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Being an influencer with Alanna Clarke

Being an influencer with Alanna Clarke- what’s it like being an equestrian influencer?

Alanna Clarke is a 20-year-old dressage rider, law student, and social media superstar with big followings across a range of platforms, brand deals, and some very exciting things to come. On this episode of the podcast (or blog, depending on how you’re consuming this!), we talk about her experiences as an influencer, challenges of this line of work, and lots more besides.

alanna clarke equestrian influencer

Alanna talks about her social media journey, and how she’s actually been involved with social media and growing her accounts since she was just 13. Lockdown prompted her to explore TikTok, where her funny horse-related videos gained traction. But it’s not just TikTok where Alanna’s numbers are impressive- she’s also got an incredible following on Instagram and has a growing subscriber base on YouTube. That said, as Alanna emphasises, it’s about more than the numbers…

How have the platforms and content evolved?

The desires and trends that create engagement have changed since Alanna started, and she talks about  the shift from creating videos in her bedroom to incorporating outdoor scenes with her horses. We talk about the importance of authenticity and staying true to yourself, especially as she navigates brand collaborations.

The Highs and Lows

Our conversation takes a more poignant turn as Alanna reflects on the challenges she’s faced, both online and offline. She talks about losing friendships and enduring online attacks from people she once considered friends. But there have also been a lot of highs, from meeting people at shows to working with brands and events.

Working with brands

Working with brands is a big part of working as an influencer, so we chat about this and Alanna shares a challenging experience with a brand, which really highlighted the importance of clear communication in influencer partnerships. Alanna has learnt a lot from working with brands and shares plenty of tips around how to develop and nurture good relationships that work for everyone.

Influencer marketing evolution

Influencer marketing continues to grow in popularity- whether this is through short or longer term projects. Alanna explains how she prefers longer-term connections with brands and why this is. We also look to the future of equestrian influencer marketing and influencer marketing as a whole, how working with influencers is a rising trend, and how major brands that used to support athletes are now seeing the huge value that influencers can bring to their marketing efforts and seeking relationships in those areas. We both predict a continued shift towards influencers as key players in brand promotion within the equestrian space. We also both agree on the value that influencers can bring to the table. However, this depends on many factors including relatability, authenticity, and ability to connect with their audience. This can set them apart from traditional marketing avenues. The conversation highlights the missed opportunities for top athletes who may not fully embrace influencer marketing.

Payment?

We talk about payment… as this is an interesting topic and one that is a regular discussion in influencer and brand circles. Alanna argues that influencers, especially those for whom influencing is a full-time job, should be compensated for their time, effort, and creativity. We talk about the struggle of determining fair compensation, considering factors like product value and content requirements, especially when equestrian influencer marketing is a fairly new marketing proposition to many businesses.

I loved chatting to Alanna about all things influencer, and if you’d like to follow her and see what she gets up to on her social media platforms, you can do so by following the links below:

Alanna Clarke Instagram

Alanna Clarke TikTok

Alanna Clarke YouTube

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The Brand Ambassador Checklist

The Brand Ambassador Checklist

Brand ambassadors and how to find good ones are recurring themes in so much of what I do. Getting the right brand ambassador for your brand can be HUGE, but getting the wrong one can cost you time and money… and add to your stress levels too. And that’s why today’s episode is all about The Brand Ambassador Checklist…

The Brand Ambassador Checklist


So, to help you navigate the jungle that is brand ambassadors, I’ve put together The Brand Ambassador Checklist for you. You can download and print it off (link below!) – fill it in if you like – to help you find the right people to help you promote your brand to your target market.

And if you’re an influencer who would love to be a brand ambassador, listen in and maybe use these points to assess your own account from a brand’s point of view. I think it’ll really help!

Picking the right brand ambassador for your brand can be pretty stressful… but I am here to help! In this week’s Small & Supercharged podcast, I talk through my Brand Ambassador Checklist and what I’d be looking for as the answer to each question.What I would urge you to do is download the checklist through the link at the bottom of this blog. And get filling it in!

First thing – follow anyone you’re even considering as an ambassador for your brand… this is the main thing you need to do as you’ll learn SO much from following them, and it’ll make filling in the checklist so much easier too.

