If you’re looking for ways to turn your organization into a dynamic, robust topic of conversation, it’s important to consider how people communicate. They talk about things that matter to them, and they learn about those things from those closest to them. In other words, the best way to get attention is to get people to talk about you with each other. How do you do that? You need brand ambassadors.

What are Brand Ambassadors?

To put it in the simplest terms, a brand ambassador is a person who positively promotes your organization. Key attributes in brand ambassadors include:

• They understand your organization’s goals and mission.
• They speak to who you are, what you do, and where you’re going.
• They believe in your organization.
• They seek out ways to communicate with others. While a brand ambassador doesn’t have to be the life of the party, the best ambassadors are people who like to engage others.

Some companies hire individuals specifically for this role but the best brand ambassadors are people you interact with every day: your employees.

Employees can spread the word about your organization and its values in ways that far exceed the impact of traditional advertising or social media. They have the opportunity to speak about your organization with authentic passion and true knowledge. That, in turn, sparks genuine conversations that matter to people. As those people go out and speak to others, awareness for your organization is built through a web of conversations that people actually want to have.

Turning Employees Into Brand Ambassadors

To understand how crucial employees are to your organization’s branding, consider the metaphor of a tree. A tree with deep, stable roots can weather even the strongest storms, but those with shallow, weak roots will topple. Your employees are your roots, and the deeper they are, the taller and broader the branches of your tree can grow. Building ambassadors out of employees takes attention to the relationship your employees have to the organization. Here are some ways to empower your employees to become brand ambassadors:

• Include a history of your organization and its mission as part of the onboarding program for new employees.
• Engage current employees and get their ideas on ways to make the mission come to life. Then, give them the tools they need to do their part to make it happen.
• Make sure that you have guidelines for employees discussing your organization on social media. These guidelines should make it clear that sharing is encouraged because some employees are afraid to share without permission. Make sure to let them know if you are using particular hashtags or have social media events coming up.
• Value employee contributions and give them the chance to try new ideas, take on leadership roles, and participate in public events. They can write posts for your organization’s blog, or you can hold a design contest for an event flyer, or let an employee run with a new product or service. The more employees participate, the more likely they are to want to share.

But beware: a brand ambassador who is only paying lip service to your organization is worse than having no ambassador at all. People can spot a fake pitch. Value your employees for the asset they are, and you will see the benefits in not only brand awareness but also in organizational morale and workplace efficiency. It’s a win-win-win!