ambassadors | Top Rope Media

10 Tips to Secure Corporate Sponsorship for Non-Profits and Athletes

Meredith — Fri, 29 Oct 2021 15:50:48 +0000

Corporate Sponsorship: How to Get it

Are you seeking corporate sponsorship for your non-profit? Or are you an athlete trying to fund your running, cycling, or snowboarding career as a brand ambassador? Well if so, it’s that time of year again when non-profits and adventure sports athletes begin courting outdoor and lifestyle brands.

What Are Your Corporate Sponsorship Goals?

Before you run out and ask a company to sponsor you, or your event, you should clearly outline your goals. Here are a few things to ask yourself or your team:

How will a company benefit by sponsoring you or your non-profit? What is the value-added?
What does success look like? And, what do you expect for a return on their investment (ROI)?
How will you achieve your goals?
Is this a one-time ask or do you have long-term plans?
Could there be a tax write-off for their contribution?

As an athlete or brand ambassador, your goal may be to lock in sponsorship dollars to help you cover the cost of your adventures. Everything from travel, food, and accommodations to race entries, equipment, and apparel to make it through another season.

However, as a non-profit, your goal may be to raise critical funds to build and maintain mountain bike trails. Or provide financial support for those facing a life-threatening illness.

What Are Their Goals?

Whatever your goals are, have you thought about what the goals are for the outdoor or lifestyle brand you are courting? They may be seeking the right non-profit partners or athletes that will represent their company in a positive light. And, to help them better tell their story. But in the end, most brand ambassadors should expect to help generate revenue.

This blog will teach you how to plan for the ask before you call, email, or tweet their Corporate Sponsorship or Marketing Manager.

Being a Brand Ambassador for Betty Designs not only means sharing images in the latest kits, or showing up for a swim, bike ride, or run, but that you embody the Betty spirit!

Where To Make A Connection to a Potential Corporate Sponsor

Outdoor + Lifestyle Industry Events and Adventure Sports Festivals

This dance of corporate sponsorship happens in many places. Online and in-person. One of the biggest chances we’ve had to meet with lots of big outdoor brands has been at industry events and trade shows. If you haven’t read our latest blog on the Best Events to Attend to Grow Your Brand, get on it!

Here are a few industry events to check out in the U.S. where you can find lots of your favorite outdoor and lifestyle brands under one ‘roof’:

Tradeshows are perfect places to connect with potential corporate sponsors as an athlete or non-profit.

A More Intimate Courting of Corporate Sponsors

A more intimate courtship of corporate sponsors also happens at your local coffee shop or during your gondola ride up the mountain. While you’re checking the surf or during your bike ride down the coast. The smart non-profits and athletes become aware that all of their chance meetings could lead to potential corporate partners who could fund their next project.

Therefore, take off those stretchy pants, throw on something a bit fancier, or get into your cycling kit, and make the time to network. Attend that Trail Talk at your favorite brewery. Sign up for the local running club. Volunteer for your neighborhood clean-up. Stay involved in your community to better connect with potential local sponsors.

In addition, if you’re courting a corporate sponsor and you don’t already own their gear, products, or services, pony up! Get more familiar with the brand you want to help fund your projects. And show them that you are paying attention.

For athletes, show your potential corporate sponsor some love by wearing their gear and using their products!

10 Tips To Help You Secure Corporate Sponsorships

We know you came here for action, not just a good read. So here are some tips to help find those coveted corporate sponsorships. And keep those relationships for years to come.

1. Do Your Homework

Does the outdoor or lifestyle brand you’re seeking sponsorship from support non-profits, individual athletes, or teams? Do they have an established brand ambassador program or a give-back component? Do they regularly make donations of products or services? And finally, do you or your non-profit organization meet their requirements?

2. What Do You Have in Common?

Next, do you or your non-profit actually use and like their products or services? Do you live in the same town where their corporate headquarters is located? Lastly, do you have any connections at the company that could make an introduction to their Marketing Manager or Corporate Sponsorship Coordinator for you? LinkedIn is great for this!

We love Yakima’s rooftop tent, along with our Subaru Crosstrek from Frank Subaru. These are not paid sponsorships, but we show them all some love every chance we get!

