Being the face of a brand means to be perceived with the same values and culture of the brand you represent. It means that when a consumer sees a brand ambassador, they make an association between that person and the brand. This association may be positive or negative and may also be accurate or inaccurate. A brand ambassador representing Apple may be pleasant and give the consumer a great experience but if he has a Microsoft mindset, the association made by that consumer during their interaction will not reflect the brand accurately even though the experience was positive overall. A true brand ambassador not only advocates for the brand but also takes on its personality and beliefs.

An effective brand ambassador is capable of leaving an impression strong enough to motivate consumers to create, reinforce or change the way they perceive a brand, and ultimately motivate change in consumer purchase behavior and brand loyalty. Quality promotional staff achieves this by mastering techniques that involve managing their appearance, body language, speech and other elements to deliver an effective interaction. The ideal brand ambassador will look like the brand, talk like the brand, preach the same values and defend the brand as if it was a part of them.

Effective brand ambassadors also know how to assess consumers, learn their personal values, needs and wants by analyzing their behavior and asking the right questions at the right time in an engaging conversation. They are skilled enough to match this information to the characteristics of the brand that best relate to it, always presenting the brand as the right solution for their problem in a pressure-free interaction.

When choosing a promotional staffing agency, be sure to ask how they screen their staff. An agency must spend a decent amount of time screening staff not only based on experience, availability, responsibility and reliability but also based on image, personality and style, genuine interest in the brand and power of influence.

When you make Promo Fails like the ones discussed here, what you are really saying is that you don’t know that much about promotional marketing. Learn how to promote yourself first!

1- Send professional photos only: Candid or not, there are still guidelines for what a professional photo means. We want to see your face and look you in the eye, so send pictures that show it well. Don’t send photos of your different hair colors throughout the year or with hats or sunglasses on. Absolutely do not send photos of you in bikinis, lingerie or Playboy type poses, unless specified in the casting call you are responding to. Although looks can be very important in promotions, the impression you are sending is that you value your body more your brain!

2- Do not send photos with friends: Promo agencies don’t want to have to figure out which one you are. This type of photo says very little about your personality and a lot about how much you like your friend. Your “BFF” is cropped out when your photo is submitted to clients anyway! You may be trying to get your friend hired with you but truth is there is a big chance we will like your friend better than you (it happens all the time!).

3- Refer to the gig in your email: Your promotion might be happening in several locations nationwide. Agencies can receive hundreds of applications at a time for different programs and locations. Nobody has a crystal ball to find out what promotion you are applying for. Always mention what program and location you are responding to whether in the subject or body of your email.

4- Watch your typing: Spell correctly, do not use slang language or curse words even if you are great friends with the recruiter. Agencies are looking for creativity, spunk, but most of all, valuable information about you. Keep the content concise, short and sweet. Your email is a marketing piece. You are selling yourself and your services to the agency. Be creative to catch attention and create impact but also provide useful information to create value.

5- Get your resume opened: Agencies would love to open your resume if you had them in a format that allows them to do it. The best formats for your resume tend to be .doc and PDF. The information on your resume must be correct, updated, proofread and it should highlight your promotional experience. Power Point presentations can be great too, if they are not long and heavy. Being creative on your resume is definitely a plus but be careful not to turn creativity into hassle.

6- Be available to the agency: One of the ways agencies weed out the good, the bad and the flaky is by how quickly staff responds. Reliability is everything! Respond fast to ads, phone calls, emails and turn in documents right away. If an agency calls you and you do not respond to the booking agent right away, they might have already replaced you without even hiring you.

7- Be consistenly reliable: Plain and simple. No shows, last minute cancellations and documents not turned in when requested ruin your reputation with agencies because you just ruined theirs with the client. Most of them will never hire you again.

8- Don’t over communicate: We know you want to build a rapport with your agency but there are better ways of doing it. Agency folks are always on the run and have very little time to get a lot done. Sending several emails expecting a response, leaving several voice messages and asking questions all the time only pushes them away.

9- Stay drama-free: promotional staff that thinks they are entitled to the world end up without one. The ideal promotional staff is hard working, not afraid to get down and dirty if necessary, and keeps great a smile on their face under any condition or weather. The promo world has no room for divas.

10- Show how much you love what you do: If you do promotions just to get by, agencies will notice it and will avoid you. Make sure you show them how much you enjoy and understand promotions. It is one of the best jobs out there, what is not to love?

