How ambassadors influence consumer behavior: a scientific perspective

I keep researching both scientific and business publications on the topic of employees as ambassadors

I found an interesting scientific article by colleagues from Lithuania - Migle Sontait?-Petkeiciene and Ausrin Vashchegait?.?It is devoted to the study of the case of the influence of employees as ambassadors on consumer behavior and how to make your staff part of your marketing strategy.?I made a small synopsis of the article, especially since it is completely consistent with our experience and observations.

Who can be an ambassador for a company?

Usually, company can have three types of ambassadors:

?Specially invited public persons

?Ambassadors from consumers who realy like your products or services

?Brand ambassadors from employees (from the owner to the line specialist).

According to strategic communications expert K. Hofmann, the third format is very effective and works in all areas.?One of the advantages of such ambassadors is their knowledge of the company. But the effect is only achieved when they are given a clear structure and guidlines.

What is the right way to work with employee ambassadors??

This is how Forbes author L. Sasale identified the important steps how to accomplish this:

?Having a clear vision of why you need ambassadors and for what tasks

? Selecting the right people

?Training them and providing them with clear guidelines

? Establishing community guidelines

? Creating good content that can be shared

? Sharing information and communication within the community

?Obtaining permission (attention to legal aspects and confidentiality)

? Creating an incentive system (including competition among members).

What are the requirements for ambassadors?

Although all employees should be familiar with the company's products and services, be encouraged to help the company, and support its promotion, the official status of an ambassador should be granted to those who meet certain criteria.

They include:

??a sense of responsibility

??dedication

??enthusiasm

??belief in the brand and pride in their work

An emotional connection to the products or services and commitment to the company is also important.

How can company create ambassador programs?

For employees to become ambassadors and help the company promote its brand, products, and services, it is very important to create a special program. After its launch, it is necessary to maintain contact with the ambassadors and encourage their activities.

What steps are recommended to take:

??Keep employees constantly informed about what is going on in the company

??Encourage them to talk about the company

?? Organize special events for them

?? Allow them to create corporate content

??Provide special merchandise with the company's attributes and the ambassadorship program itself

Your ambassadors must be visible not only in the public space but also within the company.??Such employees should participate in internal events, training, and educational initiatives. If they are can be a link between the company and consumers, it can also be a "bridge" with employees.

Branding is not only about the product, but also about employees, customers, and the company's internal culture.

Also, employees help to establish direct contact with consumers and can help to know their wishes.

Just like with potential job candidates. According to the Global Recruitment Trends Report (2017),?published by Linkedin. It states that candidates who get recommendations from people they know are more likely to be hired, perform better, and last longer.

How do employee ambassadors influence consumers?

The authors of the article did a survey. It was about the activities of a particular company and its consumers. I found some of the insights interesting.

?? Consumers are most interested in product and service reviews

??Practical advice on how to use products and services

??Personal stories from work that are related to the advertised service/good.

But posts with research results or offering discounts or pro-activity are not in demand.

Many (69.8%) of the respondents showed interest in the product or service advertised by their friends on their pages, but not all of them (47%) went on to purchase it. Interestingly, women are more attentive to recommendations and tend to follow them than men.

We can make two conclusions : communication through ambassadors is especially important at the first stages of the consumer journey when interest in the product is just forming.

As for the authority of an ambassador, people care not only about his content but also about the level of trust in the person. At the same time, the willingness to turn to an employee of the company who promotes its products is quite high (47%) and the level of trust in him is higher (38.9% tend to trust him) than in a simply invited external person (21.1%).

Interestingly, 58.9% of respondents trust a company more if they have an acquaintance who works for it.

So the role of employees-ambassadors in the success of promotion of the company and its products can be very significant.