Martin Rollin, Specialist in FMCG, Retail and Textiles &
Apparel Sales at Hays, shares his thoughts on the importance of brand
ambassadors, particularly in the fashion industry. An expert in all aspects of
the FMCG, retail and textile & apparel sales markets, he would be happy to
hear from anyone interested in this post by email or on LinkedIn.
In the highly competitive fashion industry, branding is
everything. Companies will spend vast amounts of money on developing their
brand identity, showing high-profile TV adverts and buying sponsorship from
celebrities. Brand ambassadors can also play a vital role in positioning brand
images, and increasingly companies are recognising that their sales team needs
to be an extension of their branding, speaking the same language and in line
with media advertising.
Employees, and in particular the sales team, can be the custodians
of a brand. Enthusiasm is infectious and
genuine brand ambassadors can use this to leverage people’s beliefs and passion
for a product, influencing their purchasing decisions. This is particularly
valuable for luxury boutique brands, who need to require people to aspire to
the lifestyle they represent. Their salespeople need to be able to embody the
lifestyle they are selling and influence potential customers. For luxury
brands, it is particularly important that every aspect of the service they
deliver is extraordinary.
The rise of social media has strengthened the requirement for
brand ambassadors. While companies with large marketing budgets will ensure
that their official channels are consistent with their overall brand identity,
people are often more likely to respond to individuals. With social media
increasingly recognised as a potential tool for salespeople, it is important
for companies to embrace this as an opportunity to utilise their sales force as
brand ambassadors.
Does your company encourage you to be a brand ambassador?
I was very pleased to find this site. I definitely enjoyed reading every little bit of it and I have it bookmarked to check out new stuff posted regularlyBrand Ambassadors
ReplyDelete