09.30.17
By Lisa Major
These days, clients often require a short video (also known as a video resume) from brand ambassador applicants. So much so that we now offer a “selfie video” upload option to our staff profiles.
If you think about it, clients rarely get to meet their wonderful brand ambassadors before the event itself. A video interview wasn’t an option back in the day, but all this is different now. There is a lot of invested trust when hiring people for promotional events.
Although you can certainly say a lot in a cover letter, resume, and profile photo, there is nothing better than meeting someone in person because energy is everything.
Since meeting you in person is not likely, the next best thing would be a video resume that is representative of you. Therefore, as a brand ambassador working for many different agencies, it is extremely advantageous to make a decent quality 15-20 second intro video. You record it once, use it for all agency profiles, and update it every six months.
This doesn’t mean you need to hire a pro or spend money producing a clip. Being your natural self, looking professional, and expressing your personality is what clients love. Anything highly produced isn’t realistic, and honestly, we want to meet you, the lovely person who will represent any brand like an all-star.
Here are some simple tips on how to record your video on a phone:
1- Set it up – Natural light is the best light, but not too harsh and always face the light source. Soft window light or outdoors on an overcast day is ideal for creating a flattering selfie video. The video background should be simple and non-distracting. Be sure to use a facing camera because the video quality is immensely better than the selfie cam.
Find a very quiet spot and prop your phone against any heavy object (books are great to level and stack to get the right height). Look through and frame your seat/area as best you can. You may sit or stand in front of your camera, but crop the frame to feature your face and shoulders. You may include from the waist up, but any further out will make it tough to see you.
2- What to wear – Something neutral, hair looking tidy and (if you wear it) natural make-up…and a smile. A smile is KEY to all things brand ambassador.
3 – Get some perspective – Eye contact directly into the phone camera lens is very important. It feels silly, but imagining the lens is a person’s eyes will help you to have a more natural speaking tone.
4 – Don’t overthink it – The final selfie video should be 15-20 seconds long. The idea is to make this a brief intro about yourself. Speak about the promo jobs you worked, why you like working events, and the personal attributes you bring to the table. Including hobbies or interests is nice, too. This may feel a little self-focused, but we WANT to meet you. Think of your camera as a real, live person interviewing you.
5 – Measure twice, cut once – invest some time and shoot multiple versions. Start with one, watch it, adjust as you see fit, and repeat this a few times. Don’t go overboard, though. Too much time spent/too many takes will result in something robotic. You can always come back and try again later.
6 – Bring the zing! – The reason you are so good at being a brand ambassador is because you bring a unique energy and personality to the events you work. You are memorable for a reason, and clients want to see that. Don’t forget to bring your event day excitement to your video resume. This doesn’t mean being someone you aren’t. Simply present the professional, real, one–of–a–kind you!
7 – Perfection destroys creativity – don’t worry about your selfie video being perfect. Perfection is not what anyone looks for in an interview process. The beauty of being a brand ambassador is that most clients strive to hire individual, REAL people to represent a brand. Don’t kill your personality and expression with perfection.
Many staffing agencies allow you to add an intro video or video resume to your staff profile. Be sure to log in and include one if you haven’t already. Having a stellar intro video on hand will make it easy to send when clients request one.
Are you new to being a brand ambassador? Setting up a free staff profile with ATN is a great way to start! Join us today!
