How to Pick a Spokesperson

A spokesperson is more than just a marketing tool for your company or product. A spokesperson becomes your product, or at least he becomes what consumers think about your product. A spokesperson can convey friendliness, expertise and caring. But this person could also represent carelessness and boredom if you are not careful.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

1. Know the image you want before you begin your search. This will help you narrow your search and focus your energies. If your product requires an elderly man to convey experience and trust, you won't waste your time looking at children. Know the image you want your product to represent in customers' heads and build a spokesperson around that.

2. Decide what tone you want your spokesperson to communicate in. Depending on the product, you can deliver a message a million different ways. Some spokespeople are high energy and urgent, while some are quiet and tender. Tone helps you craft the message your spokesperson will send.

3. Research the market you are trying to reach with a spokesperson. Find out what kind of spokesperson communicates with this group best. Depending on your product, there is an endless supply of data available through market researchers.

4. Choose between having an actual human or something else. Many organizations use animals or cartoons to represent their products or service, because these spokespeople represent their values and product benefits better than a human could. Think about what other than a human could represent your product. Would you rather have a spokesperson talking about your peanuts or an actual nut with a monocle and top hat?

5. Think about the value a celebrity could provide for your product. If your company or product is associated with celebrities, it may be useful to incorporate a professional to endorse your work. However, these are not always the best option, especially if the celebrity has nothing to do with your product.