For a long time, it was thought that brands needed celebrities, influencers, or big budgets to gain traction. And yes, that can add up. But the truth is that the greatest force for building a strong, credible, and relatable brand lies within your company, not outside.

Today, more than ever, reputation and sustainable growth depend on the people who live the brand every day: leaders, managers, and engaged employees. These people—who speak with customers, participate in decision-making, and solve real problems—are the ones who can convey a company’s soul more authentically than any campaign.

What is a (real) brand ambassador?

Brand ambassadors perform several essential functions. They’re not just someone who poses for a photo with your logo. An internal brand ambassador is someone who:

  • Live the company values ​​(don’t just repeat them).
  • Aligns with the vision and shares it with pride.
  • He communicates from his real experience, without putting on an act.
  • He is a reference inside and outside the organization.
  • It helps attract and retain customers, talent, and strategic allies.

What they say, do, share, and represent has a direct impact on how your brand is perceived.

Differences between brand ambassador and influencer

Although both roles seek to promote a brand, there are fundamental differences:

  • Relationship with the company: Ambassadors often have a direct and long-standing connection with the organization, while influencers may collaborate on a campaign on a one-off basis.
  • Authenticity: Internal ambassadors reflect a genuine experience, while influencers may lack a deep connection with the brand.
  • Reach: Influencers may have a broader audience, but internal ambassadors offer a more authentic and credible connection.

Los influencers tienen su lugar. Pero si querés construir marca a largo plazo, cultura sólida y reputación creíble, necesitás embajadores internos.

Importance of brand ambassadors in business strategy

Integrating brand ambassadors into your business strategy offers multiple benefits:

  • Strengthening organizational culture: promoting desired values ​​and behaviors within the company.
  • Improved reputation: By sharing positive experiences, they contribute to a strong corporate image.
  • Increased talent retention: Employees feel more engaged when they see active leaders aligned with the company’s mission.

Why senior managers and executives are the ideal ambassadors

Business leaders possess characteristics that make them effective ambassadors:

  • Credibility: Their position gives them authority and trust.
  • Strategic vision: They understand the company’s mission and objectives, allowing them to communicate aligned messages.
  • Internal and external influence: They can motivate internal teams and build relationships with external stakeholders.

“Leadership is no longer measured solely by decisions and financial results; it’s now also valued by the ability to communicate and connect. A leader who openly and sincerely articulates their company’s values ​​and vision creates a powerful narrative that resonates with their team, customers, and stakeholders.”

Furthermore, in competitive and highly digital contexts, leaders who are humane, empathetic, and active generate trust. And trust, today, is a competitive advantage. Because example carries weight. What a CEO or manager communicates, represents, and promotes leaves a lasting impression.

Steps to turn CEOs and managers into brand ambassadors

This isn’t something that happens by magic. It requires determination, strategy, and support. To get started, you could do the following:

  1. Identifying potential leaders: Look for individuals who already interact positively with the brand, passionate employees, or satisfied customers. Consider both influencers and micro-influencers, as the latter often have more engaged audiences and specific market niches.
  2. Communication and branding training: providing skills in storytelling, social media use, and personal image management.
  3. Defining clear goals: Set specific goals for your role as ambassadors, such as participating in events or generating content.
  4. Provision of resources: Provide tools and materials to support your advocacy work.
  5. Recognition and feedback: Value their contributions and provide ongoing feedback to improve their performance.

This may seem like a “plus” within the business strategy, but it is actually a key element of positioning and culture.

Successful examples of brand ambassadors

In recent years, numerous companies have implemented successful internal ambassador programs. Some of the most well-known cases

Benefits of having internal brand ambassadors

  1. Authenticity: Messages conveyed by employees and leaders are perceived as more genuine.
  2. Greater reach: Each ambassador expands brand visibility through their personal and professional networks.
  3. Customer loyalty: Personal connection strengthens customer relationships, increasing their loyalty.
  4. Talent attraction: A visible and positive company culture attracts professionals aligned with the company’s values.

Strategies to enhance brand image through ambassadors

  • Collaborative content development: Involve ambassadors in creating blogs, videos, and social media posts.
  • Participation in events: promote their presence at conferences, trade shows, and seminars as company representatives.
  • Recognition programs: Establish initiatives that value and reward their work as ambassadors.
  • Continuous feedback: Maintain open communication to adjust strategies and improve results.

Strategies to enhance brand image through ambassadors

To implement these strategies effectively, it’s advisable to enlist the support of marketing and communications experts, who can help you develop and execute internal ambassador programs.

Today, it’s not enough to have a good proposition. You have to know how to tell it, embody it, and convey it from every point of contact. And who better to do that than the people who walk the company every day.

“Strong brands aren’t built just through campaigns. They’re built by people who believe in what they do and share it with the world.”

If you’re a leader, manager, or part of a marketing team, you have a tremendous opportunity to activate a strategy that not only improves communication but also transforms culture and builds a real reputation.

It’s not necessary. What matters is the quality of your network, not the quantity. In fact, profiles with smaller communities often generate more trust and engagement. The key is to engage influential people in your professional environment with authentic messages that connect with your network. In that sense, any employee can become a great ambassador.

It works for any business size. In fact, many SMEs find this program a powerful way to expand their digital presence without investing large budgets in advertising. The key is to have a motivated team, a clear brand culture, and the desire to connect with the professional community in a human and credible way.

Participation in an ambassador program should be 100% voluntary. Not all employees feel comfortable communicating on social media, and that should be respected. It’s better to have a small but motivated group than to force participation on those who don’t want to. At Smart Team, we encourage positive participation, not imposition.

Although the program works in almost any sector, we see a high impact in consulting, technology, education, healthcare, manufacturing, and professional services. Any company with a knowledgeable team, a strong culture, and a professional audience can benefit from activating internal ambassadors.

Emiliano Harri Echeverría
Consultor SEO at  • harri@smart-team.io

Consultor de Marketing y SEO con más de 10 años de experiencia en optimización web y estrategias digitales. Ayudo a negocios locales, pymes y grandes empresas a mejorar su posicionamiento online, alcanzar sus objetivos de crecimiento y adaptarse a un mundo digital cada día más competitivo.