3. Follow them on Social Media

Are you connected with the brand you’re seeking sponsorship from on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter? If not, get on it. In addition to the follow or like, start to read their content. Respond and engage with them. Get to know more about the brand and what their interests are.

4. Look at your data and share relevant content on social media

Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram make it easier than ever to view your non-profit organization’s insights and audience demographics. And, if you are not using a Facebook Business page, set one up now. The same goes for Instagram. Or, transition to an Instagram business page. These take a few minutes to set up and are essential to tracking your reach and engagement, which is what a potential sponsor would be interested in.

Not sure what to post? Learn how to take better photos! Or, follow these social media best practices to better connect with that potential corporate partner. Begin to curate content that might be of interest to them.

Taking good photos and creating fun graphics does not have to be hard work. Tools like Canva can help!

5. Develop a corporate sponsorship proposal, media kit, and/or a website

By developing an online presence beyond social, you can let potential corporate sponsors learn more about you and your mission. In addition, they’ll know that you’re serious and not just looking for freebies. You can use a tool like Squarespace to easily create a beautiful website in a few days! Read more about how you do not need a complicated WordPress site to get your message out there.

Second, if you do not have a simple press kit, media kit, or slide deck to email or share in person, create one! What should you include?

Your mission, vision, and values
Goals and how you will reach them
Accolades (awards, results, achievements)
Social presence
Number of email subscribers
Current sponsors/partners
Project specifics, timeline, and budget
Oh, and photos!

Be clear about who you or your non-profit organization is and the impact supporting you will have on a broader scale. Outline your action plan and ways in which your potential sponsor will benefit from the partnership. In addition, you can create a separate sponsorship proposal that provides all the specifics. Read more about how we’ve helped other non-profits and athletes!

However, if content writing, web development, and graphic design are not things you want to spend your time on, here are tips on how to hire someone to help and what you can expect to pay.

6. Make the Connection

If you or your non-profit is looking for something more than just free gear, you will need to do more than simply apply for their brand ambassador or corporate sponsorship program.

Already have a connection with the brand? Then this next part is easy. If not, do some research! Here are steps to take when making that first connection:

Say hello but keep it simple. Share what you have in common.
Attach or link to your media kit, press kit, or sponsorship proposal
Ask if you can have 15 minutes of their time to chat.
Find out when their next fun event is and be there.
Get a meeting on the calendar at the next big industry trade show. Then, at big events like Sea Otter or Outdoor Retailer, you’re not just wandering the aisles.

Build relationships. Keep in mind, this is about building a long-term relationship between you and a brand. Not about short-term cash and free product. It’s easier to keep a corporate sponsorship you already have for another season than to find a brand new one.

We love working with athletes to help them secure corporate partners. No longer is there a need to win races. Just being a good human and producing great content can go a long way.

7. Follow-up

A potential corporate sponsor agreed to your call or meeting. Now it’s up to you to be prepared and follow up. Send the proposal, share your media kit and be on time for the meeting.

Having a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system in place can help you track who you’ve spoken with, where you’re at in the relationship, and what the next steps are. Need help finding a CRM that will work best for your needs and your budget? Give us a shout and we’ll help you get organized!

8. Always be closing

After all this work, at some point, you need to make the ask. Move your project forward by asking for what you need, and then shut up. Seriously. The negative self-talk after you’ve made your ask, or the “and if you can’t do $5,000 then maybe you can just do $500, or a case of Clif Bars for our next event…” Just stop.

Be confident in yourself, your mission, or the mission of your non-profit, and what you can accomplish with the support of a great corporate partner. Structure a deal that adds value to both your mission and the goals of the brand. Get it in writing whenever possible.

Capture fun images that showcase your sponsor’s products and make people smile.

9. Surprise and Delight

Congratulations on making the ask and securing a corporate sponsor! Remember, this is a long-term relationship, so check in with them on a regular basis.

