Almost every big company you see advertising on television or social media has a Brand Ambassador. Someone who represents their product, speaks for their brand and makes people feel connected to it.

Let us look at some well known examples around us:

• Virat Kohli represents MRF Tyres, Boost and many other brands.
• MS Dhoni has been the face of Orient Electric, Gulf Oil and Dream11.
• PV Sindhu is the face of Bridgestone and Gatorade.
• Amitabh Bachchan has endorsed brands like ICICI Bank, Cadbury Navratna Oil and even Government campaigns like Gujarat Tourism and the Polio Eradication drive.
• Shah Rukh Khan is associated with Hyundai, D’Décor and Byju’s.
• Deepika Padukone represents Tanishq, L’Oreal and Tissot.

People trust people.

That is the only reason behind all of this. People listen to someone they admire. People buy when someone they trust recommends it. Companies pay crores to celebrities because they understand human psychology better than most of us. If a person you look up to is using something, you will at least think about trying it once.

Now here is the real question for most of us.

What about small businesses and solo professionals?

Hiring a celebrity as your Brand Ambassador is an expensive affair. Even getting a known influencer to recommend your product or service costs a good amount today. For many small business owners and independent professionals, this is simply not a practical option.

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So what is the solution?

You become the Brand Ambassador of your own business.

Yes, exactly what those celebrities do for big companies, you can do that for your own brand. You already know your product better than anyone. You believe in your services more than any outsider ever will. You are the most authentic voice your business can ever have.

But just showing up is not enough. You have to show up right.

Here is how you can become your own Brand Ambassador:

1. Work on your Unique Individual Brand. Know who you are, what you stand for and how you want to be known in your industry.
2. Work on your Visual Presence. The way you dress, the way you carry yourself and the way you present yourself online and offline sends a message even before you speak a single word.
3. Work on the way you Communicate. Your words, your tone, your confidence in conversations and on social platforms all of this builds trust with your audience over time.
4. Work on your Professional Behavior. How you show up in meetings, how you treat people in your network, how consistent you are in your promises and actions, this is what makes people recommend you without being asked.
5. Work on your Digital Presence. Your LinkedIn profile, your posts, your photographs, your bio, everything that someone sees when they Google you or land on your profile is your brand speaking on your behalf even when you are not in the room.
6. Work on your Mindset. A Brand Ambassador who does not believe in the brand cannot convince anyone. Your confidence, your clarity and your sense of purpose are what make people feel sure about doing business with you.

Your brand is already communicating something to the world. The question is whether you are aware of what it is saying.

So let me ask you again.

Are you the Brand Ambassador of your own Company?