---
name: ambassador-program
description: "Designs brand ambassador programs with tiers, perks, responsibilities, content requirements, and tracking systems. Use when building a community of advocates who promote your brand."
allowed-tools: Read Write Glob
metadata:
  author: matthewhitcham
  version: "1.0"
---

# Ambassador Program

## When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:
- Design a brand ambassador program from scratch
- Create tiered perks and responsibilities for ambassadors
- Build content requirements and tracking systems
- Launch and manage an ongoing advocacy program

**DO NOT** use this skill for one-time influencer campaigns or paid sponsorships. This is for ongoing ambassador relationships.

---

## Core Principle

AN AMBASSADOR PROGRAM SUCCEEDS WHEN AMBASSADORS GENUINELY LOVE THE PRODUCT — IF THEY WOULD NOT RECOMMEND IT WITHOUT THE PERKS, THE PROGRAM IS BUILT ON THE WRONG FOUNDATION.

---

## Phase 1: Brief

### Required Inputs

| Input | What to Ask | Default |
|-------|------------|---------|
| **Product / brand** | "What will ambassadors promote?" | No default — must be provided |
| **Program goal** | "What should the program achieve? Awareness, sales, content, community?" | Brand awareness + content creation |
| **Target ambassadors** | "Who is the ideal ambassador? Customers, micro-influencers, industry peers?" | Happy existing customers |
| **Budget** | "What can you offer ambassadors? Free products, commission, discounts, cash?" | Product discounts + free items |
| **Program size** | "How many ambassadors to start?" | 10-25 |
| **Duration** | "Ongoing or cohort-based (e.g., 3-month terms)?" | Ongoing with quarterly review |

**GATE: Confirm brief before designing the program.**

---

## Phase 2: Outline

```
1. Program Identity — name, mission, positioning
2. Tier Structure — levels, requirements, and rewards
3. Ambassador Responsibilities — content and activity expectations
4. Perks & Compensation — what ambassadors receive
5. Application & Selection Process
6. Onboarding Flow
7. Tracking & Management System
8. Program Rules & Expectations
```

**GATE: Approve outline before full plan.**

---

## Phase 3: Write

### 1. Program Identity

```
## Program Overview

**Program name:** [Catchy, aspirational name — e.g., "[Brand] Insiders" or "[Brand] Champions"]
**Mission:** "[One sentence — what this community of advocates stands for]"
**Tagline:** "[What ambassadors get to say about themselves — e.g., 'Official [Brand] Ambassador']"
```

### 2. Tier Structure

```
## Ambassador Tiers

| Tier | Name | Requirements | Perks |
|------|------|-------------|-------|
| 1 | [Entry tier name] | Apply and be accepted | [Basic perks — discount, badge] |
| 2 | [Mid tier name] | [X] posts/month + [X] referrals | [Better perks — free product, higher commission] |
| 3 | [Top tier name] | Consistent top performer | [Premium perks — exclusive access, paid opportunities] |

### Tier Advancement
- Review: Quarterly
- Criteria: Content quality, engagement, referrals generated
- Ambassadors who do not meet Tier 1 minimums for 2 consecutive quarters are moved to alumni status
```

### 3. Responsibilities

```
## Ambassador Expectations

### Required (all tiers)
- Post about [Brand] at least [X] times per month on social media
- Use the branded hashtag #[Hashtag] and tag @[Brand]
- Provide honest, authentic content (not scripted)
- Respond to questions about the brand from their audience
- Follow FTC disclosure guidelines (mark posts as #partner or #ambassador)

### Optional (earns tier advancement)
- Create video content (unboxing, tutorials, reviews)
- Refer new customers using their unique referral link
- Provide product feedback and beta test new features
- Participate in ambassador community events
- Represent the brand at events or meetups
```

### 4. Perks & Compensation

```
## What Ambassadors Receive

| Perk | Tier 1 | Tier 2 | Tier 3 |
|------|--------|--------|--------|
| Product discount | [X]% | [X]% | [X]% or free |
| Free products | [Frequency] | [Frequency] | [Frequency] |
| Commission on referrals | [X]% | [X]% | [X]% |
| Exclusive content/access | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Feature on brand channels | Occasional | Monthly | Priority |
| Early access to launches | No | Yes | Yes + input on product |
| Cash compensation | No | No | [If applicable] |
| Ambassador badge/title | Yes | Yes | Yes (premium) |
```

