After being hired as a Brand Ambassador for a street team program there are ways to show a company you are an “A player” and things that will be red flags when looking to get rehired in a particular city. Here are a few things a Brand Ambassador should do before, during and after the events to ensure their place as a top candidate for all future events.

Before:

• Read all correspondence which will include the logistics, training documents and program information.  Follow all directions as outlined.
• Register with the company and/or complete all required paperwork.
• Be quick to respond to any requests from the agency (if you don’t answer your phone then be sure to call back when left a message or respond to an e-mail in a timely manner).
• Make sure that your appearance the day of the event reflects the photo that you submitted during the interview process (get plenty of rest; come ready to work with a clean and ironed uniform and all around pleasing appearance).

During:

• Arrive early to the event and check in with event contact if necessary.
• Utilize safe and proper maintenance of equipment and/or vehicles (if applicable).
• Be fiscally responsible (for example, saving money on parking, carpooling with other street team members, etc.).
• You were hired for your award winning personality so make sure you are engaging, upbeat, knowledgeable and “on” during the entire event and anytime you are in your uniform.
• Maintain a clean work environment.
• Provide updates to management as requested.
• Keep ACCURATE track of consumer impressions, inventory and samples distributed.
• Take pictures (remember to get interaction shots with consumers and the brand).

After:

• Clean up the site (remove display items, pack equipment, discard trash, etc.).
• Thank the event contact if available.
• Send the recap, pictures and invoice at specified time.

Whether you are a Brand Ambassador or hiring one for your next street team promotion, these tips will be helpful for all Brand Ambassadors to ensure the success of the program.   Pro Motion is an award winning nationally recognized leader in the Experiential Marketing and Event Marketing industries. We bring brands to life via face-to-face sampling, mobile tours, street teams, field marketing, sponsorship activation, multicultural marketing, b-to-b events, government contracting, guerilla marketing, brand ambassadors and stunts.  Our programs increase the impact of branding, marketing and public relations initiatives by engaging consumers directly, converting tryers into buyers.  For more information follow Pro Motion on Facebook or Twitter.  

Whether you spell it guerilla marketing or guerrilla marketing (and people do spell it both ways) the concept is the same. Guerilla marketing was developed as an unconventional method of a field marketing promotion, like sampling. Typically this is unexpected for the consumer and very interactive and it’s usually a low-cost solution that yields high-impact and results. Guerilla sampling allows brands with smaller budgets to interact with their consumers face to face and larger brands have the opportunity to create unique experiences and generate buzz. By definition, guerilla marketing is not announced and does not seek approval from municipalities or event organizers prior to activation – going ‘Guerilla’. This is taking your brand to its consumers wherever they live, work, play or shop. Brands can activate guerilla sampling inside or outside of established special events or in other high traffic areas such as busy commuter areas, tourist attractions and basically wherever the targeted demographic might be open to this type of brand engagement.

Permission-based sampling (non-guerilla sampling) means that you have sought approval, obtained permits and paid any applicable site fees – you’ve asked for and paid for permission to be at a location or an event. Brands will pay for the right to market in an area or at an event because they want the control that comes with permission-based programs. There are advantages to both methods and the checklists below will help you determine the best approach to product sampling for your brand.

Five reasons to use guerilla marketing tactics while sampling:

• You have a smaller budget – guerilla marketing is often less expensive as there is no need to pay site fees (site fees can range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars)
• You want flexibility – product sampling is mobile, street teams are not confined to one area (if the crowd dies down, just move to a different area with new consumers)

• You have a quick turnaround – less advanced notice is required as event coordinators do not need to acquire permits (permits can take several days to several weeks to acquire)
• You want to target your competitor’s event – there is no need to worry about sponsorship activation conflicts when a competing brand has sponsorship exclusivity over an event (we saw this with the World Cup a lot. Adidas was the official sponsor and Nike was all over it.)
• You want to surprise consumers – it’s exciting for consumers to meet face to face with Brand Ambassadors who they weren’t expecting to be there (engaging consumers in a fun way is a great first impression)

 

Five reasons to use permission-based sampling:

• You want a secure location – st

CAN I TURN PROMO WORK INTO A CAREER? This question seems to be asked in one form or another on a lot of message boards, and is timeless. How do I get more promo work? While this article can’t grant you riches overnight (there’s no ‘get rich quick’ formula in promo-world), maybe you can glean a few insights from one agency owner’s opinion, or give those starting out a pointer or two. Hopefully it will better everyone’s relationships with agencies you choose to go after, and therefore get more work in your promo career.

1. SIGN UP DIRECTLY with multiple agencies. Every event staffing or marketing agency has a website and some form of talent submission page to get you into the agency’s database and be notified of work in your area. There are many directories available of promotional staffing agencies, and all of them are free: www.eventspeak.com, www.stuckforstaff.us, www.eventmarketer.com, www.narms.com and www.promomagizine.com will give you a great start. It takes work, but time well spent.
2. BID ON JOB POSTS. If you’d like to do a particular job, then say so, but keep in mind that there are likely many other brand ambassadors bidding on the same job. At this initial stage, it’s good to keep your opportunities open and flexible so you can build up a variety of work experience out in the field.
3. HAVE A PLANNER to schedule and keep handy the when/where/who/what/how of all your commitments. Use the system that works best for you; Outlook Calendar, IPhone calendar, Excel spreadsheet or even an old fashioned paper calendar. Whatever works for you, just make sure it works. After all, you are in business for yourself and you need to treat it as such.
4. PUT YOUR BEST FACE FORWARD ON YOUR PRODUCT. Think of the agency as your prospective customer, rather than your employer. Your product is you, and you want to earn business. Give the agency your best photos (smiles!!) and your most relevant experience to the job you’re bidding on at the top of your email. If I’m looking for an emcee, I may care less that you can drive an 18 wheel tour vehicle, and vice-versa. Booking agents can get (literally) hundreds of resumes/emails daily, and they need to quickly find the best in who they’re looking for. So be brief and to the point.. Say why you’re the best, then show it.