Brand Ambassador: Great Gig or Scam?
So this topic has really come about organically. My friends and I took an awesome trip to Las Vegas and took some super cool shots and that’s led to one friend becoming a brand ambassador for a sunglass company.
The first question everybody ask is what’s the catch? With a reputable company, it is a win-win situation. I’ve had the pleasure of representing a couple companies now and thoroughly enjoyed it and even made a few bucks. Here are some tips and some warnings as well.
How to get found:
Hashtags! A lot of these companies look on Instagram and, utilizing vague but appropriate hashtags, this can go a long way as far as being found. You do you want to make sure that the company makes a product that you actually use or have interest in. If there’s a specific company that you already like and would like to rep, look at their pictures and see if they use brand ambassadors. Don’t be afraid to directly contact them and mention your interest. You also want to make sure that if you already own some of their product, that you tag them in photos that feature the product (and make sure your pictures are nice!).
Making sure it’s legit:
If you are approached, the first thing you want to do is ask them the details. If a company ask you to buy in or make a purchase and spend your own money, walk away. I also advise searching that company and the Better Business Bureau online and see what comes up. Sometimes you can find a wolf in sheep‘s clothing that way. Also look at what they’ve already posted and see if they’re pushing just a lot of random stuff or if they have good brand identity and most of their posts are similar in nature. (Never give out credit card information and I would actually insist that they go about paying you, if it’s a paid opportunity, through PayPal or Venmo or some sort of agency where you have a little protection.) Some companies will just give you free products, others will have opportunity for you to get paid for your promoting.
Being a good ambassador :
Once you have the product in hand, you want to make sure you inspect it and make sure it’s in good and as advertised. If all is well there, start snapping! This is advertisement for them so you want to make sure the pictures are good, clear and pay attention to little details like backgrounds. Shows the best to you in a way that shows the best of their product as well. You want to make sure you utilize any tags and hashtags they request. Make sure that your post is public. A couple of the companies that I’ve worked for have offered discounts to my followers, so you may have to come up with a coupon code. You want to make it something easy like the brand name and your first name or profile name. Usually that coupon code is how they track sales to you and if it’s a commission opportunity, that is how you’ll get paid so make sure to promote that heavily on all your social media. Remember, they are the ones paying you or giving you product so be sure to follow their guidelines and hold up your end of the bargain.
Feel free to post in the comments if you have other questions or suggestions. I’d love to hear other brand ambassadors’ experiences as well!
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