How To Become a Makeup Brand Ambassador
The example of ambassador marketing that stands out the most clearly to me in the beauty world was when Glossier first launched its rep program. I remembered seeing lots of people I knew on Instagram sharing links to get 10% off of Glossier and what was brilliant about it was Glossier had reached out to these people because they were already talking about them.
There was no script. It wasn’t forced. And because of that it was very effective.
Ideally, makeup brand ambassadors help beauty brands capitalize on their fans' love of their products. I get a lot of questions from influencers not just about how to work with brands but how to build ongoing partnerships with brands and becoming a brand ambassador is a great way to do that.
What is a brand ambassador?
According to Zip Recruiter, brand ambassadors work to represent a cosmetic brand and ultimately promote the brand’s products to customers.
If you want to be a brand ambassador you probably love the brand’s products but more than that love their mission, what they stand for, and how they function as a company.
These days there are many different types of brand ambassadorships. For example M.A.C recently announced that Lisa from BLACKPINK would become their global brand ambassador and while some brands like to use celebrities to be associated with their company, others are turning to micro and nano influencers.
For some being a brand ambassador is as low-committal as receiving products from the brand and potentially sharing them on your Instagram stories. For others there may be a paid contract with many requirements.
Brand Ambassador vs Affiliate
These two terms are sometimes used interchangeably but I wanted to make sure I clarified what each of them means. Many companies, especially beauty brands, are now investing a lot into what is known as affiliate marketing.
Affiliates earn a commission on each sale they make and can be tracked through customized codes or personalized links.
You may see links for rewardStyle on my blog, which is an affiliate platform that I’m a part of. I also have affiliate relationships with Glossier and with Versed where I have unique trackable links and discounts I can share with my audience.
I typically get early access to new product releases as an affiliate. Most affiliate programs offer their members 10-20% commission on each product they sell.
What is involved in being a brand ambassador?
Brand ambassador programs will vary depending on the company but here are just a few things you may do as a brand ambassador:
Posting about products on social media
This is the most common task for a brand ambassador where you’ll share products you receive from the brand on your social media channels.Attending events
You may be asked or invited to attend events that the brand hosts if you live in a major city where you would be representing the brand.Demonstrating how products work
You may be asked to show how products work whether it’s on your Instagram stories, in a blog post, IRL, or elsewhere.Word of mouth marketing
It might be encouraged to find ways to work the brand/product into everyday conversations you have with friends and family to get them excited about the brand.Content creation for the brand
The brand may look to its ambassadors to create UGC (user generated content) to share on its social media channels.
What types of brands hire brand ambassadors?
Companies that want to find a way to get people to not just be interested in the products they sell but relate to the brand overall and understand the lifestyle that someone who purchases the products may have are most likely to hire brand ambassadors.
While some companies may prefer to go a traditional PR route companies that want to expand their audience or reach a younger generation may be more likely to try out some kind of brand ambassador program.
Where can I find opportunities to be a makeup brand ambassador?
I wrote a blog post a while ago about how to work with brands where I listed some platforms you can sign up for to look out for different brand opportunities. You can also pitch brands and explain why you might be a good fit to work with them as a brand ambassador.
You can also search online or follow your favorite brands on social media to see if they ever post about opportunities. In the meantime, I’ve rounded up a few for you that you can check out right now.
Beauty companies with brand ambassador programs:
Beauty affiliate programs you can join:
Makeup ambassador programs for college students:
I hope you found this post helpful! What would be your dream brand to be an ambassador for?
yours,
Austen