 

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5 ways not to approach a brand

5 ways not to approach a brandIf you’re a brand or if you’re someone looking to approach a brand for whatever reason, this one is for you. In addition to finding out HOW to approach things, I also think it’s important to look at ways not to do things. And in this episode of the Small & Supercharged Podcast, I’m looking at five ways not to approach a brand. There’s probably enough in this topic to write a book, but in this episode I’m looking at five ways not to approach a brand.

 

 

5 ways not to approach a brand

There are probably a million ways not to approach someone you want to work with but in this episode, I’m focusing on five ‘popular’ ways to rub a brand up the wrong way…

  1. Get the name wrong. I know it’s basic. I know you might not believe that anyone would ever be so silly/rude. But it really happens and far more than you might think.
  2. The question marks. Oh God. I wish I could tell you this was an urban legend – but it isn’t. Some people have the audacity to send a line of question marks moments after sending a message via social media because they didn’t get an immediate response. Don’t do it. It’s rude.
  3. Let them know what you want. When you’re at the intro stages, when you are just trying to get them to notice you and consider working with you, telling them EVERYTHING you want from them just isn’t going to work, OK? You need to woo them. You wouldn’t meet someone on a first date, sit down, and launch into how you want to get married and how many children you want to have with them – OK?
  4. Show you have no interest or knowledge of the product. Yes, this happens. Brands receive DMs telling them how much someone loves their product, but when the brand looks on their social media, they don’t see any of their product, but you see lots of a competitor’s. It’s not good. And it’s not just not good from the brand’s point of you, but as a personal brand, it’s damaging to you too. If you’re jumping around from brand to brand after the latest freebie, you’re not being authentic or genuine. I’m always looking to work with genuine flag wavers. It’s a good way to thank them and far better for the audience too.
  5. You have nothing to offer. It sounds harsh, but trust me on this, I’ve seen a lot of messages and DMs from people who really don’t have anything to offer a brand. Well, not at this stage. Listen to this episode and you’ll find out more.

I hope you enjoyed this episode- if you enjoyed it, please screenshot and share on your Instagram Stories- and tag me @rheafreemanpr too. Hope you enjoyed it!

If you want to give your personal brand a real supercharge, check out my online course designed for equestrians called Social Supercharge: Riders – it’s a good one!

Download the FULL TRANSCRIPT to this episode of the Small & Supercharged Podcast here.

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What brands can to do assess a brand ambassador

This is a juicy one! In this blog (and podcast!) I want to talk to you about things that brands can do to assess a brand ambassador and sponsored rider before they even talk to them. Because you need to do this. If you’re looking for people to align with your brand, you need to put the leg work in. These people, if selected to be a brand ambassador or sponsored rider, will be a flag waver for you. And you NEED to make sure that their ethos fits well with yours.

Although this podcast is recorded from the point of view of what brands should look for, it’s really helpful for potential brand ambassadors and sponsored riders too. Because if you know what brands are looking for, you can check in on your own platforms and see what you have nailed and what you can improve.

It can be a really anxious moment when you decide to invest in a rider, whether as a brand ambassador with product or even on a monetary level. What if you’ve picked the wrong person? What if it all goes wrong? The thing is, people aren’t always predictable, but following the tips below should, hopefully, provide you with some ideas to look at.

What brands can to do assess a brand ambassador

In this episode of the Small & Supercharged Podcast, I chat about what brands can do to assess brand ambassadors and sponsored riders. I’ve broken this up into various headings below… so each bullet point covers one thing to look at…

 

