Finding a Job as A Brand Ambassador or Influencer

 

Interested in finding a job as a brand ambassador or influencer?  And getting more than just free gear?  Here are some thoughts as to why you would want to represent an outdoor brand:

• Get paid to do what you love
• Be part of the team or club
• Meet awesome people who share the same passion
• Adding ‘Patagonia Brand Ambassador’ to your resume makes you more attractive to recruiters!
• You want free stuff, discounted gear, and equipment

 

If any of these sound like you, read more about how to best present yourself for brand ambassador jobs!  However, if you are here as a brand and seeking ambassadors to create more brand awareness, check out our last blog: Finding the Right Brand Ambassadors!

 

Sports like surfing can be expensive, and being a good brand ambassador could help you save on that new wetsuit you’ve been eyeing.

 

5 Things to Consider to Become a Great Brand Ambassador

 

First, finding a job as a brand ambassador or influencer should not start by simply applying for the brands you want to work with.  Here are a few things to think about before you scour the web:

 

1. Are you an expert?

 

To be a great brand ambassador, you need knowledge.  Presentation skills.  Personal experience.  And, the capability to deliver.  It doesn’t mean you have to be as good as Kelly Slater when you paddle out to surf!  You should know enough about the industry trends and come prepared with ideas on how to help a brand generate revenue.  

 

2. Are you active on social media?

 

You don’t have to be active on every channel.  However, you should have a strong presence on at least one.  YouTube. TikTok.  Instagram.  Bonus if you’re active on a few!  Your number of followers and views are important metrics, but they quake at the sight of the almighty engagement.  Be sure to create content that encourages your followers to like, share, and comment.

 

3. Are you good at creating content?

 

At its root, finding a job as a brand ambassador or influencer is about being a good content creator.  Yes, there’s more to it than just creating content.  You want to be available for in-person events, provide the brand with ideas on how to best reach their audience, etc. However, at its core, being a great ambassador does mean creating good, authentic content.  Here are tips on how to get started if you are not yet creating content:

 

• Creating Videos for Social Media
• How to Take Good Photos

 

4. Can you stick to a schedule?

 

One of the perks of being a brand ambassador full-time is freedom from the cubicle!  However, you still have to be responsible and submit your content on time.  Even Patagonia ambassadors need to submit photos, videos, or write blogs regularly! 

Failing to follow through with your agreement with a brand can get your brand ambassador contract canceled.  In addition, it can give you a bad rap with the brand and its other ambassadors. 

 

5. Do you have the right attitude to be a brand ambassador?

 

Most brands, especially in the outdoor space, have positive vibes as a cornerstone of their brand identity.  But don’t fret if you’re not a naturally cheerful, bubbly person.  It means you may have to work a little harder!  Or, pitch them on your sarcastic, dry humor instead.  Either way, authenticity is key.  You do not want to enter into an agreement with a brand where you cannot be yourself.

 

This is just a small sample of Patagonia’s Brand Ambassadors, and just the climbers! They also have surfers, fly fishers, trail runners, skiers, snowboarders, and Global Sports Activists.

 

 

The Journey to Finding a Job as a Brand Ambassador

 

So you’ve found the trailhead to the brand ambassador wilderness.  Consider this your trail guide!  If you need extra help and want a sherpa on this trek, send up a signal. For now, here are the action items you should focus on. 

 

1. Find Your Passion

 

What are you truly passionate about?  When seeking a job as an influencer or brand ambassador for your favorite brand, make sure there’s PASSION behind it.

If you’re not passionate about the brands you work with and what they represent, it will be extremely tough to fake it.  Plus, brands want expertise and experience.  And, if you’re passionate, you’re more likely to put in the work to get the experience in the industry you’re targeting!

 

2. Learn the Best Digital Marketing Practices

 

Are you really good at creating content?  Being active on social media?  What about supporting brands you love?  Take time to learn everything you can about the best digital marketing practices.   

 

Got this down already?  Already demonstrating it in your YouTube videos, Instagram Stories, on TikTok, or Facebook?  Well, then you are much more knowledgeable than your competitors!

 

HubSpot, one of the leaders of the digital marketing world, puts out great content constantly to further prove how the way we market to consumers has changed.

 

3. Niche Down

 

This piggybacks off the first step but has some majorly important distinctions.  Take your knowledge and experience and translate it into a niche within the outdoor industry.  We often try to cast a large net to catch the most fish, but with a more targeted approach, you can bring home a tastier catch!

 

Brand Ambassador Example: Camping

 

Let’s use camping as an example of a brand ambassador’s niche.  Niching down may mean focusing on glamping, cold-weather camping, or just good old-fashioned backpacking.  By choosing one of these areas and becoming an expert, you’ll be a more trusted specialist.

 

Spending in the camping sector is growing strongly!  7 out of 10 millennials are going camping.  You can bet that all people are researching online before making a purchase.  Show a brand how you can help, and also support them on YouTube or Instagram!

 

Niching down doesn’t mean you can’t broaden your scope or go outside your niche from time to time.  By proving your worth in that niche market, you make yourself a great ambassador for brands.  Plus, by niching down, you’re much more likely to get a paying gig rather than just free gear!

 

4. Start Networking

 

How do you start developing more contacts at outdoor brands within your brand ambassador niche?  Follow them on social media.  Not just passively following.  Liking, commenting, and engaging with them!  

