It’s the unspoken truth in marketing and specifically education marketing: When it comes to purchasing decisions, we trust the recommendations of our peers and colleagues above all else.
While enthusiastic customers will recommend your product organically, establishing an ambassador program can introduce word-of-mouth marketing to the digital environment.
Brand advocates are even more valuable in the education market. Because educators must consider a variety of factors — budget, compatibility, and personalized learning capabilities, to name a few — they seek “real talk” about your product from a firsthand perspective before buying.
We’ve reached the point where education solutions are no longer one-size-fits-all, meaning educators need to select products from a vast sea of options. The personal voices of your brand are what educators and journalists want to hear because they illuminate the original stories of search, evaluation, selection and implementation.
Here are three ways an ambassador program can bring authenticity to your education marketing strategy.
Grow and strengthen connections with key stakeholders.
Lead generation is critical for companies targeting early adopters. By nature, early adopters are willing to take risks with new-to-market products and eager to share their experiences. Their like-minded colleagues are ideal connections to accelerate adoption of your brand.
Building relationships with ambassadors will help you reach new potential customers – and those who are ready to move past the “awareness stage” of the buyer’s journey (thanks to the work of your ambassadors).
Leverage a wealth of user-generated multimedia content and testimonials.
Ambassadors have the power to transform your presence on every marketing platform. Valuable multimedia content, which can include video explanations of classroom lesson plans, photos of student projects and more, authenticate the visual presence of your product in a real classroom.
User-generated content on social media platforms is especially valuable. Ambassadors will share their classroom experiences in real time through their personal networks, which sparks conversation between your followers and ambassadors.
Follow and uncover authentic classroom stories.
Your relationship with ambassadors and their colleagues will help your company uncover teaching and learning moments that are ideal for content marketing and media relations. Throughout the course of the ambassadorship, you’ll have easy access to these stories as they evolve, providing a rich and human understanding of your brand’s presence in the classroom.
Ambassadors are often available and trustworthy contacts for timely media requests. Their preexisting relationship and willingness to engage with your brand reduces any headaches that can typically occur when asking customers to speak on behalf of your company.
Thinking about identifying brand ambassadors for your company? We’re ready to help. Contact hello@cblohm.com to talk ambassador strategy.