As I mentioned in one of my blog posts entitled “How to Make a Video with Zoom for Interviews”, employees make great on camera-ambassadors.
However, companies still seem to spend a lot of money to retain and affiliate with celebrity brands for the purpose of promoting products and services.
Celebrity Brands
Celebrity and social influencer endorsements raise awareness for a brand and increase reach but finding a credible ambassador who is also a good fit, well-liked, and connected with other influencers can be easier said than done.
Consumer audiences are savvy and have long memories when it comes to spokespeople who have had public blunders. In addition, there can be significant costs associated with hiring a celebrity.
There are certainly celebrity partnerships that are very successful and bring a lot of positive attention to a brand. The best partnerships involve celebrities with empathy and resonate with the audience to best represent the brand.
Employees
While a celebrity spokesperson may have a lot of appeal, you may have an untapped resource to consider first. The truth is that there are no better spokespeople than employees. From service staff who interface directly with customers to middle management and c-suite executives, the most prepared to speak about a brand is someone who is employed by a company and committed to its success.
Media Experience vs Media Training
Not everyone in an organization has media experience and only a few individuals may have exposure to media training, but employees are poised to be brand ambassadors. Some employees may lack confidence, and some may be uncomfortable in front of the camera under any circumstance but building a media-trained workforce will pay off in a multitude of ways.
Media Readiness
Media literacy and competency prepare everyone in the company to be media-ready. Media readiness is necessary for engaging with journalists and media outlets and it offers collateral benefits. For example, media training enhances communication skills in ways that improve internal relations among employees and external or public relations with customers, business partners, analysts, bloggers and social media fans.
Also, there are more opportunities than ever for employees to spread the company’s message through interviews on podcasts, serving on industry panels, speaking at conferences, interviews with YouTubers and others who regularly record videos and upload them to various social media sites.
Employees may leave work for the day but they remain affiliated with the company and the brand. Hence, employees are 24/7 ambassadors for the companies and brands they work for. Media training serves as a much as a great social development tool and much as a professional one.
Remember, not everyone in your organization may interface with the media, but everyone in your organization is an ambassador.
