A brand ambassador and a brand advocate are basically the same thing: someone who says nice things about your brand.
There are two kinds of brand ambassadors.
The first kind are usually referred to as influencers. Famous celebrities and/or people with name recognition in their field.
They get paid to push your products and say nice things about your brand.
The second kind are your diehard fans. They love your brand. They “get” you. They like and comment on your posts. They tell their friends about you.
They have more credibility than influencers because most of them do it for free. You know they mean it.
I contributed to an article on brand ambassadors, and here’s what I had to say.
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Freelance contractors like myself are in a unique position. We have to be our own brand ambassadors.
And when we take on an assignment, we have to be a brand ambassador for our client.
All of which requires the following:
Expertise
Your credibility depends on it.
You have to be able to answer questions about a product or service, and make recommendations. It helps to be curious, to enjoy learning new things.
Be positive
Some people are blessed with a sunny personality, but we can all choose to be positive. As a brand ambassador, you have to be.
Your job is to engage and draw people in. To make a good impression on behalf of the brand. Negativity is always felt, and it alienates people.
Be invested in the client or brand’s success
It’s realizing that the brand’s success and your own success are linked.
Freelance contractors understand this: their credibility and reputation are tied to their client’s success. The same is true for brand ambassadors.
Be proactive
It’s part of being invested, and includes learning all you can about the brand, and keeping people informed (letting them know what is and isn’t working).