  • What products do they use? When you’re looking at potential riders, look at what products they use. Do they use your products? Do you think they know about your products? Does the style of the product that they use look like yours? To me, if someone has bought one of your products and they’ve spent their own money on it, that’s really positive. If they haven’t, this doesn’t mean it’s a no, but it means that there might be more work to do there. In a perfect world they’d be using your products and would already be a raving fan. But I’m a realist, so we need to assess a few more things beyond whether or not the just use your product.
  • Attitude. This is an essential one for me. And behaviour is very closely connected. A brand ambassador is your flag waver and you need to make sure that your attitudes and character traits align – if they don’t, this isn’t a good thing. A bad attitude, to me, is a big no. It could do your brand a lot more harm than good. Obviously behaviour is slightly different. Behaviour can be things like drinking (and how that’s documented) – and it’s not necessarily having one drink – it’s drinking to excess and then documenting it social media… there are very few brands that this will align with. If you’re assessing a brand ambassador and they’re acting in a way that is at odds with your brand, put a cross by the name. It’s not worth it. You’ll be doing crisis management every day. And no one wants more work from someone who’s meant to be making their lives easier!
  • Following and engagement. And out of the two, I’ll take engagement every day of the week. If you’re looking to get conversions and sales, engagement is the thing that will do it. And if you’re not looking to increase your brand presence online (on whatever social media platform), then maybe brand ambassadors and sponsored riders aren’t for you. It’s really easy to assess engagement – just look at what people do on their social media platforms. When people ask questions connected to a post – do they respond? Of course, massive accounts aren’t going to have the time to comment on every single comment, but the best accounts do spend some time doing this. I would never dismiss someone with moderate following if their engagement was good.
  • Ideas. We love ideas. As brands, we want brand ambassadors to come to us with ideas. Ideas we can help them with so both of us benefit. I’m lucky in that I work with some incredible brand ambassadors that do this. The people you choose to be brand ambassadors or sponsored riders are building their personal brand too, and the whole point is that you’re working WITH them so you’re supporting each other on your journey. It’s not the job of the brand or the PR to come up with all the ideas for the brand ambassadors. It’s really easy to assess this by looking at what the people you’re considering have done.
  • How they present their content and content quality. If you look at the content across their different platforms, look at everything. Look at the quality of their images, the spelling mistakes, how videos are edited, etc. if the quality of the content isn’t good, it’s not going to engage their audience and could also reflect on your brand quite badly. If your equestrian brand ambassador is creating good content for themselves, to grow their own personal brand, there’s a much better chance that they’re going to do this for you. Making sure that the content is presented in the most native way too is a big one. If they’re not pushing the final bit and making it native on each platform, that’s something that I look at as well. You do expect people to learn and develop as they go, but need to make sure they have one really strong place where they have skill.
  • Which platforms do they operate on? Most people tend to have specific platforms that they’re stronger on, and it’s worth assessing these in line with your target market. If your target market are businesses and your potential person is active on LinkedIn, that’s really good. It doesn’t mean it’s a no if they’re better on others, but it’s worth being aware.
  • Let’s talk about other sponsors. How they engage with other sponsors and how many other sponsors they have. It can be good to work with people who already have sponsors because you can see what they’re already doing for these people. However, if you’re working with a rider who has a list of sponsors as long as your arm, how much air time do you think you’re getting? Look at overlaps too – if there’s a conflict of interest that might not to good for you either.
  • Consistency. I know. I’m a broken record, but consistency is so, so important. Being consistent is the way to win. They need to show up on social media consistently if that’s how they’re promoting your brand. They just won’t get the traction otherwise. For you or for them.

The way that sponsorships have changed since social media has been huge. Previously, a rider would be more likely to get sponsorship if he was excelling at his sport. Nowadays, that’s secondary if you’re looking at promotion on a day to day basis. There are some INCREDIBLE accounts out there that are run by amateur riders – and they’re genuinely wiping the floor with many professional rider accounts who have no engagement.

So there you have it – a list of ‘things’ brands can do to assess a brand ambassador – I really hope it helped, whether you’re the brand or the potential brand ambassador or sponsored rider.

Rhea Freeman Newsletter

 

 

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Questions to ask a potential brand ambassador (and what you’re hoping to find out!)

Questions to ask a potential brand ambassador

Have you been approached by riders from all corners of the globe offering to be your company’s brand ambassador? Across the various social media platforms I admin, I see this SO much. I see brand ambassador requests almost daily. And if it’s a really good week, I see the same DM pop into a number of different inboxes. Let’s. Not. Even. Go. There.

But sometimes there’s a promising DM or email with a really strong brand ambassador pitch and everything seems to align. Maybe they have a good Instagram following? Or they’re really strong on YouTube? Or their blogs make you think they could be a modern day Shakespeare (Ok, I’ve got carried away!)? What do you you next? What questions should you ask a potential brand ambassador, to give you the best chance of them being a good fit for you and your brand?

