SRO Framework: Onboarding

Types of Onboarding

We understand that different organizations have different needs, which is why the Apostle onboarding process is flexible and can be tailored to your brand ambassadors—whether they are employees, dealers, or local offices. The type of onboarding you choose will depend on your team size and the Apostle plan you’ve selected.

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Company Accounts

When starting with company accounts, your admins will need to connect your brand’s social media pages to the Apostle platform. This setup is generally straightforward and managed by the individuals who already oversee these business pages. One important tip is to assign multiple admins to manage the accounts in case of staff changes or absences. This ensures continuity and prevents any gaps in your social media management.

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Small Groups

For smaller teams, personalized onboarding is crucial. You can either take an individual approach or schedule small group kick-offs. During these sessions, highlight the importance of social media advocacy and demonstrate how to use the platform. Make sure participants understand the personal benefits—such as enhancing personal branding, building connections with colleagues, and showcasing their work to management. End the session with each participant sharing their first post, helping to solidify the onboarding experience.

Pro Tip: Involve your management team in these early groups. Their participation not only sets a strong example but also helps create momentum for future scaling. Behavioral science suggests that personal outreach (calls or face-to-face) is more effective than emails for engagement.

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Larger Groups

When working with larger teams, efficiency is key. You’ll need a more scalable approach to onboarding:

• Joint Webinars: Host a company-wide webinar to inspire employees and explain the benefits of joining the brand ambassador program. Use Apostle’s landing page feature to onboard participants during the session.
• WhatsApp Onboarding: For larger companies, WhatsApp is an excellent tool for onboarding. With its high open rate (98%), it allows you to invite large groups to join the program quickly and easily. They can set up their accounts via a landing page, and you can scale the process across departments or regions.
• Email Campaigns: Use email campaigns with landing pages to invite brand ambassadors to set up their accounts. Apostle’s system can follow up with automated emails to guide users through the setup process.

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Local Offices or Shops

Onboarding local offices or shops presents unique challenges, as they often have different priorities and may not be as closely connected to your brand. It’s important to start with locations where you have strong relationships. These offices often prefer starting by posting on their business pages, with personal social media advocacy coming later.

To streamline this process, we recommend using Apostle’s automated posting feature. This allows you to post directly on their business pages, minimizing the effort required from them. All they need to do is connect their accounts, and you can handle the rest.

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Best Practices for Onboarding

• Company Accounts: Ensure multiple admins are responsible for account management to cover absences or changes in staff.
• Small Groups: Focus on personalization. Group kick-offs provide an opportunity to address concerns, explain the value of advocacy, and guide participants through the setup process. Always end by having participants share their first post to solidify their understanding.
• Larger Groups: Scale your onboarding process with webinars, WhatsApp, or email campaigns. Use landing pages for easy account setup and follow up with automated reminders.
• Local Offices: Start with business pages before introducing personal accounts. Use automated posting features to reduce the workload for local offices and shops.

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Conclusion

The onboarding phase is essential for setting the foundation of your advocacy program. The strategy you choose should align with your goals, the size of your team, and the nature of your brand ambassadors. Whether you’re onboarding employees, local offices, or a large network of franchises, tailoring your approach is key to ensuring a smooth experience.

By following best practices and using the right tools, you can ensure high adoption rates and long-term success for your SRO framework. Remember, our CSM team is always available to provide personalized guidance, helping you choose the right onboarding strategy and maximize your program’s potential. Proper onboarding is the cornerstone of a successful advocacy program, and making the right decisions now will pay off with a well-engaged team later on.