In today’s digital landscape, social media is leading the wave of future marketing. The rise of social media puts power in the hands of individuals in a way that’s never been seen before. More and more, brand ambassadors have more power to influence the spending patterns of consumers than celebrity spokespeople and traditional marketing campaigns. In today’s world, a professional’s social media presence is more like a “business card” that helps them make connections and advance in the industry.
Because of this trend, beauty and fitness retail brands are turning more and more marketing dollars towards influencer social media campaigns and brand ambassadorships. Because of this interesting, modern approach to marketing, more service professionals in the beauty and fitness industry are creating a solid “side hustle” as brand ambassadors. Maybe you’ve even been wondering how to break into this area of the industry but haven’t been quite sure how to get started. Here’s a quick rundown of what brand ambassadors are, how to use your social media savvy to your advantage, and how becoming a Vagaro featured business can put you on the path to brand ambassadorship.
What Are Brand Ambassadors?
Often, you’ll hear the words influencer and brand ambassador used interchangeably, but there are distinct differences between the two, including what they do for brands, contractual obligations, and payment structures. Influencers are generally compensated for their work with a brand and their relationship with that brand is generally short term, often tied to one specific campaign. Brand ambassadors, on the other hand, generally cultivate long-term relationships with the brand they represent.
What these two types of social marketers share in common is that the content they create and share with their audience helps the brand expand its customer base. Because of the reputation and engagement a brand ambassador has built with their audience, their endorsement serves as an introduction or call-to-action for the brand. Brand ambassadors may or may not be compensated for the content they create, often incentivized by commissions based off sales, discount codes for their audience related to their content, or in free products and services from the brands they represent.
Steps to Become a Brand Ambassador
An increasing number of beauty, fitness, and wellness brands are appointing ambassadors as part of their marketing campaigns, meaning that industry professionals who want to branch out and grow have more opportunities than ever. No matter your specific industry, it’s your knowledge, skills, experience, passion, and commitment that might make you the ideal representative for a brand you believe in.
Getting Started
Vagaro is dedicated to seeing you succeed in all your professional endeavors. Download these handy checklists and take the first steps toward get started as a brand ambassador! Here are two handy checklists of questions to ask yourself and then action items to help pave your way to brand ambassadorship.
Get Featured & Be Your Own Brand Ambassador
Because the internet and mobile devices provide modern customer with a wealth of information at their fingertips. This means that marketing to them is both easier and more challenging than ever, which is where the power of brand ambassadors comes into play. Meltwater surveys indicate that 78% of consumers are more likely to trust the social recommendation of someone in their network than traditional marketing efforts. That means that becoming a brand ambassador might be your secret weapon to help your business attract and retain new customers and scale up.
Vagaro was founded on the principle of helping small business owners advance in a competitive market, so our platforms are uniquely positioned to help you expand your network of influence. When you choose to become a Vagaro Marketplace featured business, your listing is prioritized over other local businesses. This gives your social presence a boost, and because our software is integrated with social platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Yelp, your brand visibility increases. Getting featured on the Vagaro Marketplace is also a great place to test and refine your personal or business brand identity and build your reputation as an expert in your field, making you a more attractive candidate for brand ambassadorship.
Get Featured and start on the path to becoming a brand ambassador! Vagaro’s got the tools to help you increase your social reach, gain new followers, and give you the first-hand experience you need!
Header Image and graphics: Mia Montemayor via Vagaro
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