You made the decision to add a Street Team to your marketing mix. You understand that a great Brand Ambassador team activated correctly can grow your brand and drive the buzz you are looking for. The only question is how do you activate it correctly? How do you make sure the money you are spending will be worth it?
Here are the three keys to a successful Street Team.
Understand Your Goals
The first thing you must do is understand what kind of results you want. Are you interested in driving as much awareness as possible? If so, then you will want to make sure you are visiting larger events where you can interact with the greatest amount of people in one location. Is your goal all about product demo and trials? Make sure your Street Teams are armed with the correct tools to ensure your product is getting demonstrated correctly (proper temperature, in the right environment, etc.). Are you trying to generate buzz and word of mouth? Make sure your Street Team is utilizing social media correctly and you are integrating an experience worth talking about. Are you trying to drive sales at retail? Your Street Team should be armed with coupons that drive consumers to retail and that can also be tracked for measurement and realize, the closer you are to retail (the aisle inside the store, in the parking lot of the store, or at a fair or festival) the more product you will actually sell on that day.
Hire Great People
Once you have your goals and have developed a plan around those goals, you need to focus on the “who”. Do not underestimate how important the Brand Ambassadors are to the success of your program. They will be the face of your brand. Decide what characteristics are important to you. Do not just settle for the typical fun, energetic, good looking brand ambassador. Make sure they are driven and passionate about your brand. Make sure they are capable of learning your brand inside and out. Make sure they are the right fit for your culture and your brand. They will determine how successful your program is and basically, they should be like you, act like you and be informed like you.
Focus on the Experience
Finally you need to understand that you are not the only brand with a Street Team. What makes your Street Team different? What helps you stand apart from the rest? It is easy to have your team walk around, interact with consumers, and pass out free stuff. People will be happy to take your gifts but most likely they will not remember your brand when the event is over. Create an experience that causes your brand to be top of mind when they are faced with a buying decision. Do something that causes them to become a brand fanatic. Break through the clutter and be remarkable! That is what your goal should be for a Street Team program.
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