Another one of our favorite activities?  Hanging out with our favorite brands and their amazing employees.  Joining them in the sport you both enjoy!

 

Example: CABDA Show Networking

 

For example, at the CABDA West Show (all things bike-related), there was an Industry Ride.  This is a pretty common occurrence in the cycling world.  The week began cold, rainy, and gloomy.  Rare in Southern California.  Therefore, I wanted to sleep in and stay warm. 

However, I set my alarm for 5:30am.  Drove in rush hour traffic.  Pedaled out of the parking lot in Del Mar in the misty rain with a great group of cycling industry peeps.  And, a surprise guest appearance by pro cyclist Mark Cavendish!

Documenting these events from your perspective allows your followers to walk a mile in your boots.  And, shows brands you know what you’re doing.  Need more reasons to be at these events?  Read our Best Tradeshows in the Outdoor Industry!

 

Joining your favorite brands in their favorite activity is also a great way to show your interest and get to know the players. Here’s our crew from the CABDA Industry Ride!

 

5. Develop Impactful Content And Offer Your Services

 

With your niche chosen and some connections in your industry, build a portfolio of high-quality content.  In other words, start by creating impactful content today, and leverage that into a paying gig tomorrow.  Read more about how you can use great photos and videos to market yourself or your business.

 

Brand Ambassador Example: Becoming a Tiny Home Expert

 

For example, do you live in a small space?  If so, share your story about being a minimalist and living in a tiny home.  Or, what storage hacks work best for small spaces?  In addition, you might create how-to videos for building and outfitting a tiny home.  Or, stunning photos with your favorite gear in that tiny space.  Climbing and skiing videos of people in their homes during the COVID-19 lockdown went viral!

 

Remember, you serve as a resource for those in the industry.  Give them vital feedback on what is trending!  Get to know existing ambassadors at your favorite brands.  Remember not to be the guy or girl who’s always asking for handouts.  Reach out and see how you can help them.  Ask what types of content they are looking for.  What comes around truly goes around.

 

6. Stay True To Yourself

 

Think of brand ambassadorship like dating.  And, as your mom always told you, “Just be yourself.”  Altering your interests and core values may pay off in the short term.  If you want a long-term gig representing the brands and values you really care about, make sure to stay true to what you believe in.

If you are that bubbly, energetic person… let your personality shine through!  Yes, Black Diamond pays Alex Honnold to be a brand ambassador because he is constantly pushing the limits of rock climbing.  But, they also hire him because he’s a goofy, laidback, and fun-loving human.  In other words, he represents what they’re looking for in a customer.

 

Black Diamond loves Alex Honnold’s work as a brand ambassador so much that they’ve created the Alex Honnold collection- with part of the proceeds going to support the Honnold Foundation.

 

 

How to Kickstart Your Brand Ambassador Career

 

With all your provisions in place and a map in your pocket, howl to the wide wilderness that you’re open for business!  How do you do it?  Below are just a few of the ways to send smoke signals:

 

express yourself through a website

 

Having a website will benefit you in many ways.  A good website will add credibility, save you time explaining who you are, and showcase exactly what you do. Need help with yours?  Howl at us today. 

 

Create a slide deck, media kit, or press kit

 

We help athletes build out a media kit to take with them to events and to better pitch to the companies they’d like to work with.  Here’s more from our Shopify partners about how to create a great press kit! 

 

Learn how to take great photographs and create engaging videos

 

One of the best ways to share your content is through photos and videos.  There are so many tools and apps that can help!

In addition, YouTube is also a great resource for how-to videos.  Or try a Masterclass: Adventure Photography with pro climber and photographer Jimmy Chin

 

Learn how to take better adventure photos and videos through Jimmy Chin’s MasterClass!

 

Target the brands you love

 

One of the perks of being a brand ambassador is working with brands you already love.  Take stock of what products and equipment you already use.  Make sure you are using their hashtags and tagging them in photos.

 

Use a BRAND AMBASSADOR PLATFORM

 

Today, there are dozens of platforms out there to help you be a better brand ambassador.  These platforms often feature brand RFPs or a request for a proposal from a brand ambassador interested in participating in their upcoming campaign.  They’re a great way to be more strategic in helping you find paid gigs!  In addition, ambassador platforms will also help you increase visibility as a more established brand ambassador.

Here’s a great list of the Top 12 Brand Ambassador Programs and the pros and cons of each!  What else can these platforms assist with?

• Easier to find brands seeking ambassadors or content creators
• Helps brands find you
• Earning rewards and getting paid!

 

What You Don’t See from brand ambassadors

 

Whatever your reasons, the truth is that becoming a good brand ambassador takes time, knowledge, and a bit of skill.  Sure, it seems easy.  You see an abundance of ambassadors on Instagram with thousands of followers.  All out there sending perfect jumps on a mountain bike. Cruising through fresh pow on a snowboard.  Or sitting on their longboard, waiting to catch that perfect wave.  What you don’t see is the time and effort they’ve put into creating that video or photo!

 

High above the clouds, temps at 13 degrees, but still able to get a few shots that make it look like I’m all by myself out here.