As this is a #takefive blog I’ve come up with just five questions to ask a potential brand ambassador. Use this as a guide and develop your own set of questions that you can keep on file and email across whenever you get a strong potential email. It’ll save you a whole lot of time and you’ll get to find out what’s really going on and whether or not this rider might be a good brand ambassador for you.

Questions to ask a potential brand ambassador…

Which of our products do you own?

This is SUCH a good one! A brand ambassador, in my opinion, should already be a fan of your brand. And by fan, I mean customer. How on earth do they know that they want to represent you if they don’t know how your product performs and integrates into their life? More to the point, your product might not even suit them or their horse. And then you’re asking them to tell their fans and followers about an amazing product they love… but never use? That’s a very confusing message for all concerned! I’m not necessarily saying they should own everything you make, but they need at least something… or else how do they know your brand?

And top tip here – have a quick look a their Instagram feed and see which products they’re actually using. If you make horse boots and you get approached, have a look at their feed and see which horse boots they use… are they yours? Or a competitor’s?

How many other brands are you an ambassador for?

Another good one. If a brand ambassador has a list as long as their arm, they might not be the best fit for you. Why? There are a few reasons. First up, if you have too many brands you’re an ambassador for, there will be overlaps, and that’s not good. But more than that, good brand ambassadors work with brands on campaigns and promotions. If your potential brand ambassador works with loads of companies, how on earth are they going to find the time to do everything well? They probably won’t…

What are you followings like and what’s your average engagement?

Numbers aren’t the be all and end all, but if someone wants you to send them free product, you need to make sure there’s a chance of it getting seen by people, don’t you? And that the people who are seeing it actually care about the content. How do you do this? First thing to look at is the number of followers, but next look at how often they post AND how engaged the following are. Do their posts get likes by genuine people? Does anyone comment? Does anyone share? Look at all of these (not just one) to help inform you decision.

What kind of support are you looking for?

What do they want from you? Generally, brand ambassadors in the equestrian industry tend to receive products over cash, but ask. You may find that their expectations and your budgets are nowhere near each other… or you might be very pleasantly surprised. But you won’t know if you don’t ask.

How can you help us?

Yep – the big one. If they have in mind what they want from you in their role as brand ambassador, they should have thought about why they’re going to give too. Now, a little word of advice here, having your logo on a lorry and tagging you in posts with all their other sponsors isn’t likely to generate you any real ROI on your investment. I mean – who cares, right? But if they have ideas to do how to’s, or include your products in their weekly vlog, or do any number of other things, then it could be a really interesting proposition. Pitches that grab my attention have something well through through and different in this area. Thing is, nothing delights a PR or a marketing manager more (well, in my opinion again!), when an ambassador emails and says ‘I’ve had this ides…’. To me, it shows you actually care about my brand and you’re thinking about it and how you can help me…

So there you have it, five questions to ask potential brand ambassadors, I really hope they helped you and made you think… did they?

If you liked this blog, you’re going to LOVE episode 16 of the Small & Supercharged Podcast, the Brand Ambassadors 101 for brands and influencers. This is the link to iTunes, but it’s also on Spotify, Google Play, and all the other places you’d expect to see a podcast!

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When should you say ‘yes’ to being a brand ambassador | Rhea Freeman

When should you say 'yes' to being a brand ambassadorWhen should you say yes to being a brand ambassador… and when should you run for the hills?

As brand ambassadorships (let’s pretend that’s a term) continue to increase, I think it’s a question that needs addressing. There are lots of different ways that brands recruit ambassadors. Some ways make complete sense. Some of the attributes they look for, to me at least, are bang on. Some brands… well, not so much. I asked my Small & Supercharged Facebook group members who ran businesses what attributes they looked for in a brand ambassador. And they answered… and those answers are in my ‘what should you look for in a brand ambassador‘ blog. But to give a balanced argument (and to help both sides!), I also asked brand ambassadors in my group what they looked for when it came to representing a brand and being a brand ambassador for it. Now, I must stress that the people in my Small & Supercharged group are very switched on. Many are not ‘just’ riders, they have created brands and businesses around their sport and passion. These are not the kind of people that will send a DM to an account they have never heard of. Because I am sure that you, like I, have had this too.

When should you say yes to being a brand ambassador?