Surprise and delight your sponsors with one of these:

thank you note with a photo
tag ’em in your Insta story
monthly e-newsletter where you share project updates
create monthly content for them to use- photos, videos, copy. Learn how to take better photos and videos!
set up a meet n’ greet so they can get to know you and your team
host a happy hour to show off their products

10. Meet those Sponsorship Requirements

Ensure you are meeting the terms of your agreement with each sponsor. Send in reports on time and early. Provide content each month instead of waiting until the end of the year. And, help them impress their bosses by going that extra mile. Make it easy for them to say yes next year!

Need more ideas on how to find corporate sponsors? Check out our Facebook or LinkedIn posts. Read more of our blogs about brand ambassadors and sponsorship. Or sign up for our newsletter below.

Until next time,

Meredith McConvill

The post 10 Tips to Secure Corporate Sponsorship for Non-Profits and Athletes appeared first on Top Rope Media.

How to Find the Right Brand Ambassadors and Content Creators For Your Brand

Meredith — Tue, 11 Dec 2018 20:06:11 +0000

Navigating the World of Brand Ambassadors, Influencers, and Content Creators

In our last influencer and brand ambassadors blog, we reviewed the basics of working with brand ambassadors, influencers, or content creators. However, here are a few more questions to ask yourself or your team:

Were you clear in the expectations you set for your ambassadors?
Did you communicate regularly with them?
Do your ambassadors or content creators use your brand hashtags, and have clear guidelines on your brand style/voice? If not, create a style guide and share it with them when they sign up.

Sarka Pancochova is one of our favorite snowboarders, working hard on and off the mountain to support the brands that allow her to do what she loves.

With over two decades of marketing and fundraising experience for athletes, outdoor and adventure lifestyle brands, I’m here to walk you through everything you need to find the right brand ambassadors that will influence your bottom line.

Before we jump in if you want to learn more, check out some of the projects we’ve done for our brands and ambassadors.

Identify The Type Of Brand Ambassadors or Influencers You Are Searching For

Here are a few different types of ambassadors and influencers you’ll encounter:

Fans & Customers:

A simple yet effective form of influencer marketing is converting your customers into fans and your fans into ambassadors. There are lots of ways to do this. You can reach out to individuals who consistently purchase your products and engage on social media, or you can target all of your fans with giveaways or special coupons for sharing. No matter what, the goal is to create a crew of brand champions.

Employees:

Your employees are likely some of your biggest fans! Leverage this by giving them your products, deep discounts on services, and branded items they wear or display. Have them submit monthly photos or videos to share across your social channels.

For example, Mesa Rim Climbing & Fitness, where I was coaching little kids 2 days a week before COVID-19, takes great care of me as an employee by providing me with apparel, gear, and professional development opportunities. They’re also great at engaging with my social posts, and often feature employees’ climbing adventures in their social media feed!

Micro-influencers:

This will be the bread and butter of any influencer marketing campaign. Micro-influencers are often people with less than 25k followers. They can be vloggers, bloggers, YouTubers, Instagram stars, etc.

For example, many of the influencers we work with are athletes and adventurers with less than 25K followers. However, most of their followers are in the same niche. In addition, because they have smaller, more intimate followings, they have a greater influence over those who follow them.

They’re also more likely to engage with their fans by responding to messages or comments giving you more bang for your buck.

For 17 years pro mountain biker, Jeff Lenosky has been an incredible brand ambassador for Giant Bicycles. Jeff has traveled the world, not only to showcase his skills and teach others how to do them via his Trail Boss YouTube channel, but to also get more kids on bikes.

Things To Ask Yourself When Shopping Around for a Brand Ambassador

Once you have an idea of the right types of ambassadors to look for, you can begin looking at individual influencers. As you do this, you should ask yourself a few more questions:

Do their posts align with your brand?

You may find influencers with the right audience, the right reach, and within your budget, but they still may not be optimal for your brand. For example, if your brand highly values community service and giving back, it’s important to find an influencer who does too.

Do they feel authentic?

Maybe they are not getting thousands of likes, but they have great engagement and come across as a real person you might be friends with. Another question to ask when considering authenticity is, “Would I buy an item they’re promoting?” Look at their post history to find out.

What is their rate for sponsored posts/ads?