 

Final Thoughts: Finding a Job As A Brand Ambassador

 

Here’s a quick review for you of what we’ve covered:

1. Pick your passion and niche (or get one)
2. Learn best digital marketing practices
3. Start creating useful content
4. Network, network, network
5. Be true to yourself
6. Create a website, YouTube page, or somewhere people can find you
7. Take a class or brush up on your photography and videography skills

 

Thanks for reading!  If you want more of Top Rope Media’s adventures on the regular, subscribe with your email below, or follow us on Instagram, Facebook, or X.

   

– Meredith McConvill, Top Rope Media

 

 

 

The post How to Find Work as a Brand Ambassador: Get More Than Just Free Gear appeared first on Top Rope Media.

Are you wondering how to create great videos for social media?  Or for your website or YouTube channel?  And more importantly, how you can create those eye-catching videos that people just can’t seem to stop watching?

Well, we’ve helped over a dozen clients with video production!  So in this blog, we’ve pulled together our tips on how to do it yourself!

This is a follow-up to our How to Take Better Photos blog, and today we will teach you how to develop those video skills!  You will learn:

• 7 Steps to Create Great Video Content
• Video Production for Smaller brands, B2B companies, and Startups
• How to Work with Content Creators, Videographers, or Video Editors

Why It’s Important to Include Video Creation in Your Marketing Strategy

With video representing 82% of all internet traffic, it is king when it comes to marketing for B2C and B2B companies.  Fun, shareable and educational videos are all powerful tools to connect with your audience, reach new customers, and generate brand awareness!

Accordingly to Hubspot, 93% of brands say they acquired a new customer because of a video on social media channels like YouTube, Instagram, or Tiktok.  And with so many content distribution channels to share your videos, this gives you the opportunity to tell your brand stories and promote your products or services in new, interesting ways. 

And, in addition to social posts, videos can also enhance email marketing, blog posts, and websites!

A full video production can set you back $$$. And not just for the videographer. Often you are paying for a space rental, lighting, microphones, talent, and a set director. Then you need someone to edit the raw video files!

How Small Brands, B2B Startups, and Non-Profits Can Approach Creating Videos

Large outdoor and lifestyle brands often have larger budgets, and greater access to talent, videographers, etc.  They can afford to pay athletes or models and a crew to travel to remote spots, shoot onsite for a few days, and bring all the footage back to a video editor that pieces everything together.

However, small adventure brands, B2B startups, and non-profits may need to DIY their videos to save money.   And it’s more feasible than you might think!

Why?  Well, smartphones and GoPros have made creating videos relatively inexpensive and accessible.  In addition, smaller brands, non-profits, and B2B startups can shoot videos right from their homes, offices, or backyards.  This saves on venue rentals, lighting, voiceovers, etc.

Furthermore, Adobe Stock and Envato have millions of stock videos that you can piece into your video recording to give it more polish.  A fully-styled shoot is fantastic if you have the budget, however, you can create these videos yourself with a small budget!

Example #1: We worked with former pro surfer Rochelle Ballard to help her build a library of content for her startup online surfing course!  To save on production, Rochelle helped to create the outlines, together we built a script, and then we organized each topic into lessons.  The videos to go with each lesson were then shot in Kauai by a professional surf photographer, edited by an experienced video editor, and then we uploaded each into LearnDash, an e-learning platform!

Read more about the project or head over to Rochelle Ballard’s Flow to check out the course!

Rochelle Ballard’s online surfing course took over a year to develop, from video production to editing to pulling together the final courses.

Working with Content Creators, Freelancers, and Stock Footage to Create Videos

If hiring a full video production team isn’t part of your budget, do not worry.  You may want to consider recording the video yourself, and then using stock video or hiring someone to help you piece it all together!

Here are a few examples of where you might look for help:

• A freelance video editor can take your raw video content and transform it into a short, catchy video with music, motion graphics, and text overlaid
• A content creator who specializes in YouTube, or who knows the ins and outs of Instagram Reels and TikTok, can create fun videos in short periods of time!
• Adobe Stock Videos– you can buy a monthly subscription starting at $29/mo or simply credits to gather video content relevant to your product or service
• Envato Elements– another subscription service at just $16.50/mo!

When searching for the right fit, look for pieces that match your brand’s style and come across as authentic.  If you’ll be working with a videographer or video editor, discuss your goals and most importantly your budget.  Our last blog on working with photographers and videographers can help you further outline some of these items. 

Pro rider Kelly Catale during our Seven Cycles photo shoot at the Sea Otter Classic with photographers Wil Matthews and Jake Orness.

7 Steps to Create Great Videos: The DIY Method

Do you feel like you can take the reins on video production for your business?  Here are seven tips for being your own video content creator:

1. Invest in Video Recording Tools

In addition to your iPhone or Android, you may want to purchase a GoPro, and even go as far as buying and learning how to pilot a drone!  Why?  Well, a GoPro will make it easier to capture active adventures like surfing, skiing, or rock climbing.  Additionally, adding a drone to your video-capturing arsenal will help you get beautiful footage from the air!

Here are a few more tools you may want to invest in:

Tripod, Gimbal, and GoPro Mounts

First, you want to avoid those shaky video images.  And although you feel that your hand is quite steady, it is not.  Therefore, invest in a gimbal, a tripod, and mounts that will work for your GoPro and/or smartphone to capture crisp, steady video content. 