So, to help give brands a bit more information, to help them woo their dream brand ambassador, I asked a few more questions, and here’s what they said…

Laura Szuca from WannaBe In The Ribbons said: From being a brand ambassador for a couple of brands I would say it has to be a brand I know, use and rate highly! I think any endorsement needs to be genuine and authentic so you can’t just put your name to something you know nothing about.

Katie Lawrence from Deciphering Dressage said: I like to be a brand ambassador for a company who wants to know me, my horse, my story and form a team.

The first few companies I worked with didn’t even recognise me when I went and said hello to them… I changed my stance and what I wanted and love the companies I now work with. Many have become good friends! And in turn I’m happy to work really bloody hard to represent them.

Gaelann East from The Orchard Holding and Wacky Racers Adventures said: I guess it’s a brand/item that is in my top ten must haves that I have a passion for and also need. That way content comes easily and the content is real and honest from my soul. I never run out of things to say about the lovely companies that support me. Maybe not number 1 on my list of qualities but I guess for me to be there for them, it’s an important one so I can do my best

Nicki Strong from Headstrong Equestrian said: As a brand ambassador – synergy!

“The combined power of a group of things when they are working together that is greater than the total power achieved by each working separately” So I guess that’s a way of saying that we both have something to offer one another; before applying for a brand ambassador role I’d always ask myself whether I’m a good fit for the brand / product / customer base, so I can genuinely add value and effectively demonstrate and market their products to help build brand awareness and drive sales – and also whether it’s a brand whose product / service / ethos I believe in and would like to be associated with and could benefit from partnering with.

Tina Wallace from Life On The Left Rein said: I would only ever work alongside/represent/promote a brand that I would willingly spend money on their products myself… far too many people purely want to be a BA just to get “free stuff”, not to enable them to actively promote a brand that they are genuinely passionate about and feel other “equestrians” would benefit from/enjoy using said product/s!!

Wiola Grabowska from Aspire Equestrian said: I’m in a process of working with a brand as their ambassador and my number 1 priority is shared values. I personally see working with brands as an extension of my PR as well as interesting collaboration to create something of value. My coaching business is strongly certain values oriented so I’m very happy to be able to work with a business that see this as equally important

Beth Eckley said:  I try to ask/apply to brands that I already use or rate highly, or if a new brand, one that I think would work well mutually for both of us and is something I would feel I could strongly recommend on its principles and products. I’m sponsored or a brand ambassador for four brands that I love and I hope we all work well for each other

Victoria Brant from Wimpy Eventer said: I would only represent a brand that respected the value of my content and its creation. Posting all the time about products is not what I want, loyalty is paramount but I’m not an advertising board.

 

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What should you look for in a brand ambassador? | Rhea Freeman

what should you look for in a brand ambassadorWhat should you look for in a brand ambassador? Many, many companies are now appointing people to be ambassadors for their brand… and what is required varies enormously too. Your requirements and your expectations will, of course, influence what you should look for in a brand ambassador. Don’t discount these at all. However, to give you a bit of help, I decided to do a little research for you. I asked my Small & Supercharged group on Facebook what they look for in a brand ambassador. As this group is bursting with small business owners, many of whom use brand ambassadors to help promote their brand, I thought it was a good place to ask.

Now, you don’t have to look for the same things in a brand ambassador, far from you – you do you. Consider what you need, your brand, your expectations, your demographic and your strategy. Here are just a few ideas you might like to pick up, kindly provided by people over in my fab group…

The question I asked was: ‘what do you look for in a brand ambassador?’

Amy Griffiths – Amy Griffiths Photography/Hoofprints – someone easily likeable both in real life and social media. To both me as a brand and also other people. Everything else can be discussed/worked upon but likeability isn’t something a person can change very easily! The other obvious thing is it has to be someone who uses my product or service.

Katie Mortimore – Katie Mortimore Photography – Authenticity! Too many relationships are about money and not about a product on both sides.

Danielle Holmes – Black Nova Designs –  I think they have to be interested in what you offer, anyone can be a brand ambassador but if they don’t know what you do or why then promoting isn’t going to be easy.

Lydia Duce– LD Equestrian – High quality content, I think it is hard to find this now with so many new bloggers/vloggers and influencers.

