The 4 Digital C's Needed for Brand Ambassadors to Thrive When it comes to running an influential online program, make sure you focus on these four aspects.
By Ann Tran •
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Thanks to technology and social media, brands and marketing agencies have more opportunities than ever to promote their products or services. No longer is it necessary to just blast out of information to the masses hoping the right consumers resonate with your message and are motivated to purchase your products. Instead, smart marketers are realizing that adding social media and influencer programs to their marketing strategy will significantly increase the chance of their message sticking.
And while a social-media strategy seems like a given for most businesses, not every company is utilizing influencers (the people that can create the most buzz and awareness about your product or service).
But before brands embark on even inviting major influencers to be part of their program, I believe companies need to consider the digital four C's.
Related: How to Launch a Successful Brand Ambassador Initiative
1. Content. Without providing creative and compelling experiences, along with amazing, sharable content you can't expect people to be enthusiastic about sharing positive messages pertaining to your brand on their social media channels.
The more opportunities influencers have to interact with your product and service and find it the experience compelling, the more motivates they will be to create stories through video, photos and event blog posts.
2. Conversation In social, conversations are already happening everywhere about your brand, whether you are part of it or not.
Related: Want to Gain Influence on Social Media? Get to Work.
As a brand or agency handling influencer programs, one of the primary reasons you want the right influencers for your campaign is be able to tap into their communities and create conversations around a theme. Instead of a monologue, you want to create an opportunity for a dialogue. If you do a good job providing worthwhile content, influencers will talk about and spread it to their followers and fans helping you create a community for your brand.
3. Collaboration. Think long term. Concentrate on building a loyal and savvy social-media marketing team that will support you. Professionalism, respect and fair compensation go a lot farther than a one-hit wonder. Social-media marketing is a long-term undertaking. Plan a reasonable budget for the social-media team. Trust me, it's a lot of work.
4. Compensation. If you approach individuals to be a social-media influencer, think, "paid social-media influencer."
Paid social media influencers by contract means exactly that. When you agree to a contract, you don't throw in additional tasks. Be fair and don't take advantage of their desire to please you.
That said, it is crucial to gauge social media "worth" before compensation. This allows you to understand and measure what content is successful before investing and implementation.
And if you are wanting to bring social-media influencers to speak at your events, compensation can be a tricky subject. If you think offering a free ticket or some swag to the influencers at your event will suffice, think again. That may work in the short term, but it will not build a meaningful and lasting relationship with your influencers.
Remember, they are working to assist in making you and your event look fabulous and successful. Providing free and swag does not pay the bills
It takes all 4 C's to connect and build trust, a tactic that will help drive word-of-mouth buzz for your brand.
