Viva’s Blog: Why Brand Ambassadors matter
There are many catchphrases popular in marketing today. “Engagement”, “influencers”, and “relevance”, just to name a few. Brand Ambassador isn’t one of them, and it should be.
Sure, it’s important to engage your customers, we all appreciate the power of influencers, and relevant content is key. But finding and creating Brand Ambassadors is one of the most important activities you can do to catapult your brand.
What is a Brand Ambassador?
There are many ways to define a Brand Ambassador. Some say they are passionate employees who spread their love for their work and their business to anyone who will listen. Others refer to Brand Ambassadors as customers and unaffiliated individuals who have been so wowed by their experience with a company that they go out of their way to share their enthusiasm with friends.
We count them all. Sure, your employees and other internal stakeholders are your face to the public, but we’d be naïve to ignore the largest segment of Brand Ambassadors – your customers.
Why you need Brand Ambassadors
Today, consumers are less trusting about what brands say about themselves than they are about what others are saying about them. Nielsen’s April 2012 Global Trust in Advertising report, which surveyed more than 28,000 internet responders in 56 countries, found that 92% of consumers say they trust recommendations from friends and family above all other forms of advertising.
BMW gets it
BMW has hundreds of thousands more Brand Ambassadors in 2012 than it had in 2011. Why? Because each year about 800,000 people visit the BMW Welt (BMW World, in English). The Welt is the 62-acre, $275 million complex in Munich, Germany, that houses a factory, an automobile exhibition, a lab for kids, restaurants, and shops. Also at the Welt, fifty thousand people from all over the world come to pick up their spanking new BMWs, drive them around Europe, and then have them shipped home. BMW adds to the fun by offering a discount for this privilege. BMW and other European automobile manufacturers have developed a remarkable experience that deepens the bond between their customers and their cars.
BMW makes sure that you’re treated like royalty every step of the delivery process. Think these BMW customers tell anyone about their experience? That’s how you create Brand Ambassadors.
Leverage your employees like Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines thinks of themselves as a customer service company that happens to fly airplanes, on schedule, with personality. This is believed so strongly that Southwest evaluates a customer service candidate for a job based on attitude, not experience. Employees are trained to treat customers like friends and family, and they’re empowered to do whatever it takes to put customers at ease and create an air of relaxation.
The result? Their employees are 46,000 Brand Ambassadors that make flying fun for their customers. You’ll even hear their customers talking about how fun the experience is. The result? Millions of loyal customers selling the brand for the airline.
“Yes” is the answer at Heinen’s
Heinen’s, a Cleveland-based grocery and specialty food haven, is a pleasure to visit. Why? Because the Heinen brothers understand that their business is all about providing world-class customer service and they train their staff accordingly. At Heinen’s, “yes” is the answer, regardless of the question. Ever go to a grocery store and find yourself roaming aimlessly down the aisles for an esoteric ingredient your spouse has to have for a special recipe? At Heinen’s, within seconds, a smiling, helpful employee will notice your plight and ask how they can help you. Then, they’ll gingerly escort you to the exact location of the product you need. Produce experts answer a question about which type of apple is best by taking out their knife and cutting samples for you. It’s a formula that breeds loyal Brand Ambassadors.
Want to build a powerhouse brand?
Want consumers to seek you out rather than having to chase them? Want to read tweets about a consumer’s incredibly positive experience with your brand? It all starts with the experience you’re delivering. That’s why finding and creating Brand Ambassadors is one of the most important activities you can do to catapult your brand.
Editor’s note: Laura Sheridan, President of Viva La Brand, was recently selected to be the Brand Blogger for Crain’s Cleveland Business.
http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20121029/BLOGS05/310299998/-1/blogs05