Sarah SJ Johnstone – Apt Cavalier – Personality- my three ambassadors are all really likeable, hilarious and genuinely fun to be around. I think it’s important for that to shine through in photo shoots, social media posts etc. They all have fierce passion for the sport, which is really important to me as an “Eventing Brand”, not just a fashion brand.

Emily Gailey – Equus Photo – Authenticity and being a genuinely nice person. I am such good friends with my brand ambassadors, we all hang out, we help each other out with our horses and they seem to genuinely love working with me. I think people can see that it’s a proper relationship instead of them just working with me for free stuff…which in turn makes potential clients more interested.

Emma-Jayne Rothwell – Woof Wear– Personality. Oodles and oodles of it. You’ll be ‘the face’ of the brand meeting people you wouldn’t normally meet or converse with, you’ll need to confidently talk about product to customers and the public, you may need to conduct course walks, talks, personal appearances, yard visits and attend events. You may also (hopefully regularly!) be on the winner’s podium and need to speak clearly and concisely and memorably, and finally, with the meteoric rise of video countering content collapse on all social media, your brand will most definitely need you to step up and join the revolution. So yep, you need to be choc full of personality.

Kate Owen– Pony & Pup Photography–  I look for genuine people that are authentic, love their horses and work hard at it, aren’t afraid to post about the good times and the bad! And they have to already engage with and support your brand.

Victoria Archer– Equissage – I look for an ethical and professional person with no bad history. A ‘good influence’ to the public and I then associate my brand with those.

Janine Kell – The Golden Paste Co – Authenticity. We aim for our brand ambassadors to be current customers who use and understand the product and its capabilities.

Melanie Clarihew – Mackenzie & George – I’ve had to think really hard about this as it’s multi fold; they need to be genuine, authentic love for the brand and what we do, super lovely people who respect their audience, and loyal.

But, the one most important factor For me, is willingness to work with us to produce original content.

Laura Williams – Boudica Equestrian – The most important thing I look for in an Ambassador for my brand is shared value of equine welfare. I don’t look for a person who just wins prizes or has a huge following on social media, but someone who puts the needs of their horse first and strives to keep learning and improving their riding and knowledge for the horse’s benefit. As a small business I need someone who has similar ethics and beliefs. That way we can work well and closely together.

Helena Smith – From a brand point of view – approachable and an ideal customer, that can truly engage and promote the brand without it seeming like a hard sell. It also helps that others can see themselves in your ambassadors shoes, making products seem achievable and needed.

Tamara Hudlestone – The Very Important Pad – A brand ambassador needs to be engaged and proactive; not chased all the time .

Jenni Winter – Flying Changes Coaching – For me I choose someone who is open and honest in their social media. Someone who doesn’t come across as “salesy” because working as a Mindset and Performance Psychology Coach means that my BAs need to be real and get people on board that way. Mindset is such a hot topic right now so they need to walk the talk.

So, what should you look for in a brand ambassador?

It’s fair to say that while the Small & Superchargers had slightly different ways of wording it, authenticity, being friendly and having a genuine affinity with the product and brand are essentials. Of course, there are lots of others things you can add to your list, but if you have these qualities as the foundation, it’s a great place to start.

What qualities do you look for in a brand ambassador? 

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Can you be an ambassador for too many brands?

Can you be an ambassador for too many brandsCan you be an ambassador for too many brands? I was asked this question for a recent Facebook and Instagram Live. Not only was I very. very sure of the answer (yes), but there was a lot of support for this from business owners too. There are, however, variables on the number. Being a brand ambassador can be great for brand and ambassador, but it’s not always. And, as a brand ambassador, if you’re overstretched and underdelivering, it won’t end well.

Can you be an ambassador for too many brands?

You might have noticed a surge in the use of the term brand ambassador. It used to be a fairly rare ‘thing’ but, with the rise of social media, it’s become a lot more popular. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I mean, it’s a grey area. Having a lot of anything can reduce its kudos and can make what should feel like a rare opportunity a lot less ‘special’. But that’s a different subject.

