If you don’t follow sports at all you may not know who Roger Federer is.
Roger is a brand ambassador for Rolex.
He also plays tennis. Really well.
With his 20 Grand Slam titles, eight Wimbledon crowns, 103 career tournament wins, and 237 consecutive weeks as world number one, most think Federer is the greatest tennis player of all time.
Rolex, as you likely have heard, makes watches. Most agree, their watches are not the most accurate or complicated. They don’t have to be. Rolex crushes every other watchmaker in the world when it comes to marketing. One of the ways they do this is through the strategic use of brand ambassadors. If you are at a world class sporting event, chances are Rolex is too.
If you’re Rolex, who do you want your name associated with? Only those who are the best in the world at what they do. Anything less would tarnish the brand.
That’s where Roger comes in. Rolex reportedly pays him eight million dollars a year to show up after he’s won a tournament wearing their watch. And when he’s just sitting by the pool at some exotic location, he gets to wear rare Rolex watches people like you and me will never see, much less be able to afford.
Few brands of any kind have mastered marketing like Rolex. The connection is unmistakable. The most successful athletes in the most prestigious events in the world wear Rolex. I can’t play tennis like Roger, but I can wear the same brand of watch.
That brings me to your business.
Who is your brand Ambassador?
Unless you have Roger on your payroll, the answer is simple.
Everyone on your team and anyone who represents you in any way.
The people who answer your phone, open the door, clean your building, work in the back office, do voice overs or act in advertising, model for print ads, and yes, the sales team are all brand ambassadors. Everyone.
Do they know that? Do you tell them?
Your brand ambassadors should possess in-depth knowledge about the brand, its offerings, and its unique selling points.
Brand ambassadors effectively communicate and educate consumers about the brand, its benefits, and how it stands out from competitors.
It’s not just members of your team who define your brand.
- Media companies don’t know your brand like you. You need to personally approve all your advertising so that the brand ambassador on the screen, air, or page elevates your brand.
- Your website and social media also serve as brand ambassadors. Are yours up to date. Is there old content? If so, that tells me someone doesn’t pay attention to detail, and that same someone may not provide me the timely service I require. What about the pictures and images on your website and socials? Do they reflect what you want people to feel about your brand?
For better or worse, customers will look at your brand ambassadors and attribute what they see in them to your brand.
Just ask Roger.