A tripod is useful if you will be on camera for longer periods of time and standing in one place.  Never heard of a gimbal?  It’s a handheld image-stabilizing tool you can easily carry with you to events and on adventures.  And those GoPro mounts?  Great for wearing your GoPro on a helmet, a chest mount, or attaching it to your surfboard or ski poles!

Lighting

Proper lighting is a crucial element in creating high-quality YouTube video content.  Good lighting can significantly enhance the overall visual appeal of your videos, and ultimately improve the viewer’s experience.  Meaning they will be more likely to like the video and subscribe to your YouTube channel!

Well-lit videos can give you a more professional and polished look.  In addition, you can control the mood and atmosphere of your video with proper lighting.  Whatever mood you decide to set for your videos, establish a consistent setup for a cohesive brand image!

Lightbox

A light box can help you shoot clean, crisp product images or videos in a flat-lay style on a white canvas.  You can also use a lightbox to help you create those stop-motion videos where it looks like an item is being folded, a box is being unpacked, or your product is moving all on its own!

Microphone

Want to capture sound better?  There are several microphone attachments you can purchase to capture great sound quality from your iPhone or Android!

Wireless Remote

Lastly, a wireless remote or camera shutter remote control can help you start and stop your recording with ease if you are in front of the camera. 

Tip: An Apple watch can help you with the remote control shutter if you’re an iPhone user!

Capturing that content on the go? Pick up a few tools to stabilize the image, improve the sound quality, and keep your hands free!

2. Identify the Hook for Your Video

When it comes to creating B2B explainer videos, YouTube videos, TikToks, or Instagram Reels, capturing the viewer’s attention is key!  Therefore, give viewers a reason to keep watching.  Here are a few things to try:

• Answer a frequently asked question on camera, and have some fun theme music from a game show to go along with it
• Share a behind-the-scenes look at your office space, lab, or gear closet
• Using trending audio and sound bites, or record your own
• Interview your team members or volunteers
• Use the tools within apps like Instagram and Tiktok to create captivating visuals.  Here’s more on How to Create Instagram Reels. 
• Incorporate fun things into your video, there’s a reason those pet videos perform so well!

Example #2: Save the audio of your favorite or trending Instagram Reels or TikToks as this is a great way to have a stack of pre-saved audio ideas for future videos.  We tried this for one of our Instagram Reels in Colorado’s Box Cañon and it got lots of love!

We had so much fun creating this quick video together while exploring Ouray, CO.  And it took all of 5 minutes to record, edit, and post!

3. Remember to Create Videos in the Right Format

Globally, users are 1.5 times more likely to watch videos and video ads on mobile.  Therefore, take videos in the correct orientation or aspect ratio for the platforms they will be viewed and shared on.  And consider that viewers might have the sound off so overlay text if needed. 

If you are recording for B2B, YouTube, or your website, record your video horizontally or in landscape mode.  If it’s something for Instagram Stories, Reels, TikTok, YouTube Shorts (videos that are less than 60 seconds) or Facebook Reels, hold the phone the way you normally would, vertically.  Want to save time and record in both formats at the same time?  Set up two phones, each on its own tripod!

4. Write a Script, Sketch Out the Storyline, and Create a Shot List

Writing a video script, building a storyline, and creating a shot list are often things we organize for B2B clients, smaller brands, and non-profits who cannot afford a professional video or photo shoot.  Start a Production Outline in Google Docs or Google Sheets and share it with your team to start the creative juices flowing!

Example #3: We developed a compelling video for Brandon Barett, a pro bass fisherman, without ever having met him in person!  In order to do this, we wrote a script, outlined what he would record for the voiceover, and then gave him a shot list of short clips to record in the morning while he was getting ready for fishing.

Then, we worked with a video editor to piece together the audio, video clips, text, and overlay music.  The end result was something Brandon could use in his Kickstarter campaign!

Having more professional-looking photos and videos can help you inspire potential customers to make a purchase, or simply engage with your brand.

5. Take a Videography or Video Editing Class

If creating videos and editing them is something you want to master, whether for your business or just a personal goal, a videography class can give you more technical skills.  And just a one-time investment gives you the confidence you need to start recording and editing videos on your own!  

Try a Masterclass with YouTube star MKBHD!  In addition to Masterclasses, both Udemy, and Skillshare have videography, film-making, and video editing classes.

6. Use an App to Help with Editing

In addition to a videography class, we’ve listed a few apps below that are helpful for video editing.  Keep in mind, you can edit directly within apps like iMovie, TikTok, and Instagram!  In addition, this post teaches you how to use Instagram to record videos, overlay music, and text, or create those scenes where people ‘jump’ into different locations, into different outfits, you name it!

Most of the video editing apps below are great for YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram.  We are big fans of Canva for all things- creating graphics, photo editing, presentations, logos, and social posts, but did you know their video edit tools are pretty robust?  Yes!  You can also select from dozens of templates to make a video, along with creating intros, outros, banners, thumbnails, and ads! 

• Splice
• Adobe Premiere Pro
• Canva- this is the easiest tool for beginners!
• Promeo
• iMovie

Learn how to take better adventure photos and videos through Jimmy Chin’s MasterClass!

