In an environment as fast-paced and dynamic as the home services industry, it takes a lot of work to not only consistently stand out – but convince your target audience to choose you over the competition. Everyday advertising only accomplishes so much. After all, customers can’t always trust what you say about your own services – what they do trust is recommendations from other, like-minded people. That’s where brand ambassadors come in.
Learning how to hire brand ambassadors means discovering how to source dedicated advocates for your company who actively devote time to singing your praises from the rooftops. Unlike a traditional influencer, or a customer who might send the occasional referral your way, a brand ambassador is more of an “integrated” part of your marketing team.
These specialists focus on raising brand awareness, engaging with new and existing customers, sharing genuine experiences, and fostering trust. At gFour marketing, we know all about the power of brand ambassadors. After all – we specialize in transforming satisfied customers into enthusiastic advocates for home services brands.
Here, we’ll show you how you can launch your own brand ambassador program, and turbocharge your sales with the power of credible, authentic recommendations.
In the realm of home services and contracting, a brand ambassador is more than just a satisfied customer; they’re your brand’s biggest fan. They’re committed to actively spreading the word about your services and building trust within the community.
These individuals go beyond traditional advertising by sharing personal testimonials, offering referrals, and providing the social proof that your company delivers exceptional results. Ambassador marketing is all about connecting with potential customers who are willing to work with you to earn the trust of your audience, by raving about your services and solutions, and actively driving customers your way, through a variety of channels.
Brand ambassadors don’t just boost the results of your marketing strategy, they help turbocharge brand recognition, amplify your brand messaging, and increase sales.
Just remember, a brand ambassador isn’t the same as an influencer. Brand ambassadors have long-term, formal connections with companies – they understand and embody your brand values. They also engage in more “grassroots” marketing campaigns – sharing personal testimonials and conversing with the community. Influencers are more focused on promoting sponsored content.
So, what does a brand ambassador look like for a home services brand? Some of the key qualities to look for in your new brand advocate include:
Now for the tough part: how to hire brand ambassadors for your home services company. There’s more to recruiting customer ambassadors than just publishing a job description on social media or sending an email to a few clients who rave about your services.
Here’s your step-by-step guide to success.
Before you start scouting for brand ambassadors, you need to know exactly what you want them to achieve. Are you looking to generate more referrals, increase brand awareness, or boost local engagement? Maybe all three? Setting clear, measurable goals ensures your brand ambassador program aligns with your overall marketing strategy and delivers real results.
Think about where your home services company has the most to gain. For instance, if you want more word-of-mouth referrals, focus on activating ambassadors who can directly influence their community. If brand awareness is your goal, you’ll need ambassadors with strong local or online presence. Defining these objectives early on will shape how you recruit, train, and measure success.
Once you’ve set your goals, figure out how you’re going to track whether you’re accomplishing them. A KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) worth tracking include:
The more specific and measurable your goals are, the easier it will be to evaluate success—and tweak the program for maximum impact.
To identify the right brand ambassadors, you first need to figure out what kind of customers you want to connect with. Chances are, you want to connect with customers in a specific area – but look beyond location. For instance, do you want to target families looking to renovate, or high-end clients seeking premium home services?
Defining your ideal customer profile – including demographics, location, and interests – helps tailor your brand ambassador program to the right audience. After all, your brand representatives should reflect the values, needs, and preferences of your target audience.
Another thing to keep in mind is the type of ambassadors you’re going to be targeting. We mentioned some of the characteristics to look for in a brand advocate above, but the most qualified brand ambassador is likely to be a happy customer (who uses your services regularly), as well as someone with local influence, and community impact.
You don’t need to find local celebrities, necessarily, but searching for loyal customers with a strong voice will boost the impact of your program.
One thing you should know about learning how to hire brand ambassadors, is that it’s not exactly like hiring a new team member. However, it’s not quite like sourcing customers for a referral program either. Instead, it’s almost a mixture of both.
