There’s a common misconception that marketing is only good for creating profit, making sales, increasing your revenue, etc.
And while it is an important part of all of these things, there’s also a side of marketing that can be used to, say…create good or generate positive impact. How? By using certain techniques to become a cultural ambassador who can spread the word and act towards these goals!
If you’re curious – and, we get it, a little confused too… – as to how you can use marketing techniques to become a cultural ambassador, let’s dive in!
What is a cultural ambassador?
In general terms, being a cultural ambassador means becoming a symbol for your country and culture.
If you’re traveling, for example, you basically become your country’s international representative. What you do, what you say, how you act, and how you interact with others – who are also playing the part of cultural ambassadors – will then help people form their own opinions of you and your country/culture.
And, let’s be honest: you want these to be good!
So, instead of continuing to push negative stereotypes, you want to make sure that you’re doing everything you can to change people’s preconceptions for the better. And that’s a whooooole job in itself!
Additionally, beyond traveling, cultural ambassadors can also show up, speak up, and continue to do the work on digital platforms like Instagram, TikTok, etc.
Nowadays, as we become more and more connected with one another despite phys¡cal or geographical distance, there’s no need to actually leave your country in order to become a global cultural ambassador for it.
That’s what hopping online is for!
How can you do that?
- By respecting other people and their cultures
- By working to understand the differences between cultures
- By encouraging others to learn about different cultures
- By creating spaces that are welcoming to all cultures
And that’s just the beginning!
PRO TIP: One of our clients, Shiva Roofeh, Cultural Intelligence Facilitator, taught us that culture spans just your ‘country of birth’ and your ‘nationality’. There are subcultures in everything that we do, believe in, and value. Culture is like air, it is everywhere and when we expand our idea of it, we’ll be able to see just how much of an impact culture makes on us and vice versa.
Want to learn how cultural competence applies to your business and marketing strategies? Sign up for the waitlist to our (R)Evolution of Business & Marketing course to learn how to apply a cultural competence & liberatory lens to your work!
3 ways to use marketing to become a cultural ambassador
When it comes to using marketing techniques to become a cultural ambassador, we believe that there are three main things you can try to keep in mind: your brand message, your values, and the community around you.
Here’s how each of them plays into the process:
1. Tapping into your brand message
By getting clear on your “brand message” – as in, what you do, how you do it, and who you’re trying to help while you do it – you’ll have a much easier time trying to become a cultural ambassador.
Remember: in this case, your work as a cultural ambassador in the making is the “brand”!
READ: 4 Tips for being Culturally Aware with Your Brand Message
Here are a few questions you can ask yourself in order to try and tap into your brand message:
- What is the story you’re trying to tell?
- What are some of the words you’ll use to tell it?
- What makes you unique?
- Who are you hoping to reach?
- Why are you doing this?
Once you’ve clarified your brand message, it’ll be a lot easier to become a cultural ambassador. This means you’ll have more of the tools you need to tell a story, create content, and connect with your audience genuinely and with purpose.
2. Getting clear on your values
Another way you can use marketing techniques to become a cultural ambassador is by getting clear on your values and your business’ values.
Your values are an essential part of your brand message, which means you’ll need to have a good understanding of where you stand to be able to craft a brand message that actually means something. Brand values also translate into lots of other areas of your business like your client experience, team interactions, and brand awareness.
In order to find or define your core values as a cultural ambassador, it’s worth asking yourself questions like:
- What do you stand for?
- What causes do you believe in?
- Where would you like to use your voice to make a difference?
- What keeps you working toward your final goal?
- How do you want people to feel when they interact with you?
Your values are like a guiding light. They determine what actions you’ll take, the decisions you’ll make, and the overall story you’ll want to tell.
To put it in more marketing-technical terms: your values are what determine the steps you’ll take towards your mission and your vision.
Plus, by having clear values, you’ll be able to connect with an audience that shares those values – which is connecting to THEIR culture, too. This brings us to…
3. Building a community of like-minded people
Our last marketing technique that you can use to become a cultural ambassador is…CREATING COMMUNITY!
You might be thinking: “Yeah, easier said than done…”
Not necessarily!
READ: How to Bring Intercultural Communication into Your Brand Message
When you’ve gotten clear on your values – and tapped into your brand message – creating a community or growing your audience is only a matter of sticking to them. Yeah, really!
Forget the gimmicks, forget the tricks, forget having to jump on Reels every day…
When you’ve managed to align your values and your message – and, therefore, your story – the right people will start listening to what you have to say. And, in most cases, they’ll even feel compelled to engage with the content you’re putting out there.
Using marketing with a cultural purpose
Beyond things like making a sale, marketing has plenty of techniques and tools you can use to help set you off on your journey to becoming a cultural ambassador.
Three of our favorite ones include:
1. Tapping into your brand message
2. Getting clear on your values
3. Building a community of like-minded people
The way business and marketing are changing in today’s current state of the world – many consumers, clients, and community members expect businesses to stand for something more than just profits and sales.
75% of Americans say it is no longer acceptable for companies just to make money; they must positively impact society too. (2021 Porter Novelli Purpose Premium Index)
So, what does your brand and business stand for? And how are you sharing that impact through your marketing?
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