If you think an influencer is right for your brand, the next thing to find out is if you can afford them. This is why it’s important to know your budget before reaching out to influencers.

If an influencer is out of your price range right now, don’t worry. Build a good relationship with them. Stay in touch, follow their journey, like and comment on their pictures, videos, etc. It works both ways after all.

Are they eager to do the work on and off social media?

As a brand ambassador, will they promote your brand at trade shows, retail locations, and help you organize in-person and virtual events? If yes, then this is huge! How many bike shops do you know that enjoy organizing monthly bike maintenance clinics, let alone picking up the bagels and coffee for the weekly shop ride?

Here’s a great example. We were sad that one of our favorite industry trade shows, CABDA, was virtual this year due to COVID-19. However, we tuned in for the education and networking sessions. We watched the presentation below on how a bicycle shop could grow its female customer base.

During the presentation, we realized that the presenter, Sheri Rosenbaum, not only provided tons of tips on how to level up your bike shop. In addition, she showed us what a brand ambassador could do. And we think she would be the perfect partner for any bike shop or bicycle brand that is looking to reach more women. Listen and learn from Sheri!

3 Steps To Find the Right Brand Ambassadors

If you’re like me, you’re an adventurer. This means you didn’t come here for a good read, you came here for an action plan! You don’t want to look at pretty pictures of mountains. You want to feel the granite on your fingertips.

And just like scaling mountains, there isn’t one route to the peak of an influencer marketing strategy.

Depending on your needs, budget, industry, marketing approach, and more, you may take the scenic route or you may be in a hurry to get to the top.

1. Pay To Play: Paying for Ambassadors and Influencers

For those who need a quick and easy solution, use an app or service like Brand Ambassador or BrandSnob. Platforms like these make it easy to find influencers, however, costs can add up fast, and building authentic relationships with ambassadors in this way can be challenging.

When I saw CardiB’s post below I immediately thought…How much did it cost to create these arrangements and ship them to her? Does Venus Et Fleur have an influencer agreement with CardiB and if so how much did they pay to work with her?

Either way, when CardiB shared this to her network of over 37.5 million followers, you can bet she’s going to increase revenue, especially if these roses do last for a year!

When rap superstar CardiB posts about her Venus Et Fleur delivery, she’s driving sales. Big time. Hmmm…who wouldn’t love some fresh cut flowers that last a year?!?

Brands paying for product endorsements are nothing new. But, social media has created a whole new world where anyone can rise to fame. Want to check out the funny, raw, yet stark reality of social media celebrities? Well, The American Meme on Netflix, featuring Paris Hilton, Josh Ostrovsky, aka The Fat Jewish, and Brittany Furlan will give you plenty to think about.

2. The Long And Prosperous Route to Get Good Brand Ambassadors

At Top Rope Media, we think of influencer marketing like backpacking. To get the best results, to see the most beautiful and untouched terrain, you have to plan. Prepare. And, be willing to walk – a lot!

And ok, the metaphor only goes so far. You don’t have to do any actual walking to create your influencer marketing strategy. But it does take time to find and build relationships with the right influencers.

If you can be patient, and think long-term, you’ll find the investment is worth it when your ambassador is connected with your brand for years to come.

Try to think of Michael Jordan without having an image of the Nike swoosh come to mind. That’s the power of influencer marketing. To get results on the ‘Long and Prosperous Route’, here are the steps to take:

Unleash the Hounds:

Digital hounds that is. Start sniffing around the web by setting up Google Alerts for content creators or featured stories in your space. Our favorite social channels to search on? Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube.

Pro Tip: Search for blogs and videos that already mention your brand. These creators are likely fans already. Meaning they’ll be much easier to convert into ambassadors.

Hashtag #Winning:

Hashtags are a great way to find social media users posting about brands like yours. Because hashtags can get very specific, you can focus on exactly the type of content creators you’d like to work with.

Not sure what hashtags to search for? Follow some of your competitors and see what types of posts they make. And as a bonus, what types of content creators they use as ambassadors.