* RedLine offers official recommendation letters and on LinkedIn to staff that consistently rocks at our promos! If you believe you deserve one, make sure you request it next time you work a promotion with us!

I hope that you all are enjoying the beginning of Spring and some warmer weather (finally)!  Working at RedLine, we get the opportunity to view hundreds of qualified brand ambassadors and promotional models each day!  From my experience, I’ve compiled a few helpful pointers to help make your profile stand out and get you booked more often!

1. Following instructions can be a great help!  Whether via a blast or a posting on job boards, we post specific instructions to assist in a more fluid booking process.  Following these instructions indicates that you can also follow instructions in the field.  They also help you get booked quicker!  If we don’t have to search for your availability, recent headshots, or resume, we are able to spend more time getting you booked for the position!
2. Your pictures are key! In the promotional industry, clients desire very specific looks for certain events.  From trying to find girls who resemble twins, to guys who represent a skater-style look, the client knows what they want!  Sending the right pictures is crucial in getting you booked!  Specifically for RedLine, we are looking for a mix of everything.  Narrowed down to 3, I suggest you send 1 non-professional head shot, 1 non-professional full length shot, and 1 shot (can be professional) that shows your personality/best side.  Choosing pictures that accurately represent what you look like are ultimately what we need.  Don’t get me wrong, we love your Halloween pictures, they’re just not our top picks!
3. Great phone interviews rock! We want to hear your personality shine through the phone.  I like to think, “Smile through the phone!”   We’re excited about the opportunity to work with you and we hope you are too!  So, make sure to let us know that through your phone interview!

With these 3 helpful hints, I hope you all will have more effective and efficient booking processes!  If there’re ever any questions, shoot us an email!  We’ll be glad to help you out!

Have a great week!

Smack Five!

Hi RedLiners!

If you’re wondering about your 1099, and a lot of you are, don’t fret!  They’re on their way to your door!  Depending on where you’re located, you should get them within the next week.  If you don’t get them by mid-February and you KNOW* you should get one, send us an email (promo005@oneredplace.com) and we’ll re-issue one for you!

*If you didn’t make over $600 with RedLine in 2010, you won’t be receiving one!

Also, if you haven’t done so already – “Like” our fan page to keep up with new events and other RedLiners! http://www.facebook.com/redlinestaffinginc

Have a great day!

-RedLine

If you’re like most people, chances are you made a New Year’s resolution this year.  In addition, if you’re like most people, chances are you won’t actually keep the resolution you made!  Maintaining change in your life is something that doesn’t often come easily, but is something that we seek each New Year.   Below, I’ve compiled a list of helpful hints on how to make and keep lasting change for this New Year!

1. Set the bar high, but not too high!  Being realistic is a key point in achievability.  Make sure to set a resolution that will stretch you, but one that will not break you.
2. Take it day by day.  If you only look at the end result, you are more likely to not obtain the results that you want.  In stead, take it step-by-step and day-by-day.  The old saying proves true, “Rome wasn’t built in one day!”
3. Tell a friend what you’re trying to accomplish!  Accountability is a great key in success.  Having a friend to keep you in line will help on those days that are harder than others!

While you’re working hard on your resolutions, remember to have fun and to treat yourself!  Keeping true to your New Year’s resolutions and making lasting change will help build character.  Don’t be part of the 37% that stop after the first month!

And on a business note, our calendars are filling up – so get ready for new events in your area!

Smack Five!

RedLine

On behalf of the entire RedLine team, we wish you a HAPPY NEW YEAR! We’re excited for 2011’s opportunities and we’re glad to have you on board. For 2011, we wish you a year of happiness, opportunity, and successful new year’s resolutions!

Smack Five!

RedLine

The new site design offers new RedLiner registration, photo albums, a chance to “Meet the Team”, and a link to our new blog! Whether you’re looking to become part of the RedLine team or catch up on the latest promotions happening in your area, make sure to check the new website for all the latest.

Did you work an event for RedLine? Send us your pictures! We’ll create photo albums from the events to go on the website. You’ll also be able to find pictures from other events we’ve done across the US!

Had a great time at a RedLine event? Let us know! We’d love to hear about it and it might just make the website!

Either way, make sure to bookmark the new page to stay in the loop. If you haven’t already, make sure to sign up to become a RedLiner via the tab on the homepage! We’d love to have you join our team of Movers and Shakers in the industry!

Smack Five!

RedLine