In recent years, perhaps no brand has been more successful in building a brand ambassador program than theSkimm. The American media company – known for its daily newsletter – incentivized readers to become “Skimm’bassadors” with free totes for all and trips to New York for the best of them. In less than four years, not only did the company grow to over 3.5 million followers, but also created the custom to list “Skimm’bassador” as part of one’s professional experience on LinkedIn.

What made theSkimm so successful?

Quick takeaways from theSkimm’s story are that small, free rewards for employees, combined with nice gestures (such as remembering each employee’s birthday) go a long way in building brand ambassadors for your restaurant.

Now more than ever, businesses are expected to be on the frontline in recreating trust among the members of a society. The latest Edelman Trust Barometer revealed a record-breaking drop in trust across all institutions in the U.S, including governments, media and NGOs. With one silver lining: “The employer is the new safe house in global governance, with 72 percent of respondents saying that they trust their own company,” according to the 2018 report.

So how can business owners – especially restaurateurs – transform their employees into brand ambassadors? Some strategies are well-established.

Invest in Branded Merchandise

Create a team-like atmosphere by investing a few dollars in branded t-shirts, mugs and hats. Employees can be walking advertisements for your brand. We suggest 10% of your budget for branded merchandise should be used to give to employees when they’re newly hired as well as for incentives through training.

Up your Game with Training Materials

Share your vision thanks to training videos and mission statements. Get employees excited about their new role within your restaurant with high production quality videos. More than anything people enjoy being part of a community.

Get Social

Build community with your restaurant’s blog or Instagram profile. Encourage (and incentivize!) employee participation on social media. Create evergreen, shareable content that your employees will want to share on their social media accounts and hold internal contests for the most likes, shares, retweets, etc.

Consider a Social Cause

Consider aligning your brand with a social cause. It’s been demonstrated that millennials care more about work when they see a social value attached to it. Even small donations can make a difference: Carrabba’s Italian Grill, for example, donates food to schools, community centers and local charities.

So, What Restaurants are Doing it Right?

Some restaurant chains in the U.S. are doing particularly well with building ambassadors.

  • A restaurant operator at a Chick-fil-A location in Portland, Oregon started a program in his restaurant to teach team members leadership skills.
  • Starbucks fully reimburses employees for each year of college they complete online at Arizona State University.
  • Fired Up gives eligible servers $200 to $1,000 a semester for tuition and book costs.
  • But don’t forget to make your employees’ life easier here and now. Take inspiration from free meal perks granted by Five Guys, employee appreciation days hosted by Shake Shack or wellness center discounts offered by TGI Friday.

Understand your Employees

Best way to understand what perks your employees may be interested in is understanding what kind of person they are. Employees with family will appreciate pre-tax savings programs for daycare (ask Diedrich Coffee in Irvine, California: it’s what they offer). Employees who own a dog might like pet insurance through petinsurance.com (Buca di Beppo, a chain specializing in Italian-American food, thinks so).

Truth is, treating your employees well is equally important as treating your customers well. The reason? Both of them will walk out of your restaurant telling others how great your restaurant is.

Want help with your branded merchandise? Contact Dot It Restaurant Fulfillment for more ways to create brand ambassadors for your restaurant.