7 Key Components to Creating or Supercharging Your Ambassadorship Program

Does your organization want more customers or members? Putting in place an ambassadorship program is a relatively inexpensive and an effective way to create buzz and increase your number of potential customers.

At the heart of any ambassador program is word of mouth marketing. This proactive, peer-to-peer approach of spreading the word about your organization and inviting people to try it out is more important than ever. Today people trust their peers and reviews, not organizational websites or ads. Just look at Amazon, Yelp and Trip Advisor.

There are 7 basic components of a successful ambassador program:

1. A database or customer relationship management (CRM) program and someone who is responsible for tracking prospective customers or members.
2. A list of your programs and events with dates that are good opportunities for potential customers to get a taste of your offerings and community.
3. Identified, trained and energized ambassadors.
4. An up-to-date website.
5. An active social media presence.
6. A person, persons or committee responsible for managing the ambassadorship program. This includes both designing content for ambassadors to disseminate, ensuring that events are welcoming, and designing strategies for moving and tracking prospective customers from the stages of awareness to informed to engaged to recruited.
7. A welcome program for new members that assigns them a “buddy” and helps introduce them to new people, settle in and find their micro-community.

Earned revenue is an important component of your organization’s financial viability.  Starting or supercharging an ambassador program is key for prospect generation that can ultimately increase both earned revenue and philanthropic dollars since those who are engaged are more likely to give. What are you waiting for? Let’s activate your ambassadors.

Nanette Fridman, MPP, JD, is President of Fridman Strategies, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in strategic planning, financial resource development, governance and leadership coaching for mission driven organizations. She is a frequent speaker, trainer, workshop presenter and facilitator. Nanette is the author of “On Board: What Current and Aspiring Board Members Must Know About Nonprofits & Board Service.” She can be reached at fridmanstrategies@gmail.com