Study a Trail Map:

You can think of platforms like Hookit as your trail guide in the influencer marketing world- especially if you want to work with athletes. Hookit allows you to see which audiences a content creator is reaching, and how well they’re performing. However, be prepared to pay a hefty price for services and apps such as this.

Reach Out and Say Hello:

Once you’ve narrowed your choices down to about a dozen candidates, it’s time to reach out. A personalized direct message or email showing you understand the influencer and their audience.

Before reaching out though, have a plan and process in place. Create an agreement for the influencer to sign, even if it’s just a simple one-pager. By placing an offer in their hands instead of just saying, “Hey, we love your stuff and want to work with you”, you’ll allow them to quickly accept your offer, or open it up to negotiating specifics.

Effective influencers get tons of offers. So, the easier you make it for them to say yes, the easier it will be for you in the long run.

Rinse and repeat:

Once you’ve gotten the first ambassador down it becomes a lot easier to get more. Plus, you’ll have more insight into the types of content your customers crave. Meaning you’ll be able to be more specific and selective in who you choose.

It’s important not to fall into a rut though. Keep experimenting and testing the boundaries of what works!

Communicate and Evaluate:

This is also a reason why you need someone managing your brand ambassador or influencer program. They should not only be communicating regularly with your ambassadors on Facebook, Snapchat, Pinterest, Instagram, or YouTube. In addition, they should be looking at the data, running weekly and monthly reports to see who is performing.

Applications like Iconosquare and of course Google Analytics can help you understand if the influencer you’re investing both your time and money in is actually converting to sales.

Sterling Rope Ambassador Mark Smiley gives a review of Sterling’s Dry XP Rope from the top of Mt. Baker! As a climber, I’m paying attention, and you can bet his testimonial will influence my purchasing decision!

3. Look Within

No ‘look within’ isn’t a Zen quote. Ok, maybe it’s that too. But, it is an opportunity to find brand ambassadors closer to home than you ever dreamed possible.
That’s right! Brand ambassadors don’t have to be niche ‘celebrities’. They can be your loyal customer. Here are a few places to start:

Customer base:

Start by looking at your customer base, your social media engagements, and your email subscriber list. Notice someone who buys from you frequently or avidly shares your posts on Facebook? Well then, offer them a coupon or limited-time offer in exchange for sharing and leaving a review.

Another effective strategy is to offer discounts for referrals.

Analyze the data:

Google Analytics can also help you find potential ambassadors. Perhaps your data shows that a well-known blogger loves mentioning and linking to your cycling kits. Or, an Instagram star won’t stop posting selfies wearing your brand’s stylish new sunglasses.

Need help figuring out your Google Analytics and how to see where your website traffic is coming from? Just holler!

Either way, drop them a thank you DM (direct message). In addition, you can offer to send them your next design to take out for a test run!

How To Find A Brand Ambassador: Survival Gear

Here’s a recap of some of the tools mentioned in this article and more:

Google: Every influencer on the internet, right at your fingertips.
BrandSnob.co: An easy way to find and hire influencers.
Hookit: A platform to research and track influencer performance.
Facebook Pixels: A tool to track and monitor the performance of influencer posts on Facebook.
Google Analytics: Use Google Analytics to track your traffic to find your fans.
Influitive: A software allowing you to easily reward customer referrals.
TINT: Use TINT to easily display moderated streams of content created by your brand ambassadors.
Hootsuite Amplify: Hootsuite Amplify is a software that encourages employee-generated content.
Dynamic Signal: Distribute content to employees making it easy for them to share.
Fivestars: Create custom rewards programs to motivate brand loyalty and advocacy.

Your customers can often be your best ambassadors, and Eliel Cycling has some amazing riders in their team kits throughout Southern California.

The First Ambassador And Beyond

So, if your brand is looking to turn customers into fans. Reach a new audience. Or, just increase revenue. Then a brand ambassador program or influencer marketing has a place in your marketing strategy.

Why? Ambassadors generate sales, create content, and extend brand awareness. Therefore, this makes them an effective and affordable long-term strategy.

Of course, to maximize success you need to manage them correctly, so make sure to do your homework and know what to expect.

If you need support developing or running an influencer program, contact us today!