7. Provide Value with Each Video You Create

It might seem obvious, but make sure your videos are actually providing value to your potential customers.  Especially for B2B businesses.  You may have a very long sales funnel, and you need to keep your audience engaged and keep your brand name top of mind. Here are a few ways to do this:

1. Make your viewer feel inspired!  Tell your story of how you got started
2. Make them laugh.  Use sarcastic wit or goofy humor; try sharing tips or how-tos with some comic relief
3. Jump on the bandwagon! Those trending videos and audio are catchy for a reason- use them, but incorporate your brand style
4. Remember the importance of community.  Ask your audience what they want to see. Try re-sharing user-generated content, videos from brand partners, thought leaders in your industry, and non-profits you love.

Final Thoughts on Creating Videos for YouTube, Social Media, and Your Website

Whatever your video creation skill level is, it is a worthy pursuit to keep improving it.  We’ve helped so many B2B and B2C clients create great videos for social, their websites, or fundraising campaigns.  So don’t be afraid to experiment and have fun—TikTok is a great app to test ideas and see what gains traction! 

In the meantime, don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you need suggestions for a videographer or content creator you can work with!

Meredith McConvill, Top Rope Media

The post How to Create Videos for YouTube + Social Media appeared first on Top Rope Media.

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’:

• Consumer Electronics Show (CES)
• Outdoor Retailer
• Sea Otter Classic
• Natural Products West
• ICAST

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.

• How to Find a Job as a Brand Ambassador: Get More Than Just Free Gear
• Top 5 Reasons to Attend Adventure Sports Events and Festivals
• How to Find the Right Brand Ambassadors and Influencers for Your Brand
• Why Start a Brand Ambassador Program for Your Brand

Until next time,

Meredith McConvill

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

First, LMS is an acronym for Learning Management System, but you may have heard this called online education, e-learning, virtual classroom, etc. This system, or software application, allows you to manage and deliver e-learning content like videos, courses and quizzes.

In addition, an LMS will usually include in its functionality:

• e-commerce capabilities to allow for purchasing of courses/memberships
• track student registration and course progression
• ability to message course registrants to share assignments and feedback
• 3rd party tools to extend the LMS’s capability

Before we dive in, if you have a question that can’t wait, let’s chat.

 

AN Example of an LMS used in the Outdoor Industry

 

A great example of an LMS begin used in the outdoor industry to create more knowledgeable brand ambassadors? Expert Voice.

How does it work? First, dozens of outdoor and lifestyle brands like Black Diamond, Camp Chef, or DaKine provide content in the form of videos, text, and imagery. Second, they’ll provide multiple choice questions to test the knowledge of someone that has read through the content or watched the videos.

Next, the content is organized within Expert Voice’s LMS, and once the customer passes all the quizzes, they ‘unlock’ a greater discount on their favorite brands.

Expert Voice is currently available to outdoor industry professionals such as mountain guides, retail shop employees, ski resort personnel, and brand ambassadors. And, below is an example of how Mammut is using Expert Voice to create, well, experts.

 

Major benefits to using a learning management system

 

Monetization

Most LMS platforms have user registration and payment functionality built into them. Therefore, as soon as your course or program is ready to go live, you can start registering students and monetizing your services.

 

As an example, one of our clients, the American Avalanche Institute (AAI), uses an LMS to provide avalanche education at a rate that’s very cost-effective for the average skier or snowboarder. $30 compared to an in-person course, which starts at almost $400. It certainly does not replace the fieldwork you would do in-person, however, it gives AAI customers a great introduction to snow safety.

 

In addition, the LMS provides the American Avalanche Institute with potential new customers that may pay for a more extensive course in the future.

What are the LMS roadblocks and pitfalls to watch out for?

Be Realistic with your Content Production Needs

 

Similar to home renovations, take a conservative estimate of the time and effort needed for content production. Then, add an additional 20%! Creating great content will require you, someone on your team, or your brand ambassadors to write copy, shoot photo or videos, and then design each step in the course.

We can’t stress enough how important it is to dedicate a few hours each week to content production. You and your brand ambassadors should be doing this already to help you generate better leads on your website. But, if not, here’s a step-by-step guide we wrote to help you generate good content for your website, and in this case your LMS!

Still, no matter how well you plan, things will come up. So, expect it to happen. Just like when the contractor says he’ll be done in 2 weeks. You know it’s gonna be more like 4. Be prepared. Experience has taught us a lot about content development. So, if you’ve never done this before, this is where we’d recommend hiring a content writer.

 

Don’t Let Perfection Be the Enemy of the Good

 

You’ve created an online course. Developed the content. And, you are almost ready to go. But, you can’t seem to launch. Why? Because every time you present your new e-learning course someone, they have just…one…more..change. Sound familiar?

We see this type of launch paralysis. A lot. And, with all kinds of projects: websites, e-commerce platforms, blog posts, video editing, presentation decks, even social media posts!

Here is one way to get around your stagnation and push your online program live. Once you have your content produced, have a beta testing phase built into your launch plan. Beta testing is a big deal for feedback, but it also allows stakeholders or your boss to get used to real people interacting with your business in this new online environment.

After beta testers, create a list of those who will help you promote the new program- your champions. Offer them VIP access. Provide a big discount (40-70%) in exchange for them going through the course. Ask them to provide feedback. In addition, ask them to share the program with their network. On social media. Or, through a review or testimonial. Be specific in what you expect for the discounted VIP rate, but make sure they are getting value.

Once you’ve completed both steps, this will usually help everyone get comfortable with the idea of “launching” to a wider audience.

