Gone are the days when people could easily be sold products through good old-fashioned advertising. In this digitally savvy world, people are exposed to an insane number of promotional messages throughout the day. To a large extent, it has made them immune to advertising. What IS working though, is influencer marketing. Why? Because people buy from people, not brand advertisements.
What is influencer marketing?
Influencer marketing is essentially a derivative of word of mouth marketing, where consumers rely on an influencer to connect them with great products. An influencer doesn’t always have a large social media following, but they hold the power to influence a change in the behavior of their audience. They might have a small, but passionate group of followers who listen and act on their recommendations.
[bctt tweet=”An influencer doesn’t always have a large social media following, but they hold the power to influence a change in the behavior of their audience.” username=”Tycoono1″]
There are three factors that dictate how powerful an influencer is:
- Their ability to reach a large number of people
- The amount of trust and authority an audience gives to an influencer’s knowledge on a specific topic
- Their skills at communicating the message clearly and convincing an audience about a certain product or message
If you need help amplifying your influencer marketing campaign, or need to grab the attention of the right influencer, try these:
Ask for an exclusive quote
Instead of using something they said in one of their articles, twitter feed, or their video as your post, actively ask them for an exclusive quote related to a specific topic or question. Not only will you have a unique piece of content to promote to your audience, but it will also give you an opportunity to introduce yourself to that influencer and get a portion of their credibility passed onto your brand.
Dress up their content
When sharing any of their content with your brand audience, dress it up with relevant hashtags, emojis, numbers, or graphics. It will increase the likelihood of that content getting shared and the influencer will appreciate the effort you put into promoting their content. You can leverage this effort later down the line when the time comes to launch your product and need an endorsement from your targeted influencers.
Pick the right influencer
Don’t be afraid of partnering with micro-influencers because sometimes the highest converting prospects can be found with influencers that have smaller audiences. This is because it’s easier for influencers to interact and engage with their followers when they are at a manageable size. Audiences in these tight-knit groups also feel a deep connection with their influencers, which is something that doesn’t happen in large online communities.
Give them a nice deal
Reward your influencers with a deal they won’t be able to ignore. You can provide them with monetary compensation, sponsor their video or post, give them a gift, or give their followers a gift. Lots of brands are fighting for the attention of influencers, so make your effort stand out by giving them a package that shows you really want them to work with you.
Form genuine relationships
Engage with them, even when you don’t have a business need with them. Genuine relationships often translate into powerful business results. Interact with your influencers on social media. Share their content and answer or ask questions. Make influencers feel like you value them and their talent. They will feel more compelled to do their best for your brand. Talk to them like you would with a friend. Once they get to know you and your brand, they will feel more inspired to work with you.
Do a burst
Target a group of influencers and set your campaign in such a way that all these influencers promote your product or service, either at the same time or on days close to each other. That way your brand will pop up all over social media, which will create buzz around your launch and grab even more attention among your intended audience group.
Be consistent and persistent
If the influencer you want to work with isn’t heeding you any attention, don’t worry. Just keep trying. They probably get thousands of messages a day and don’t have the time to respond to each of them. So, keep trying and if you notice that they don’t express their willingness to take up your offer, then make the offer more appealing with more perks or higher pay.
Influencer marketing is a powerful weapon that can take your brand to new heights. We hope the tips above help you get the most out of your campaign.
Related Articles:
CLOSE MORE SALES WITH THESE AWESOME COLD PITCHING STRATEGIES
WHY YOU SHOULD START YOUR PODCAST TODAY
HOW TO USE WORD OF MOUTH TO GROW YOUR BUSINESS
HOW TO MARKET YOUR BUSINESS FOR LESS THAN $100