Start by figuring out how you’re going to advertise the opportunity. There are a few ways you can get the word out, such as:
To sweeten the deal, offer incentives like discounts, referral bonuses, VIP perks, or even exclusive branded gear. The better the reward, the more motivated ambassadors will be! Once you start hooking potential candidates, make sure you have a strategy for screening them.
Not everyone will be perfect for representing your brand, so make sure you vet candidates, looking at their authenticity and enthusiasm for your brand, their level of community influence, and their credibility (for instance, have they shared testimonials before?)
Conduct interviews, or check social engagement to make sure your ambassadors will represent your brand with passion and integrity.
Even if you manage to find a “qualified brand ambassador” for your company – someone who has experience advocating for brands – they’ll still need training. You’ll need to make sure they understand your brand image, how to represent your company, and so on.
A little training on things like experiential marketing campaigns, community management (or customer engagement), and affiliate marketing can go a long way too.
Develop a strong training program that covers:
The right training ensures your ambassadors can speak confidently about your brand, without making any awkward mistakes.
Some extremely loyal customers might be happy to refer customers to your company for free. But to build a long-term relationship with a brand ambassador, you need to incentivize them. People love being rewarded for their efforts, and the more you reward your ambassador, the more work they’ll put into promoting your company.
Create an appealing reward system, aligned with your business goals, and the potential needs or interests of your ambassadors. You could offer things like:
Your incentive structure should be clear and rewarding without cutting into profits. Make sure ambassadors know exactly how they can earn rewards to keep them motivated.
Remember, regular recognition can be just as important as rewards. Show your appreciation for ambassadors by highlighting them in your newsletters or social media posts, or inviting them to company events. You could even send them branded merchandise, or personalized thank-you cards.
A strong brand ambassador program isn’t something you should simply set and forget. You need to be tracking your success, gathering insights, and looking for ways to optimize results.
Based on the goals you set at the beginning of the hiring process, you should already have an idea of KPIs to monitor – like referral numbers, social media reach, and customer feedback. Take advantage of technology to help you keep on top of the insights you need.
Platforms like Google Analytics, CRM systems, referral tracking software, and social media insights can help you monitor success. Additionally, regularly gather feedback from ambassadors—ask what’s working, what’s not, and how you can support them better.
Schedule regular check-ins with ambassadors too, as you assess their progress. If you’re not reaching your goals, consider tweaking reward packages, providing additional training, or refining your outreach efforts. Work collaboratively to find a solution.
Finally, remember that brand ambassadors aren’t one-time referrers or influencers for your brand. They’re the people you should be connecting with long-term, to drive ongoing results.
A successful brand ambassador program relies on nurturing consistent relationships with people who believe in your company. The more engaged and supported your ambassadors feel, the more they’ll continue to promote your business with authentic enthusiasm.
Focus on keeping ambassadors engaged with ongoing communication, resources and support. Engage in quick calls and emails once in a while to see how they’re doing and ask if they need any help with everything. Get them involved in new campaigns, and share insights into new services, company growth, and upcoming opportunities.
As your business expands, look for ways to grow you brand ambassador network too. Ask existing ambassadors to refer friends to help them in their cause. Recruit new ambassadors from loyal customers, and experiment with new rewards, like tiered incentive programs.
Learning how to hire brand ambassadors isn’t just about upgrading your marketing tactics. It’s about revolutionizing your approach to sourcing new customers and opportunities. By following the right steps, identifying the correct advocates, and helping them to actively promote your business, you can accelerate sales, reduce acquisition costs, and boost brand visibility.
The best part? Brand ambassadors bring authenticity and credibility that traditional marketing can’t match. When happy customers and community advocates vouch for your business, potential clients listen. If you’re ready to tap into the potential of brand ambassadors for your home services company, gFour marketing can help.
We specialize in turning satisfied customers into valuable marketing assets for home services brands, with proven strategies to increase referrals, reviews, and repeat business.
Contact us today and discover how to turn customer relationships into your most valuable resource.
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