Stay Tuned

We love developing brand ambassador programs and influencer marketing! In fact, we have written more content:

To learn more about what we at Top Rope Media do on the regular, follow our adventures on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. Until next time!

– Meredith McConvill

The post How to Find the Right Brand Ambassadors and Content Creators For Your Brand appeared first on Top Rope Media.

Why Start a Brand Ambassador Program for Your Brand

Meredith — Tue, 20 Nov 2018 04:00:00 +0000

Why Start a Brand Ambassador Program for Your Brand

Today, more outdoor companies and lifestyle brands are spending their marketing budgets on digital marketing. And, you can bet they also have some type of program for brand ambassadors, content creators, and influencers. Why start a brand ambassador program for your brand? First, let’s look at precisely what brand ambassadors or influencers do for a brand.

But before we get into it, are you are seeking brand ambassador work? Or, want to actually make money as an ambassador? Well, read our tips before you move on!

Kim Kardashian is still one of the highest-paid brand ambassadors or influencers today.

What Are Brand Ambassadors and Content Creators?

According to Wikipedia: a brand ambassador is a person who is hired by an organization or company to represent a brand in a positive light. And, by doing so, they help to increase brand awareness and sales. The brand ambassador is meant to embody the corporate identity in appearance, demeanor, values, and ethics.

In today’s world, a brand ambassador is also a content creator. Therefore, they are also doing the following for the brand they are representing:

Creating lots of photos and video content
Instagram Reels
Participating in or staging photoshoots to generate more imagery using the product or services
Attending brand events or festivals

Investing In Brand Ambassadors and Content Creators

Beautifully photographed athletes like Cristiano Ronaldo out for a morning run in his Nikes. Kim Kardashian rocking her latest Fendi bag. Or, Alex Honnold, hanging off the side of a mountain in his Black Diamond harness. When he actually wears a harness! These posts didn’t just come from a loyal brand fan. They happened because of financial transactions meant to generate brand affinity and ultimately product sales.

As an example, Cristiano Ronaldo, a lifetime Nike Brand Ambassador sits at the top of the influencer marketing pack! Cristiano makes around $400,000 for a single branded Instagram post. It is often said that Ronaldo earns more from his Instagram posts, about $47.8 million per year, than he does playing soccer!

So, what is a small to medium-sized business, in an industry with non-Nike sized marketing budgets, to do?

Cristiano Ronaldo has been a long time ambassador for Nike, making more in sponsorship and advertising than in playing soccer for Juventus!

Do I Really Need Brand Ambassadors Or Influencers?

Maybe you’re thinking your brand does not need ambassadors. Or, you don’t have the budget for an influencer program. Well, if any of the following statements apply to your business, then you should have an ambassador program in place. In addition, and more importantly, someone to manage that program for you.

Generate more content: I am always searching for more, good, authentic content- images, videos, thoughtful writing
Be seen as an expert in my niche: I want to share stories people are interested in.
Brand recognition: I want to embed my brand into a sport or subculture. Like boardsports- surfing, skating, wakeboarding, or snowboarding.
I need more sales! Yes, definitely more sales, please!

These climbers not only kick ass, they’re also helping their favorite brands, like Petzl, 5.10, Sterling Rope, Mammut and Mesa Rim Climbing and Fitness create brand awareness.

Can I Afford a Brand Ambassador, Content Creator, or Influencer?

One of the biggest mental hurdles to get over when launching an ambassador program is the perceived cost. We are definitely familiar with celebrity brand ambassadors, like Tiger Woods for Nike.

Now then, you may think, “wait a second, I don’t have the budget for a Tiger Woods. Nor a Ronaldo!” Therefore, enter the concept of micro-influencers. Someone with less than 25K followers, but still has a great influence on their network or community.

Although it may seem out of reach, there are hundreds of people in your niche who are excellent micro-influencers. In addition, they would be stoked to work with you. And, at a price that fits your budget!

Finding the right brand ambassadors and influencers are crucial and at Top Rope Media. And we support clients on both sides. We help clients find the right brand ambassadors and often build out a program to help clients manage them. On the flip side, we help athletes find the right brands to connect with.

