How to Turn a Customer Into a Brand Ambassador

It's not enough to just acquire customers - businesses must also strive to turn them into brand ambassadors. These are devoted customers who aggressively promote and refer the company to others while also making repeat purchases themselves. It’s free marketing.

These customers are crucial to ecommerce companies because they boost sales, raise brand awareness, and promote a favorable brand image.

Turning customers into brand ambassadors requires businesses to build strong relationships with them as much as excellent services or products. This entails providing outstanding customer service, individualized interactions, and goods and services tailored to customers’ needs.

In this way, customers are more likely to feel a connection to the brand and become loyal advocates who share their positive experiences with others.

Core Loyalty specializes in helping ecommerce businesses turn their customers into brand ambassadors. The platform offers a range of tools and strategies that enable businesses to create personalized loyalty programs, track customer behavior, and reward customers for their loyalty.

With Core Loyalty, ecommerce businesses can build strong, lasting relationships with their customers and turn them into valuable brand ambassadors.

Table of Contents

• What Is a Brand Ambassador?
• What Are the Benefits of Having Ambassadors for Brands?
• 7 Inspiring Brand Ambassador Examples
• How to Get Brand Ambassadors from Your Customers: 6 Strategies and Ideas
• Turning Customers Into Brand Ambassadors

What Is a Brand Ambassador?

When you define a brand ambassador, it's a person who favorably represents and promotes a specific brand. You’ll know what is an ambassador for a brand when they contribute to the business’s reputation and sales. They are often devoted patrons, staff members, influencers, or celebrities who promote the brand on social media, in person, and in other ways.

A brand ambassador's meaning is someone either hired to endorse the brand or a customer who voluntarily does so without compensation. They raise consumer knowledge of the company, promote sales, and enhance the brand's reputation. They serve as the face of the brand and contribute to the development of an appealing brand image among consumers.

A brand can have both a single ambassador and several ambassadors. They can hire more than one ambassador who spreads the word about the brand to their individual audiences or have just one celebrity ambassador who solely represents the brand.

In some circumstances, brands may have a team of customer ambassadors that help spread the word about the company to a larger audience in addition to a celebrity ambassador.

What Does a Brand Ambassador Do?

Brand ambassadors are responsible for representing and promoting a brand in a positive light.

Their main duties and responsibilities include:

• Increasing brand recognition

Brand ambassadors are in charge of expanding the brand's reach and improving its visibility through a variety of platforms, including social media, events, and other ecommerce marketing activities.

• Driving sales

Brand ambassadors actively encourage customers to make purchases through promoting the brand's products or services and enticing them with exclusive discounts and incentives.

They go above and beyond to create a memorable shopping experience that leaves customers feeling excited and satisfied with their purchases.

• Building relationships

It's the responsibility of brand ambassadors to build and maintain strong relationships with customers, macro and micro influencers, and other stakeholders. This helps to foster loyalty and trust in the brand and ensures that the brand continues to thrive.

• Providing feedback

The brand often seeks the valuable feedback of its ambassadors on products, services, and marketing strategies. This helps improve the overall performance of the brand and ensures that it stays ahead of the game.

• Creating content

Brand ambassadors may also be responsible for creating content such as social media posts, blog articles, and product reviews to promote the brand and engage with customers.

A brand ambassador's main responsibility is to represent the brand and its values to the public. They may have various tasks depending on the brand's needs.

It could go as promoting the brand's products or services, responding to customer queries, providing feedback on the brand's offerings, creating content to engage with customers, and attending events on behalf of the brand.

In terms of compensation, some brand ambassador programs may offer discounts or other incentives to customers who promote the brand, while others may hire professional ambassadors and pay them a salary or commission.

Regardless of the compensation model, a brand ambassador is expected to actively engage with customers and promote the brand to increase sales and customer loyalty.

While some customer brand ambassadors may simply promote the brand throughtheir personal social media channels, others may be asked to provide feedback on products or services.

