How to Become an Equestrian Brand Ambassador
I've reviewed hundreds of equestrian brand ambassador applications. Here's what professional riders need to know about applying to these programs.
While good brand ambassadors are highly valuable to companies, these partnerships are also great opportunities for professional riders. Ambassador programs allow professionals to reduce business expenses and help horse owners choose the best products.
The industry needs fewer ads from influencers and more input from real professionals. And let's be honest, professional riders need all the help they can get to keep costs down.
Keep reading to learn how professional riders can become brand ambassadors and my top tips for submitting a successful application.
About Brand Ambassador Programs
Brand ambassador programs vary between companies, but most have similar expectations and perks.
What is an Equestrian Brand Ambassador?
A brand ambassador is an individual who promotes a brand to the public. They represent the brand and help them reach new audiences by sharing their experience and knowledge.
Professional riders are ideal equestrian brand ambassadors because of their expertise and influence in the equine industry. Managing a barn and riding multiple horses daily allows you to give valuable insight to brands and customers about products.
Brand Ambassador vs. Sponsored Rider vs. Affiliate Partner
Brand ambassadors typically receive free products and discounts in exchange for promoting the brand.
Some equine companies prefer affiliate programs. An affiliate does not receive any upfront perks. Instead, they promote products in exchange for a commission on sales.
Sponsored rider programs offer more financial support for equestrian athletes. Top riders may earn sponsorships just from the value of their name recognition. But unless you're Carl Hester (and if you are, hello, I love you), that won't cut it.
For the rest of us, ambassador programs are a great way to demonstrate your value to a brand and potentially earn sponsorship as your career progresses.
What Equestrian Brands Look for in Ambassadors
So, you don't have any Olympic gold medals. Or millions of Instagram followers.
Don't despair! Followers and competition results aren't the only things brands consider when evaluating ambassador applications. Here are five things we look for in a good ambassador.
1. Professional Digital Footprint
You're a professional. Here's how to look like it on the internet.
Public social media business accounts: If you don't have public social media pages dedicated to your riding career, now is the time to make them. While I think your bachelorette party looked awesome and your Halloween costume was hilarious, save those photos for your personal account.
A simple website: Yes, you need a website. After reading your application and viewing your social media, I will head to Google. You want to own the first result that comes up. A simple website with a custom domain is the best way to showcase who you are and what you do. Check out our Equestrian Website Template and Guide for Professionals.
A professional email: Please don't apply using the email account you made in high school—you know which one I'm talking about. Instead, create a professional email, such as "yournamedressage@gmail.com" or "yourname@yourwebsite.com."
2. Expertise and Unique Perspectives
The biggest value you bring to brands as a professional rider is your knowledge and experience.
Fancy ribbons are great, but what is it that makes you unique? You may specialize in starting young horses, or maybe your program focuses on keeping older schoolmasters sound.
Your expertise can help the brand educate customers and identify new ways their products can solve problems you've encountered as an expert in your field.
You can also help the brand connect with and inspire others if you have a unique background or story.
3. Connections to Target Audience
When it comes to followers, it's not just about the numbers.
Who makes up your audience is more important than how big it is. Brands select ambassadors based on their influence in parts of the industry they think could benefit from their products.
For example, a team rider in Wellington wouldn't be the ideal brand ambassador for an equestrian apparel company specializing in winter outerwear (even if we do bust out the down jackets when it dips below 70).
But a young professional who runs a barn year-round in Montana? The perfect fit.
4. Engagement With Team
If you haven't built your own audience yet, helping the brand engage with theirs can be just as valuable.
Liking, commenting, and sharing the brand's content will make the social media team love you. But engagement goes beyond social media content.
The ideal brand ambassador actively engages with the brand's team to provide feedback and testimonials on their products. This feedback offers value for both the brand and its customers.
Show you are proactive by consistently submitting reviews about the products you love.
5. Content That Provides Value
Some riders think the best way to attract brands is a feed full of expensive professional photos and pretty reels. They're wrong.
Sure, I'm as much of a sucker for slow-mo videos of fancy trots as anyone else. But what professional rider has the time or money for all those matchy-matchy outfits and photo shoots?
While aesthetic content is great, social media marketers are more interested in content that provides value to their customers.
An iPhone photo of you using their product with a caption explaining how you use it and why will get much more attention from brands than a random tag in a reel.
How to Apply for Brand Ambassador Programs
Some brands have a formal application process with forms and deadlines. Others accept informal inquiries over email. If you think you'd be a good ambassador for a particular equestrian brand, follow these steps to increase your chances of being selected.
1. Submit a Polished Application
If the brand has an application form, ensure you fill out the entire form with complete and thoughtful answers to every question. For emails, use polite salutations and ensure your writing is clear and concise.
Always use your full name and professional email address, and include links to your website and social media. And please, please, please, use spell check.
2. Emphasize Their Goals
All too often, riders submit applications that emphasize their own goals and why they want free stuff. Guess what? They never get the free stuff.
Instead, emphasize how you can help the brand achieve its goals and why you're a good fit to partner with them based on their values and mission.
For example, you have a science background and can help an equine nutrition company explain their research to horse people. Or you survived a bad fall and want to help a helmet company explain why MIPS is important for rider safety.
3. Actively Promote Them
Brands don't want to partner with riders only interested in promoting products if they get free stuff. If that were the goal, they'd partner with professional influencers.
Good ambassadors are motivated to promote brands not because they get perks for it but because they believe their products can help the people and horses they care about.
Before you reach out to brands, share content on your social media and website that educates your audience about the brand and its products. If you post about a big achievement, include gratitude to the brand and mention how they helped you get there.
If we check your social media and see you're already promoting us, we'll be more confident about how you'll perform as an ambassador.
4. Create UGC Content
Want my top tip to stand out? Send brands content they can share on their own platforms.
In marketing speak, this is called user-generated content (UGC). Brands love it.
Marketing teams usually manage dozens of projects in addition to content creation. You'll make an impression if you can make their lives easier by removing "create a social post for today" from their to-do list.
It doesn't have to be a professional-quality photo or video if you put a little effort in.
For example, you could send a picture of your horse wearing a product to the brand along with a quote explaining why they love it.
Send this content to the marketing team's email. You can find their contact information on the brand's website or through customer service. While you can share content through direct messages (DMs), not all brands monitor their social media inboxes.
5. Stay In Touch
If you don't hear back immediately, or even if they reject your application, stay in touch with the brand.
Sometimes, you just aren't the right fit at the right time. As your career progresses and you learn more about marketing, your chances of partnering with the brands you love will only increase.
Consistency is the name of the game. If you continue to provide a brand with value, they will often return the favor.
How to Find Equine Brand Ambassador Programs
Here's an insider tip: most equestrian brands offer opportunities for collaboration and partnerships, even if they don't advertise it.
While Google can help you find ambassador programs, you'll have the most success applying with brands you already know well.
Reach Out
Email the brands you love to inquire if they have a brand ambassador program and share why you'd like to partner with them.
The worst they can do is ignore you. Trust me, many will. Especially the overworked marketing managers with full inboxes.
However, that overworked marketing manager is the one who needs you most. And you never know. It might even be me.
Equestrian Brands With Ambassador Programs
Here are three examples of companies from different sectors of the equine industry with brand ambassador programs. Check out their application forms and program descriptions for an idea of what to expect.
Have Questions?
Young professionals are the future of the sport. Let’s find ways to make that future sustainable.
If you have questions about ambassador programs or marketing, visit my contact page and email me.
I'm happy to help. And even happier to accept cute horse photos in exchange for advice.