Feeling stuck with your program or not sure where to begin? Check out more of our projects, or drop us an email and let’s chat!

Hanging with a few of TASCO MTB’s brand ambassadors at the Sedona MTB Festival.

How Do I Get My Ambassadors To Send Me Those ‘InstaGood’ Photos?

Good ambassadors and content creators generate a TON of great content for your brand. And, this helps your brand with more than just sales.

For example, the photo above was taken with a few brand ambassadors I worked with at TASCO MTB. It is not of team riders who podiumed or finished first in their race. And, it was not a professional photo. But, it might make you wonder who is TASCO MTB and how do I get to be a part of this crew!

Not all photos need to have that polished look. In addition, capturing the behind-the-scenes action is sometimes more effective in sharing your brand’s story.

If you happen to be a bit more curious about this image above, it was taken at Sedona Mountain Bike Festival. Besides posting pics and videos of riders tackling trails like the White Line, we hung out in the TASCO tent and bonded over our shared love of the outdoors. And food. And beer!

Gathering your ambassadors together is also a fun way to help you with event activations. Want to learn even more? Read about my work with TASCO, or why you should be at these events and festivals with us!

BLNDN Haircare brand ambassador posted often on Facebook and Instagram- and not just with products. One of the highest-performing posts was one about how to create a messy bun!

My Brand Doesn’t Resonate With Athletes, Now What?

Have no fear, there are brand ambassadors and influencers out there that can help. Here are some other ways we use brand ambassadors that are not athletes to generate great content:

Sharing beauty products or lifestyle images
Submitting an event write-up for a blog post
Writing testimonials or reviews
Creating how-to videos

All this content helps us reach our goal to drive more traffic to your website. Think about it. When you are searching for a new bike, a better sunscreen, or you need someone to fix the giant gusher you just created in your front yard by digging into the main water valve (so sorry neighbors)! Well, if I just saw a friend’s recommendation on Facebook for a local plumber, I’m calling him first. And fast!

What Are The Risks of Working with Ambassadors?

There are pitfalls to ambassador and influencer programs. Without clear expectations on both sides, ambassadors can slide into expectations of free products and discounts, with no need to give back to the brand.

So, if you are not communicating well with your ambassadors, you run the risk of those influencers actually hurting the brand. It’s one of the reasons we recommend having a contract in place. Even for the smallest ambassador programs.

Displaying brand logos on apparel and using a brand’s gear- saddle, shoes, water bottles and socks are all classic ways for cyclists to showcase their sponsors and be a good ambassador.

Reporting And Data Tracking

Tracking is also a key but often overlooked aspect of these efforts. No matter if you’re a privately funded mountain bike apparel brand. Or, a sole proprietor making the most kick-ass piece of climbing gear on the market. You still need to know what kind of benefit your ambassadors are generating for you. While branding and reach are a little bit harder to track, sales generated by the ambassador are easier.

Whatever you do, set up the kind of systems that are going to allow you to track and improve your program over time. As an example, ‘Skills with Phil’ may have thousands of YouTube subscribers, but if he’s not generating sales and good awareness for your brand, his value is limited. Thankfully, as a TASCO MTB athlete, Phil was able to help us push products out to his viewers. And, we saw an increase in sales each time he helps us with a product launch!

Knowing this information will allow you to create quality relationships with your influencers and ambassadors. In addition, it allows you to focus on individuals who are creating the most value for your business.

Janel Holcomb, WD-40 and Mavic brand ambassador hanging at the Sea Otter Classic with WD-40 Bike and some badass mountain biking pros.

Final Thoughts on Brand Ambassadors

We’ve seen a ton of success on both sides of this equation. Launching ambassador programs for our clients, and helping athletes find the right brands to align with. Remember, brand ambassadors will generate sales, content, reach, and brand awareness when managed correctly.

This makes them an affordable marketing and sales tool. And, over time, you will see the impact of your investment in them. Need more help?

Resources:

To learn more about what we at Top Rope Media do on the regular, follow our adventures on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter.

Until next time,

– Meredith McConvill

The post Why Start a Brand Ambassador Program for Your Brand appeared first on Top Rope Media.