The responsibilities and expectations of a brand ambassador can vary depending on the brand and the specific loyalty program they are participating in.

Do Brand Ambassadors Get Paid?

There are numerous ways to compensate brand ambassadors. Some may be compensated based on the volume of sales or recommendations they bring in for the brand, while others may be paid on a salary or retainer basis.

Some ambassadors might receive bonuses like free merchandise, special discounts, or other benefits.

Brand ambassadors' pay might vary depending on their level of experience, competence, and the breadth of their tasks.

Customer ambassadors may receive less compensation or even work for free, whereas celebrity ambassadors and prominent influencers frequently seek larger fees.

For companies looking for brand ambassadors, it's important to consider the budget for compensation and the level of commitment required.

Brands should also ensure that compensation is fair and reasonable based on the ambassador's contributions and the brand's goals.

What Are the Benefits of Having Brand Ambassador Programs?

Brand ambassador programs recognize and incentivize customers to contribute to the brand’s sales.

From increased brand awareness to improved customer loyalty, the advantages are numerous.

Here are 7 specific benefits of having brand ambassador programs:

1. Increased brand reach

Brand ambassador programs help increase brand reach by leveraging the power of word of mouth marketing. When customers become brand ambassadors, they promote the brand to their personal networks, which can include friends, family members, and social media followers.

According to LXA, 92% of consumers trust recommendations from friends and family, making brand ambassadors a powerful tool for increasing visibility.

2. Improved credibility and trust

Based on Shopify data, 61% of consumers trust influencers more than traditional advertising. They’ve used the product themselves, so they have more authority about it and the niche they’re in.

Brand ambassador programs help improve credibility and trust because they are typically made up of individuals who already have a positive relationship with the brand.

When these individuals promote the brand to their own followers and networks, it serves as an endorsement and can be more effective than traditional marketing and advertising.

3. Cost-effective marketing

Brand ambassador programs can be a cost-effective way to promote a brand. Influencer Marketing Hub reports that businesses earn $5.20 for every dollar spent on influencer marketing.

With their own customers as their brand ambassadors, companies can reach a wider audience at a lower cost, as these types of ambassadors share their positive experiences with the brand to their own networks.

4. Increased customer engagement

Recognizing a customer’s power to help your business makes them feel good. It’s a top engagement tactic. Every customer has influence and credibility to drive more interaction between the brand and its customers.

Through a brand ambassador program and through the customers’ actions as they promote your brand, there comes a stronger connection between customers and the brand.

5. Higher conversion rates

Brand ambassador programs can help businesses have high conversion rates by leveraging the personal connections and influence of customers. According to The Keller Fay Group, 82% of consumers are highly likely to follow a recommendation from a customer turned micro influencer.

Through ambassadors who align with the brand's values and target market, businesses can increase the likelihood of converting those potential customers into loyal brand advocates.

6. Valuable feedback

Brand ambassador programs can help businesses receive valuable feedback from customers, which can be used to improve their products, services, and overall customer experience.

Brand ambassadors are often passionate about the brand and its offerings, and may be asked to test new products or services before they are launched to the general public in order to provide their honest feedback.

This feedback loop can be especially beneficial in the early stages of a product's development. It enables brands to make necessary adjustments before launching to a wider audience.

7. Improved customer and brand loyalty

Brand ambassador programs foster customer loyalty when they share their positive experiences with the brand and encourage others to try it out. Your profit margin increases up to 25%, as reported by Annex Cloud, with referral business.

According to the same source, customers who are referred have an 18% higher level of loyalty than those who are gained in other ways. Referred clients are four times more likely to recommend your business to others.

7 Inspiring Brand Ambassador Examples

When a brand knows how to find brand ambassadors, they hit a jackpot and grow their company in the huge pool of talents in the business world. The experiences of major brands have proven this strategy time and again.

