The Benefits of Engaging and Utilizing Brand Ambassadors
I love a great ah-ha moment, especially one that hits me like a 2×4 to the head. This recent ah-ha came courtesy of Marie Forszt, VP of Marketing and Corporate Communications at the newly rebranded Powers Health, as we were preparing a presentation to a group of Indiana hospital marketing professionals.
I asked Marie what she felt was the key to their group of 200+ Brand Ambassadors’ success – her answer: “the Brand Ambassadors carried our rebranding message to their peers and co-workers in a way that connected from the ground up, as opposed to it being a mandate from the top down.”
In a world where too many employee communications have become a top-down proposition driven by executives and department heads, it may be time to seek an alternative approach.
Brand Ambassadors – select employees who embody your brand’s values and mission and have the respect of their peers – are uniquely positioned to foster authentic connections with your employee audience. This approach not only flattens the branding education process but also enhances engagement and will lead to long-term success. Let’s explore the benefits of this strategy for healthcare organizations trying to build stronger, more authentic brands.
What Is Branding from the Bottom Up?
Branding from the bottom up involves empowering individuals at all levels of the organization to represent and promote your brand. This contrasts with traditional top-down branding, where corporate leadership tightly controls the messaging.
In the context of a rebrand or other major brand shifts, allowing Ambassadors to share your brand narrative creates a more organic connection between your new brand and your employee audience. This approach enables your brand to resonate on a deeper level by sharing experiences of people who interact with your employees every day.
The Benefits of Branding from the Bottom Up
Authenticity and Trust
As you know, employees can be increasingly skeptical of corporate communications. Studies show that people trust recommendations from individuals – Brand Ambassadors, as individuals, bring authenticity to your message because their endorsement of the brand story feels genuine and personal.
Increased Reach and Visibility
Brand Ambassadors help amplify your reach. Each Ambassador has a set group of employees with whom they are responsible for interacting. When they share your brand message, it is disseminated to a greater audience. Often its one-on-one, which makes it more likely to act upon because it comes from a trusted source.
Enhanced Employee Engagement
Empowering employees as Brand Ambassadors doesn’t just benefit your internal marketing efforts; it also improves workplace culture. Employees who feel connected to the brand are more engaged, motivated, and loyal. Encouraging Ambassadors to share your brand based on their experiences fosters a sense of pride and ownership, turning them into passionate advocates.
Deeper Insights and Feedback
Brand Ambassadors are deeply connected to your audience and will provide valuable insights into what does and doesn’t work. Ambassadors may share employee and patient pain points, allowing you to refine your strategies, improve your internal messaging, and stay ahead of employee perceptions.
Measure and Optimize
As with all engagements and communications, you’ll want to track the impact of your overall efforts. In addition to Brand Ambassador insights, metrics from employee surveys or engagement studies, employee acquisition and retention shifts, and brand perception studies uses to measure success.
Analyze what’s working and make adjustments as needed to maximize the effectiveness of your internal communication strategy.
Branding from the bottom up with Brand Ambassadors is a powerful way to build trust, foster emotional connections, and create a more engaged brand. By empowering Ambassadors to share your brand story, you enhance your reach and create a culture that feels authentic and relatable. In an era where employees value genuine connections, this approach offers a sustainable, cost-effective, and impactful way to gain brand adoption. To learn more about how your organization can enhance its internal communications strategies, please contact Springboard by emailing me at mike@springboardbrand.com.