Now you’re ready to select your first Social Creators and Social Activators! Most companies start small and build up their groups as needed, but this will depend on your plan and the size of your company. For an average sized company with an ambitious plan, this means five activators and ten to fifteen creators.
If you can get some C-level activators on board, this will get your program off to a flying start. Apart from being keen to try something new, these people should possess the confidence needed to be an early adopter, plus the influence to make others want to join them.
However, due to their busy schedules, your C-level executives might need some convincing. Present them with a quick overview of the program and explain why they are the right people to take on the activator role. Discuss how their extensive network and internal visibility make them ideal to get things going quickly. Don’t forget to inspire them with statistics on how big the impact will be on your social reach and how this fits with your company’s objectives. And reassure them on the biggest concern - it will take almost no time at all.
For the creators, look for digital savvy colleagues who are comfortable creating their own content and experienced in using social media. Communications staff are an obvious choice but broaden your scope to include colleagues who are active on social media, have good writing skills. They should also be comfortable with creating video content and uploading images, but if they’re not doing this already it’s easy to get them up to speed quickly.
Try to find multiple creators for each topic on your content strategy. This will ensure that you have a consistent flow of content and good coverage of everything that is happening in each team. A good starting point is to approach your current group of spokespeople. Also ask them to identify those they work with who also have specialist knowledge in each respective area and a flair for creativity. This is a great opportunity for employees to step up and take a more visible role in their team.
When you’re recruiting for both roles, it’s vital to give a complete, but concise, introduction to how the ambassador program will operate and why their role is so critical to success. The contribution and impact your program will have on business objectives is important, but also remember to sell them on the personal benefits.
Company focused social media activity is an ideal way to build a personal brand. It demonstrates loyalty, a commitment to improve and active participation in the achievement of your company goals. Explain how being active on social media will help build their own personal brand, attract new talent, reduce their workload ánd generate leads. You’ll work together to achieve your business’ goals.
Of course, it’s easy to send a quick email and schedule a catch up, just as we do for everyday tasks. But this is something different, and you don’t want to risk your email being lost or ignored.
Take a tip from behavioral science - make the invitation feel special by taking the effort to approach your candidates in person. Yes, this may be difficult due to remote working and busy schedules, but it will definitely be worth the extra effort. If dropping by their office proves ineffective, or they’re based in another location, give them a call.
The point you need to get across, above all: you have identified that they are critical to the success of your ambassador program. Making someone feel special and appreciated rarely fails!
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