their minds and you’ve spent a lot of money for nothing.
Another thing to consider is what Dos Equis pulled off – that multi-faceted angle that gave the character and ambassador so much room to work. There are multiple avenues for customers to be reminded to go buy the product. The company set themselves up for success before they ever started. If you take the same consideration when choosing your own ambassador, you’ll be well ahead of the game.