 

Define a clear strategy and value proposition

 

You have to deliver value to your mountain biker, rock climber or skier. If not, your course, and your brand ambassador program, won’t go anywhere. Therefore, ensure you define, very clearly, what you are providing for your customers and brand ambassadors as soon as possible in this process.

As an example, the American Avalanche Institute moved most of their in-class training to an online environment due to concerns about COVID-19. They will still provide field sessions for their students. However, they can now provide the classroom portion in easily digestible online segments.

In addition, with sales of backcountry touring equipment up over 300%, we’re predicting a big season for beginner backcountry travelers. Therefore, AAI’s entry level course, Avalanche Fundamentals, is now completely online, and for just $30 bucks!

So, AAI is addressing concerns about classroom safety well before the start of their season. And, increasing students’ level of comfort. That is valuable.

The result? The kick-off of their 20/21 season was by far their busiest to date! Several courses were sold-out weeks after releasing the course schedule!

The post Using Learning Management Systems to Enhance Customer Experiences and Nurture Brand Ambassadors appeared first on Top Rope Media.

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!

CONTACT US!

Stay Tuned

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

• Where to Find a Job as a Brand Ambassador and Get Paid!
• How e-Learning Can Help You Nurture Your Brand Ambassadors
• What is a Brand Ambassador and Do I Need One

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.

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:

• How to find the right brand ambassadors and influencers for your product or service
• Where and how to find a job as a brand ambassador and get more than just free stuff!

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.

SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING

 

We recently wrote a social media marketing how-to guide for our clients.  It was 14 pages long!  This comprehensive guide covered tips and tricks for using LinkedIn, Pinterest, X (Twitter), Tiktok, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram.

 

Today’s world is unfortunately still a place where you can buy followers and likes.  However, writing this how-to piece was a good reminder of how much we can do, for free, to connect with our audience online.  So I’ve decided to post a portion of this guide here for everyone that needs help navigating through the wilderness that is social media marketing.

Back to the Basics

 

To begin, let’s get back to the basics: What to post, where to post, how to post and when to post it.  Other big questions we get:

• How do we use hashtags and on which channels?
• How can I mention a person, brand or organization? 
• Can I schedule posts? 
• Should I use emojis?
• What should I be posting?

We’ve got answers to these social media questions, along with many more.

 

While writing this social media marketing how-to guide, we spent our time focusing on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.  All three social media platforms are typically up and running for most clients we work with. 

 

Therefore, we could do screen shares and walk them through the best practices for each social media platform.  If you’re new to managing digital marketing for your business, and want to know what outsourcing your social media marketing costs, check out our Services page. 

Schedule your content in advance

You can always post instantly on Instagram or LinkedIn, but we recommend setting aside 1-2 hours every other week to set up and schedule your posts.  Why?  Because this gives you a chance to be more strategic with your social media marketing. 

Other tips for planning out your content in advance:

 

• Use a Content Calendar and a scheduling app like Hootsuite.
• Set up a theme for each week, working backwards from important events for your brand, or in the outdoor industry, or upcoming holidays.
• Share similar posts across several platforms, moving them to different days and times
• Share curated content or user generate content (UGC)
• Replicate posts that performed well

Facebook Marketing

  

Facebook Pages and even Instagram can be managed under Facebook Business Manager.  In addition, you can see all of your Business pages if you are an Admin on more than one page. 

Facebook and Instagram notifications are combined if your accounts are linked.  Therefore, you can see all of your messages and comments in one place if you choose to use Business Suite.  We recommend checking this on your desktop as opposed to your mobile to make it easier to see and respond to messages.

 

Need help with Facebook Business Manager, which is what you’ll want to set up if you plan to run ads?  Check out our latest Facebook and Instagram advertising post!

 

Once your Facebook Business page is set up, viewing your insights on Facebook is easy.  The amount of data is enormous, and you can set filters to see day-to-day performance, or for a given date range.  You can also view your reach and your past posts to ensure your social media marketing is on point. 

 

In addition, you can set up pages to watch so you can see how you’re doing compared to the competition. As data-lovers, we’re always excited to comb through the numbers each week!

How to Post on Facebook

One of the best pieces of advice we can give in regards to social media marketing is to schedule out your social media posts.  With Facebook, there’s a few ways to do this. 

Use Facebook’s Publishing Tools to create your posts and schedule them.  There are several applications, like Hootsuite, where you can manage all of your social accounts in one app.  This is by far our favorite time-saver when it comes to social media marketing!

When to Post on facebook and how often

Use your Facebook Insights, go to Posts, and there you can see when your fans are online.  Furthermore, you can see which days and times might work best to post. 

 

Lastly, you can see previous post performance here as well.  This will give you an idea of which style of post is performing best.  

 

How often should you post on your Facebook page?  We recommend that clients aim for 2-3 Facebook posts per week, and either before 10am or after 4pm.

 

What to write or what videos you should record

Need ideas for content for your Facebook social media marketing strategy?  Grab a piece of paper and write down the top 10 questions you often get asked about your outdoor brand, product, service or organization.

Turn these into blog posts or video posts, store ’em on your website and share a link to one of these each week in your Facebook posts.  Keep in mind, video content is still king, so get comfortable using video and set up a YouTube channel!  