### 5. Application & Selection

```
## How to Join

**Application form fields:**
1. Name and social media handles
2. Why do you love [Brand]? (2-3 sentences)
3. What platforms are you active on?
4. Follower count (not the main criteria — engagement matters more)
5. Link to 1-2 posts where they have mentioned your brand (if any)

**Selection criteria:**
- Genuine enthusiasm for the product (not just free stuff seekers)
- Aligned audience (their followers match your target customer)
- Content quality (even with a small audience)
- Engagement rate over follower count
- Diversity of voices and perspectives

**Acceptance rate target:** 30-50% (selective enough to feel exclusive)
```

### 6. Onboarding

```
## New Ambassador Onboarding

**Day 1: Welcome**
- Welcome email with program guide PDF
- Access to ambassador community (Slack, Discord, or private group)
- Unique referral link and discount code

**Day 3: Brand Kit**
- Brand assets (logos, approved images, brand guidelines)
- Content inspiration gallery (examples of great ambassador posts)
- Do's and Don'ts one-pager

**Day 7: First Assignment**
- Simple first post: introduce themselves as an ambassador
- Tag brand, use hashtag, share what they love about the product
- Moderator engages with and reposts their content

**Day 14: Check-In**
- Personal message from the brand asking how it is going
- Answer any questions
- Share early feedback
```

### 7. Tracking System

```
## Tracking & Management

| Metric | How to Track | Tool |
|--------|-------------|------|
| Posts per month | Hashtag monitoring + manual tracking | Spreadsheet or Brand24 |
| Referral sales | Unique referral codes/links | E-commerce platform or affiliate software |
| Engagement rate | Platform analytics on ambassador posts | Manual review quarterly |
| Content quality | Review and rate 1-5 | Spreadsheet |
| Ambassador satisfaction | Quarterly survey | Google Forms |

### Ambassador Database
Maintain a spreadsheet or CRM with: name, tier, join date, posts this quarter, referrals, total revenue generated, notes.
```

---

## Phase 4: Polish

### 1. Program Checklist

```
## Ambassador Program Checklist

- [ ] Program name, mission, and identity defined
- [ ] Tier structure with clear advancement criteria
- [ ] Responsibilities documented for each tier
- [ ] Perks are compelling and sustainable for the business
- [ ] Application form and selection criteria established
- [ ] Onboarding sequence designed (welcome through first assignment)
- [ ] Tracking system set up (posts, referrals, engagement)
- [ ] FTC disclosure requirements communicated
- [ ] Program rules and expectations documented
- [ ] Quarterly review process defined
```

### 2. Launch Plan

```
## Launch Sequence

1. Invite 10-15 top customers personally (seed the program)
2. Open applications to broader audience after 2-4 weeks
3. Announce the program on social media and email
4. Onboard first cohort within 1 week of acceptance
5. Feature early ambassador content on brand channels
```

---

## Example: Ambassador Program for a Digital Product Brand

```
Program name: "[Brand] Insiders"
Tiers: Starter (3 posts/month) → Pro (5 posts + 3 referrals) → Elite (top performers, quarterly invite-only)
Perks: 20% discount → 40% + free product → 50% + cash bonus + product input
Application: Google Form, 5 questions, reviewed weekly
Tracking: Spreadsheet with monthly post count + referral code revenue
Launch: Personally invite 15 top customers, open applications 3 weeks later
```

---

## Anti-Patterns

- **Choosing ambassadors by follower count alone** — a 500-follower ambassador with 10% engagement beats a 50K follower account with 0.5% engagement.
- **No clear expectations** — "Just post about us sometimes" leads to zero activity. Define specific minimums.
- **Perks that cost more than they generate** — track ROI. If an ambassador costs $200/quarter in free product and generates $50 in referrals, the math does not work.
- **No onboarding** — ambassadors who do not know what to post will not post. Provide a brand kit and examples.
- **Ignoring ambassadors after launch** — ongoing engagement (community, events, personal check-ins) keeps ambassadors active.
- **No exit process** — define how inactive ambassadors are moved to alumni status gracefully.

---

## Recovery

- **Low application volume:** Personally invite your 20 best customers. Make the ask personal, not a mass email.
- **Ambassadors are not posting:** Send monthly content prompts with specific themes. Make it easy with copy-paste captions and image assets.
- **ROI is unclear:** Implement unique referral codes for every ambassador. Track revenue attributed to each code monthly.
- **Ambassador creates off-brand content:** Have a private conversation. Redirect with examples of what works. If it continues, part ways gracefully.
- **Program is too complex:** Simplify to a single tier to start. Add tiers when you have 25+ active ambassadors.