People who are active on social media, who produce good content and engage with their audience are more likely to be asked to be brand ambassadors. When you apply for this accolade or are asked, the chances that any brand worth their salt will have done a little research into you and what you do. Now, these people (who are active on social media, have good engagement, etc) are not all that common… and that means that they can find themselves on the receiving end of a lot of requests. Yep, it’s really flattering and yes, you will probably get lots of lovely free things… but let’s just take a breath and have a little think…

If you are a brand ambassador, the brand will expect something from you

It doesn’t have to be a kidney or your first born, but there will be some pay back. If you’re supplied with products, the brand will expect to see these appear on your social media feeds, on your blog or vlog… and they will expect you to use the items. All of these things take time. Yes, you get the free stuff, but it all comes with an expectation. And so it should… giving stuff away for free is REALLY easy. But if that were the objective, you might not have been picked and the ‘contest’ would have been very different.

So. Yes. You get free things. But they’re not free. You’re expected to give something back and that will take time.

Some brands are flexible

Some brands give brand ambassadors a free rein and don’t give strict criteria. I personally think this is a good policy and you get to see who ‘gets’ it and who really doesn’t. It can be quite eye opening from the other side of the fence. This does not mean that every single post has to include a brand’s product, but it should feature organically in the content because. Wait for it. YOU SHOULD WANT TO WEAR OR USE IT. If a brand is flexible on the content you create, nurture this and support them. But be aware that just because they aren’t kicking off, they will be watching and waiting.

Lots of brands = no time

If you are looking to create content for lots of different brands, be aware of how much time this will take. You might find that, very quickly, you run out of time because of what you should be doing for others. This might mean your own social media suffers, or worst still, that your real life does! This is a real, genuine issue. Being a brand ambassador should not take away from your enjoyment of what you do. And having too many could well do this.

Conflicts

Lordy… this is a big one. Many brands have more than one type of product, and some have MANY. If you’re the brand ambassador for a retailer, they will carry lots of products. So what does this mean in terms of who else you can be an ambassador for? You need to find out. If you’re saying that ‘this x is the best ever’ on one post, and your next post states that something else is… what does that prove? You’re fickle? You can be bought? Your advice can’t be trusted? No one wants this… and you certainly don’t. If you work with people who have very specific products, you can take on more brand ambassadorships, if you work for people who have a range of products, this becomes a lot more challenging…

 

So, yes, you can become an ambassador for too many brands, but the actual number depends on a lot of factors. Being clear on what is expected from each party is crucial from the get-go, and from then you can work out whether or not they fit in with your current constraints and other brand ambassadorships.

If you’d like more hints and tips connected to PR, marketing, influencers, business development and more, don’t forget to join my newsletter– you can subscribe here. 

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Could you be a brand ambassador?

Could you be a brand ambassador?A little while ago, I wrote an article for Horse & Hound about the subject of equestrian brand ambassadors. Brand ambassadors take up a fair amount of my time. By which I mean looking at them, working with them, dealing with enquiries about being one for a brand of mine. The list goes on!

So, could you be a brand ambassador?

The Horse & Hound article is a must read, and I have some great advice from some big brands including Ariat, Hiho Silver and Saracen Horse Feeds. And the insight these brands gave, through working with brand ambassadors every day, is absolutely bang on and brilliant. If you’re a brand looking to work with brand ambassadors, I would urge you to have a read, and if you’re a rider hoping to become a brand ambassador, please read it too.

Equestrian brand ambassador dos (whether you’re looking to be one, or you are one!)

I thought, to help provide a little extra guidance on the issue, a list of dos and don’ts would be in order… and if you feel I have missed any then please do let me know.

  • Have a genuine affinity with the brand you’re an ambassador for. If you’re applying a scattergun approach and emailing everyone, including brands you’ve never used, it’s not a good place to be.
  • Get your own house in order. Make sure you own social media, website, etc is good. If you can’t look after your own brand, why would I trust you with one of mine?
  • It’s not all about you. Think what you can offer not what you want.
  • Give it enough time. If you’re approaching someone and you promise the world, make sure you have time to deliver it.
  • Be honest, authentic and genuine. Always. Being false will annoy your audience and hurt your credibility… which is not what any brand wants to be associated with…
  • Start creating content, featuring the brands you like and own, with no ulterior motive. I always try and tag the brands I’m wearing and using because I (believe it or not) get quite a few messages from people asking me where I got my hat from/what bracelet I’m wearing, etc. From a brand point of view, it fills my heart with joy when people tag a brand I work with because I love seeing kit in action and it also means I have the potential of user generated content I can share. And that makes me very happy.
  • Be creative. When you do go in for the big ask, after you’ve put in a lot of groundwork I hasten to add, don’t just offer the obvious. Think about what you can do that’s different and makes you a better proposition…
  • Be consistent. Show up when you should on your social media and website even when you have zero energy. People who are inconsistent pose a risk as they might not deliver.
  • There’s loads more… but these are a few top ones…

Equestrian brand ambassador don’ts (again, whether you’re looking to be one or you are one!)