In addition, once a week we’ll share a link to content we’ve curated from like-minded outdoor brands or outdoor industry publications.  As an example, we’ll share relevant stories from publications like SNEWS, Bicycle Retailer and Outside Magazine.  Pro tip: have the content come to you via tools like Google Alerts.

 Make sure you @ mention the publication by using the @ symbol and then their Facebook Page.  Only Facebook Businesses can be tagged, not individuals.

 

Need more content ideas?  Check out our latest blog: How to Use your Website to Generate Better Leads.

 

Hashtags and Link Sharing Tips

With Facebook, it’s a social media best practice to not use hashtags.  Save them for Instagram or LinkedIn.

 

For link sharing, Facebook lets you share direct clickable links in a post.  To keep your post looking clean, once you add the link in, you can actually delete it and the media portion of the link, with hopefully a great image, will remain.

 

If there is no image attached to the link, you can add in your own image. However, this image when clicked, will not take viewers to the actual link.  Pro tip:  When creating a blog or new webpage, ensure you include a social sharing or preview image for the post or webpage.

 

Facebook Stories

Facebook Stories is great place to share videos, reminders or new announcements.  To use Facebook Stories more easily, make sure your Facebook and Instagram accounts are connected so that your Instagram Stories push directly to your Facebook Stories as well.

 

Instagram Marketing

 

First, set up a business account for Instagram.  You’ll now have the option to add a Contact button, your address, directions to your business, direct messaging options, all appearing in your profile.  You can leave the address portion out if you offer an online product or service.  

 

With a business account, you can then view Instagram analytics.  Click the hamburger (menu) at the top right of your Instagram profile page to get started.  You can also view Instagram Insights by clicking on the ‘X profile visits in the last 7 days’ on your profile. 

 

When checking in, we recommend viewing your notifications first by clicking on the heart icon at the top of your profile page.  After checking all new notifications, click the message icon in the upper right corner.  This will allow you to see any direct messages (DM) .  If you’ll be posting regularly, get in the habit of checking these daily as many folks will reach out with a direct message.   

 

There are many paid services that will give you deeper insights into your Instagram posts and improve your social media marketing.  But when you’re just getting started, stick with the Instagram platform for your Insights.

 

Furthermore, you can check your Insights easily through the mobile app, but keep in mind you’ll only see about 7 days of data that compares to the previous 7 days.

 

 

How to Post on Instagram

 

Once again, we recommend using a tool like Hootsuite to schedule out your Instagram posts.  This will save you a considerable amount of time in your social media marketing efforts.  Otherwise, posting is done from the app on your phone. Not on a computer, although you can like and comment from a computer.

 

Want your post to have spaces or text breaks?  The best advice is to write the copy outside of the Instagram App, so using Hootsuite or in your Notes section.  Here’s more tips on getting those spaces or line breaks into your Instagram post! 

 

 

 When to Post on Instagram and How Often

 

Just like with Facebook, click on your Insights to see when the majority of your audience is online.  We find mornings are often best on Tuesday to Thursdays, and then anytime Sunday. 

  

How often should you post on Instagram?  We get this question quite a bit. We recommend no more than 3-4 posts per week.  However, this may differ based on your business’s goals and the time you have to dedicate to Instagram.

 

In addition, the Instagram algorithm is based on machine learning, so it’s constantly changing.  Factors that affect how many people will see your post include the interest people have in your post, timeliness, relationship, and engagement, among others.  Read more here on Later.com about How the Instagram Algorithm works. 

 

If you follow our recommendations about planning out your social media marketing content by using a tool like Hootsuite, you can then be more strategic with your Instagram posts.

 

For example, if a client has a big event coming up next month, or a sale, we’ll start talking about it now, scheduling a post once a week about the event.  We’ll use photos from last year’s event, or images of the items that will be on sale.

  

What to Share in Your Instagram Posts

 

Seeking content for your Instagram posts is always time-consuming.  Especially if you are not producing fresh videos and images each quarter.  Here’s more ideas on how to work with photographers and videographers and what this might cost.

 

Answering your most frequently asked questions is a good place to start, and we’ve written at length about this in our last blog post.  Link sharing?  It doesn’t work the same with Instagram as you cannot have a live, clickable link in your post.  However, you can use an app like Repost to share someone else’s post. 

 

Therefore, your best bet is to select a dozen photos each month that represent the content you plan to share.  If you do not have the best images or graphics to represent the theme you’re going for, try Canva or UnSplash for free images. 

 

Adding a location to each post, unless you’re not sure where the photo was taken, will allow users to click on that location and see more posts from there.  Secret location?  Best not to share. 

 

As with any social media marketing, you want to be sure to stay on brand.  Be consistent with the tone and style of the message.  Use the same filter, the same set of emojis, the same look and feel to each post. And then there’s hashtags.

 

 

using @ mentions and Hashtags on Instagram

 

Hashtags originally started on (X) Twitter, but have now become the norm across most social media platforms.  Instagram allows for 30 hashtags in a post or comment.  By using a hashtag, or set of hashtags, your post could be seen by more people who are searching the hashtag and do not follow you, yet.

 

We often place these hashtags in the 1st comment to avoid the post looking cluttered, or by adding spaces or line breaks, and placing the relevant hashtags after the space.

 

What are the best hashtags to use?  This should be based on your industry, and the product, service or mission of the organization.  Hashtags like #exercise or #optoutside are hugely popular, with over 15 million posts each using those hashtags. 

