If you’re just getting started in the professional marketing world, you’re a college student looking to be an influence on campus, or just happen to love and be loyal to a certain brand, business, start up, or app, then you should highly consider becoming a brand representative or brand ambassador for a company. If you are a business looking to expand, or gain a following in a certain location, or even a college campus, consider establishing a brand ambassador program. Since the SF/Bay Area is pretty much the tech and startup capital of the world, a brand ambassador position, should you meet the correct qualifications, shouldn’t be hard to find at all, and can make a seamless addition to build one’s resume.
Most companies look for outgoing and socially engaged individuals who are well known through out their community or social sphere, have strong networking skills combined with a large network base, as well as an active social media presence. This gives people who run and write a personal blog more, leverage , and makes being a brand ambassador highly beneficial for them, as they, if they run a successful blog, have a large follower base to market the brand’s products too. Brands and companies love bloggers who mention their products since it is essentially free advertisement. If a blog is successful enough, they may even take out advertisements on blog’s site, or send you free products. After all, one of the perks of being a brand ambassador are free usage, free samples, promotional codes, and free things they give you to successfully and effectively promote the brand. Even a t-shirt with the brands logo or name can spark a conversation, which is important for a brand that is trying to grow.
Most brand ambassador programs will have minimal requirements, and can be not all that time consuming. Most requirements would consist of passing along promotional codes to friends and potential customers, referring friends, family and followers to sign up for the service provided, the app, or brand’s mailing list/website. The application is fairly simple, and you’ll have an edge up if you have a friend who is already an ambassador who can refer you. Sometimes you’ll be given free things with the brand’s logo to give to , friends and family, or if the brand ambassador program requires you to attend, hold, or work at events, which you will distribute coupons, provide information about the brand, and give out free promotional things, like sunglasses, pens, cups, shirts etc. So, depending on the brand, responsibilities can vary, but they are by no means equivalent to that of a full time job. However, if you are looking for new full time employment, and you choose to become a brand ambassador, if you go above and beyond, or if you prove to be an asset to the brand, they may hire you to be a part of one of their teams as a means of employment.
Luckily, we live in an area where there is no shortage of apps, new start ups, and branches of existing companies. Hence, that makes finding a brand ambassador position relatively easy! Brands that have local bases that hire brand ambassadors are Uber, Lyft, SpoonRocket, Postmates, Tilt, Thred Up, The Hunt, Getaround, Prezi, Nature’s Variety. Many beverges, soft drinks as well as liquors have ambassador programs, as do major retailers like Victoria’s Secret Pink. Of course, one of the most important attributes for a brand ambassador to have is a passion for what they are promoting. So seek out one your favorite apps, companies, or brands, or research startups that align with your interests, and you’ll be on your way to promoting something you love, and influencing others as a brand ambassador.