Here are 7 examples of major brand ambassadors:

1. Luka Sabbat - Shein brand ambassador

Luka Sabbat, a young actor and model, was named the first-ever brand ambassador for Shein in 2021. He is known for his unique sense of style and has used his platform to promote the fast-fashion brand to his followers.

2. Serena Williams - Nike brand ambassador

Serena Williams has been a Nike brand ambassador for over a decade. She is not only one of the most accomplished tennis players of all time but also a strong advocate for women's rights and equality, aligning with Nike's values.

3. Roger Federer - Rolex brand ambassador

Roger Federer has been a Rolex brand ambassador since 2001. As one of the greatest tennis players of all time, he is the epitome of excellence and precision, qualities that are synonymous with the Rolex brand.

4. Selena Gomez - Coach brand ambassador

Selena Gomez became a brand ambassador for Coach in 2016. She has collaborated with the brand on several collections and has used her influence to promote Coach to her millions of followers on social media.

5. David Beckham - Haig Club brand ambassador

David Beckham was named the global brand ambassador for Haig Club in 2014. The whisky brand is co-owned by Beckham and has since become a popular choice among whisky enthusiasts around the world.

6. Ryan Reynolds - Mint Mobile brand ambassador

Ryan Reynolds became the owner and brand ambassador of Mint Mobile in 2019. He has used his wit and humor to promote the budget-friendly mobile service to consumers and has been instrumental in its success.

7. Zendaya - Lancôme brand ambassador

Actress and singer Zendaya became a Lancôme brand ambassador in 2019. She's helped the brand promote its diversity and inclusivity initiatives and has been involved in several successful product launches. Her influence on social media has also helped the brand reach a younger audience.

How to Get Brand Ambassadors from Your Customers: 6 Strategies and Ideas

Brand ambassador programs can be a valuable asset for any brand, and sometimes the best ambassadors are existing customers.

Here are 6 strategies and ideas for getting brand ambassadors from your customers:

1. Provide personalized experiences.

Customers are more likely to become brand ambassadors if they feel a personal connection to the brand. Providing personalized experiences, such as customized product recommendations or personalized marketing messages, can help foster this connection.

2. Implement a customer loyalty program.

Loyalty programs incentivize customers to continue purchasing from a brand and can also encourage them to share their positive experiences with others. Offering exclusive perks and rewards for loyal customers can help turn them into enthusiastic brand ambassadors.

3. Offer a referral program.

A referral program incentivizes customers to refer their friends and family to a brand and can be an effective way to acquire new customers. Rewards or discounts for successful referrals can encourage existing customers to become brand ambassadors.

4. Encourage user-generated content.

Brands can encourage their customers to create user-generated content, such as social media posts or product reviews. This not only helps promote the brand but also gives customers a sense of ownership and investment in the brand. User-generated content can be much more effective than AI-generated content, which is becoming increasingly popular in the ecommerce space.

5. Leverage Coretava's tools.

Coretava offers a suite of tools to help brands optimize their customer engagement and loyalty efforts. From personalized messaging to loyalty program management, Coretava can help brands turn their customers into brand ambassadors.

6. Host customer events.

Hosting events that bring customers together, whether virtually or in person, can create a sense of community and foster loyalty. Creating opportunities for customers to connect with each other and with the brand can help brands create a network of loyal brand ambassadors.

Turning Customers Into Brand Ambassadors

Brands need to come up with innovative strategies to stand out in the crowded ecommerce market and build lasting connections with their consumers. Making customers their brand ambassadors is one efficient approach to achieve this.

Brands develop a network of passionate brand ambassadors when encouraging loyalty, rewarding recommendations, and offering tailored experiences.

Other successful strategies include hosting customer events and promoting user-generated content.

Building solid relationships with customers based on trust, loyalty, and individualized experiences is at the core of all these initiatives. With the right strategies and tools, brands can create a network of enthusiastic advocates who will help drive growth and success.

Coretava's suite of tools can help brands implement these strategies effectively and efficiently, making it easier to turn customers into brand ambassadors.

Start your journey with Coretava today.