 

However, if you niche down to #backcountrysnowboarding this may be more effective in getting your post viewed by more people who do not already follow you. Here’s ‘the Ultimate Guide to Instagram Hashtags in 2020′.

 

For mentions, same as Facebook.  Use the @ symbol and then the Instagram handle of the person or organization you want to mention.  You can mention someone in your text, or your can tag them in your photo. 

 

Instagram Stories

 

Instagram Stories are great for sharing previously recorded or live videos, reminders, funny happenings or new announcements.  These are similar to Facebook Stories in how you set one up:

• Click on your avatar (logo) in your Instagram profile, or the camera icon if you’re scrolling through your feed
• At the bottom of the screen the setting is Normal, letting you record an image or video, or upload one from your photos.
• Add a hashtag, location, gifs, text, and send it out to your public feed, or share in private.
• Want to get more creative?  Swipe over to Boomerang, Layout (that’s where you see 2-6 photos on a Story), Superzoom (those cute hearts though), Hands-Free, Create (for text only pieces) or Live.
• Thinking about Going Live on Instagram?  Read our blog on How to Go Live with Facebook and Instagram first!
• You can also set up your Instagram Stories so that they push directly to your Facebook Stories as well

 

Advertising on Instagram

Interested in going beyond social media marketing and ready to get started with Instagram Advertising?  Check out our post that walk you through Instagram Advertising through Facebook. 

It’s a step-by-step approach that will get your Instagram ads up and running for as little as $5 a day!

Twitter and Why You Should Be Tweeting

  

Next stop on the social media marketing trail?  Twitter. I am often amazed when I hear things like, ‘Do we have to have a Twitter account?’  ‘Can’t we just focus on Instagram and Facebook?’ 

 

Well, yes you can. But, with over 330 million monthly active users, it’s in your best interest as an outdoor brand to tweet.  There are millions of athletes on Twitter that could use your product, services or support your non-profit! 

We’ve also found than most journalists use twitter, so it’s easier to connect with them here than via email.  We can also DM or direct message them to pitch an idea.

 

Twitter used to be limited to 140 characters in a tweet, and has now grown to 280 characters per tweet!  If you’re a clever writer, you can actually fit quite a bit into each tweet, including links, emojis and hashtags.

 

Twitter also offers free analytics which you can view from a computer.  Unlike Instagram, you can see several months of data.  Therefore, you can dive in to see your impressions, engagement rate, your top tweet and top mention.

 

How to Tweet

 

As with other social media marketing channels, there are countless blogs and how-to’s on using Twitter.  One of my faves is Mom This is How Twitter Works by Jessica Hische.  She makes me laugh out loud.

 

You can tweet from your phone or computer. And again, using a scheduling tool like Hootsuite will help you stay organized and reuse content you’ve created for other social media channels. 

 

Once you have the app installed and your profile setup, click the feather at the bottom of the screen to create a new tweet.  280 characters will feel limiting at first, but you’ll soon the get hang of being concise. 

 

 What to Share on Twitter

 

Here’s a few tips of what you might want to share on Twitter:

• Links to content you love (retweeting, with or without a comment from you)
• Links to your website (sharing blogs, new offerings, products)
• Current events and outdoor industry happenings
• Tips and resources to help others in your niche

 

using hashtags on Twitter

We recommend no more than 3-4 hashtags at the end of your Tweet.  Just like with Instagram, hashtags are helpful in showing your post to people outside of your followers that are searching the hashtag.

 

Other Stops on the Social Media Marketing Roadmap

 

From TikTok to SnapChat, LinkedIn and Pinterest.  Social media marketing channels keep growing. Even Venmo allows you to like and comment on when people you know pay someone for something. 

I don’t quite care how much Jen paid Lucy for her Thai food, but you can imagine this information on Venmo is useful to a company trying to determine your spending habits. 

 

Want to find out what channels your audience likes to use?  Ask them! 

Why Small outdoor brands and non-profits Need Social Media Marketing

 

I often find managing social media is an afterthought for many small organizations.  They do not have the time nor the resources.  They’re packing up from a long day at work, they jump on, post a photo and head home. 

 

Instead, be strategic!  This is an important part of your outreach, so treat it the same as answering emails or organizing a fundraising event.

Here’s some more tips to make social media marketing a success for your small business:

• Assign a social media marketing manager or hire one!
• Collaborate with your team to determine what you should focus on for the week
• Use a Content Calendar to plan
• Use a tool like Hootsuite to schedule posts across all of your social channels
• Assign content creators for the month and give them a range of topics or blog ideas. 

 

More social media resources:

• Hootsuite’s Social Media Best Practices

• Moz’s Beginner’s Guide to Social Media 

 

Final thoughts: OWN it

 

One of the biggest mistakes we see is when someone in your organization does not own social media marketing for your brand.  This person should not only be posting, but also planning and generating content.  They should also be engaging with brand ambassadors, and other like-minded brands. 

In the end, it’s all about engaging with your audience.  You need to share videos that are of interest to your followers, mention your partners, respond to comments, tag your volunteers in photos and use hashtags that will help people find you.

 

Until next time, happy posting!

– Meredith

 

The post Social Media Marketing: Back to the Basics appeared first on Top Rope Media.