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Expert insights on building successful Ambassador Programs for Events from Alex Hilburn, Co-Founder of Surge Social
Why peer-to-peer beats pay-per-click
“People are using a ton of digital ads after Covid and forgotten how to actually market an event person to person,” says Alex Hilburn, Co-Founder of Surge Social. A well-run ambassador program restores that human touch while keeping acquisition cost low.
Surge Social: proof that street teams still sell
- 10,000+ active ambassadors power Surge Social’s network
- $3.5 million in ticket sales in 2025 on a commission-only model – no up-front fee for organizers
Hilburn’s team vets every applicant, yet sets no follower minimum – passion outranks audience size.
Expert insights on building successful Ambassador Programs for Events from Alex Hilburn, Co-Founder of Surge Social [Podcast]
Step-by-step blueprint to build your own ambassador program
1. Start with your superfans
“People that are already in for an event are your ambassadors… don’t overthink it”. Invite past attendees, mailing-list loyalists, and engaged followers first.
2. Craft tiered, fun rewards
Surge Social grants a free GA ticket after ten sales, leveling up to VIP, merch, and backstage perks. Gamification turns sharing into a sport and deepens loyalty.
| Sales Milestone | Example Reward |
| 10 Tickets | Free GA Ticket |
| 25 Tickets | VIP Upgrade |
| 50+ Tickets | Backstage Pass and/or Merch Bundle |
3. Supply assets and answers
Ambassadors thrive when they have up-to-date graphics, copy, and FAQs. “It’s really a communication thing… making sure they have the information and assets that allow them to promote”.
4. Track every sale
Use affiliate codes or links inside your existing ticketing platform. Surge leaves all buyer data with the organizer and pulls weekly reports to update ambassadors.
5. Celebrate, iterate, repeat
Public shout-outs, leaderboards, and feedback calls keep momentum high. Even ten motivated fans can snowball into hundreds of sales.
Advanced tactics
- Push premium tiers – Ambassadors can shift VIP bundles just as easily as GA tickets if you let them promote everything.
- Win mid-sized markets – Cities like Tampa, Omaha, and Denver often convert better due to lighter competition.
- Scale safely – Surge supports events “from pro sports to single concerts” worldwide as long as affiliate tracking is enabled.
When to hire a specialist
If you lack time for recruiting or reporting, a commission-based partner like Surge Social removes the risk while adding proven infrastructure.
Conversation highlights with Alex Hilburn, Co-Founder of Surge Social
Surge Social began as a small side project and now moves more than $200 000 in ticket sales every week, topping $3.5 million so far in 2025. Alex credits that growth to a network of 10,000+ carefully vetted ambassadors who feel “part of the event” from day one.
Unlike many influencer programs, there is no follower-count minimum. Surge looks for genuine enthusiasm first, then trains and supports each ambassador. Recruiting never stops; the team “spends their time mainly recruiting people and finding the correct people to represent your event,” building trust and momentum over time.
Rewards are tiered and fun. Sell ten tickets, earn a free ticket at that level; keep climbing for VIP upgrades, backstage passes, or merch bundles. “The more you give them, the more you’ll receive”. This gamified structure turns sharing into a sport and deepens loyalty.
On the back end, Surge insists on using the event’s own ticketing links or codes so organizers keep all buyer data. Weekly sales reports then fuel friendly competition inside the street team.
For organizers building a program from scratch, Alex’s advice is simple: “Don’t overthink it… the people that are in for an event are your ambassadors.” Start with existing superfans, communicate consistently, and provide ready-to-share assets . If the manual work feels overwhelming, Surge’s commission-based model lets you plug into their infrastructure with no upfront cost.
Alex closed the interview with an open invitation: “We’re happy to help anyone… even if you just want to chat through how to build an ambassador program.” You can reach him on Instagram at @surgesocial_ or by email at alex@surge.social.
Use these insights to expand your own event ambassador program, or lean on a specialist like Surge Social when you are ready to scale without the headache.
