What separates brand ambassadors from influencers and how to earn more for your business

Word-of-mouth is the best kind of advertising out there. People hold the experiences of friends, acquaintances, and family members over any kind of direct outreach that a business could do on its own, and that isn’t likely to change any time soon. Yet that’s no reason to keep your head down and simply hope your work will speak for itself.

Self-care professionals tend to think of clients in two main categories: newcomers and regulars. But there’s a third category you can’t afford to ignore: brand ambassadors. By encouraging more of your regulars (and even especially excited newcomers) to be brand ambassadors, you can play a more active role in setting tongues wagging across your community.

What’s a brand ambassador? Is that like an influencer?

Fair questions, given the emphasis on influencer marketing in recent years. But what makes someone a brand ambassador is much simpler than their reach and rates. A brand ambassador is a client who loves your business so much that they go out of their way to tell other people about it — possibly to social media followers, but also to people they talk to in their day-to-day lives.

Brand ambassadors make real word-of-mouth advertising happen because they’re passionate, and people like sharing things they’re passionate about. Given the rising distrust directed toward many forms of influencer marketing, brand ambassadors are an especially practical way to make more people hear about your business.

In short, while it’s possible for an influencer to also be a brand ambassador, it wouldn’t be because they (or their agency) came to you with a paid deal for a TikTok campaign. It would be because they like your business and want to tell people about it.

5 ways to make more clients into brand ambassadors

So much of what goes into making a brand ambassador is about natural relationship growth with your business. Does that mean you just have to sit back and hope for the best?

Nope. Here are five solid options to get you started:

1. Offer compelling referral bonuses

Say you have a regular who is always a joy to work with and tips well. If anybody asks them for a recommendation in your area, they’re always happy to send new clients your way. But they’re a little quiet — not the kind of person who tends to rave about their favorite things. A little referral bonus can be just the push they need to become a full-fledged brand ambassador.

The kind of referral program you offer should vary depending on your business, but the simple “tell a friend and you’ll both get 10% off the next time you come in” is a classic for a reason. Consider going even further. If you offer progressively better bonuses for brand ambassadors who refer more and more new clients, they’ll get excited to work their way up — and your introverted regulars can get more and more comfortable with the idea of talking up your brand.

2. Encourage regulars to leave reviews

About 4 in 5 people check Google for reviews of local businesses before patronizing them, according to a survey. People trust what reviews from their peers have to say about the quality of a business. That doesn’t mean you should start encouraging people to rate your business five stars with special rewards — not only does that potentially encourage dishonesty, but it’s also a great way to get your business banned if the platform ever hears about it.

This is another area where fostering brand ambassadors can help your business. If you have a client you know loves your business, remind them that leaving a review would be a great help. You could even feature their review in your advertisements and signage around the business, giving brand ambassadors a clear chance to see that their perspectives matter.

3. Use tools that make constant contact easy

One of the fastest ways to earn someone’s loyalty? Show them you’re loyal, too. If you keep in touch with clients between sessions with handy reminders and check-ins, they’ll be more likely to remember your business when their friends ask for recommendations. They’ll also be less likely to forget their appointment and no-show, obvs.

Granted, just checking in and following up could be a full-time job’s worth of work for even a moderately sized client load. Look for tools that let you automate handy reminders and other standard messages and then jump in for high-touch situations that call for personal interaction.

4. Keep providing great service

Even if you’ve never thought about brand ambassadors before, you’re already doing the most important thing to cultivate them: delivering excellent service every day. After all, nobody will want to be a vocal representative for a business that isn’t worth shouting about.

Part of the reason people trust word-of-mouth so much is that it tends to be unfiltered. There’s no hidden agenda, just folks trying to give each other good recommendations and make sure worthy businesses can keep doing what they do best. Keep giving your brand ambassadors something to be excited about, and they’ll keep being positively ambassadorial.

5. Laser focus on your client experience

Offering the best services possible goes a long, long way. But there’s a decent chance other businesses in your area overlap with at least some of your service menu. Once clients spend enough time with your business, they can see the quality that separates you from the pack — but how do you make sure they stick around long enough to become brand ambassadors? Invest in each part of your client experience.

Your website should stand out. Your self-booking experience should be inviting. Your payment options should be convenient. By investing in a superior client experience, you sand off each potential point of friction that could come between your clients and the kind of experience they’ll be eager to tell their friends about.

Ultimately, the behaviors that inspire brand ambassadors are good for your business no matter what. But with a little extra care and focus, you can recruit a small army to the cause of letting the world know how amazing your business really is!