As important as the dos in my world!

  • Don’t email every company in the world who makes products you would like to own. Buy the products, use them, make sure you like them and would be happy to be associated with them.
  • Be careful you don’t work for too many brands as you will run out of time to deliver what you need to.
  • Don’t work for brands that directly conflict. Many brands have products that overlap, but think about what they’re known for the best or what their messaging talks about the most and don’t tread on their toes. It does not go down well.
  • Don’t let your ego get out of hand. It’s lovely to have the support of brands, but be aware that arrogance is an ugly quality and won’t win fans with your current supporters or future ones. Trust me on this one.
  • Don’t become a pain. If someone says thanks but no thanks, don’t keep barraging them with messages and emails. By all means keep using their products and tagging them – prove that they should back you in the future, but becoming a pain in neck is not a good strategy.
  • Don’t send a FB message begging for sponsorship. Just don’t. Email. Find the right person, PLEASE DON’T SEND FB MESSAGES.
  • Don’t work with people who don’t fit your values. If you’re anti-fur, don’t work with someone who sells fur, for example. It confuses the message. And will annoy your audience. While you’re working with them as a brand ambassador for their brand, YOU ARE YOUR BRAND. Protect this.
  • Don’t behave badly. I mean in real life and online. Our lives are captured on social media these days and if you’re out at the weekend getting blind drunk and vomiting in an alleyway (sorry… a bit graphic!) and that is plastered all over social media, how does that reflect you as a brand AND the businesses you’re connected to? I know it sounds like I’m being a killjoy, but I mean this from you point of view too. Trust me on this…
  • Don’t feel you’re not worthy because you haven’t ridden at the Olympics. A good, engaged following doesn’t always go hand in hand with ridden prowess. Find your USP and create your content around that. That is what a possible supporter will want to get involved with. It doesn’t always have to be that you’re at the top of your sport.

I’m really thrilled with my article on Horse & Hound, and I’ve genuinely had some really lovely feedback from it, from brands and riders alike. So if you’re looking to become a brand ambassador for an equestrian brand, you have to have a read!

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Hiho, Hiho, it’s off to Blenheim I go! Instagram takeover

Blenheim horse trials instagram takeoverI’m very, very excited to be off to Blenheim today… well, I’m writing this on the Thursday night, but I’m off to Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials tomorrow (Friday), and I am very excited. I adore Blenheim- it’s one of my favourite events, and this year is a teeny bit more exciting…

Why is this year’s Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials more exciting than normal?

Well, not only have I been announced as an official Hiho brand ambassador (I mean, I am like a walking Hiho display most of the time as the Cherry Roller Bangle, Cherry Roller Necklace, Fairfax & Favor Charm, Foxtail and Snaffle Ring never leave my wrists, neck or hand!), but it gets better…

But it gets better…

Tomorrow, I will be doing my first Hiho Instagram takeover in this role. I have taken over Hiho’s Instagram before on a number of occasions, but as myself it seems a bit weird… and a bit exciting. And I’m really looking forward to it. I believe in Hiho more than I can express. I have been a fan of the company and the jewellery LONG before I started working for them, and have been actively promoting the brand and pieces, not just to the press and online world for years, but to my family and friends, and all over my social media channels.

And, in my view, that makes the difference

In my very humble opinion, a brand ambassador SHOULD love and wear the products that they are a brand ambassador for even when they’re not meant to…or they don’t have to. It should be interwoven into their own content as much as anything for the brand. Why? Because a brand ambassador should have a real affinity with the brand. I’m also relishing the opportunity to really get under the skin of the brand ambassador experience in a more public way. To try and test my theories first hand and to help better advise the influencers that I work with. Because if you don’t do it yourself, how can you?

Pop on over to Hiho’s Instagram page today and follow my story and posts from Blenheim Palace… it should be fun!

 

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