Influencer marketing is a cost-effective way to reach throngs of new customers in a highly targeted way. Every market or niche has individuals who wield influence over their audience. There are certainly such individuals in your industry who would be very willing to promote your offering. This kind of recommendation-based promotion creates a stream of warm leads. But successful influencers are protective of their audiences, and frequently turn down proposals. Even when you manage to clinch a deal, there are multiple things that could go wrong.
The following seven tips lay out how to work with influencers in a win-win way that brings you results.
1. Find influencers whose values align with yours
The best individual to help promote your offering is someone who already loves it, or is very likely to love it. When their own brand image and values match those of your brand, they're simply more likely to want to promote for you. Their audience will be far more responsive, too.
2. Help them reach their goals
As you structure and present the deal, focus on how it will benefit your partner. Even the most successful influencers have problems and goals they wish to achieve. Ask yourself how you can fit into their plans. The value you offer may be something more than the financial rewards alone.
You might be able to enhance their image or reputation somehow, or provide other perks, such as freebies, or invitations to events. Think of what they struggle with day by day. It's not easy coming up with continuous high-quality content for an audience. Is there something about your brand or product that could make for very entertaining content?
When you've outlined a deal that's beneficial for them, ensure that your pitch highlights these benefits. Don't focus on what they can do for you.
3. Be easy to work with
Right from go, make sure that working with you is as pleasant an experience as possible. Communicate promptly and clearly.
You can reduce the chance of unnecessary delays by having all the terms, deliverables, and documents prepared before you even start approaching potential partners. Remember, influencers know each other. If you provide a great all-round experience with ample rewards, word will spread.
4. Trust their judgment
Such successful social media mavens clearly understand their audiences well. Demonstrate respect for this expertise by allowing them creative control over the content. Trust their judgment, and don't hamper them with demands and nit-picking.
It pays to be open to input in more areas than the content itself. They might have suggestions for alterations in your product or its packaging, even for your brand. Show that you're taking their ideas on board. They'll appreciate it, and you might receive a few gems of wisdom.
5. Only reward performance
The most effective way to gently guide an influencer in the right direction is to structure the deal so that they're being rewarded for results, rather than posts, or videos. This is why affiliate deals and promotional codes work so well. Make sure that when you earn, they earn, and your goals will be aligned.
6. Consider micro-influencers
If you're just dipping your toe into influencer marketing for the first time, you might like to start at the shallow end of the pool. Micro-influencers, also known as nano-influencers, are those individuals with small but rapidly growing audiences, who are only just beginning to monetize.
As they're approached less often, they're usually quick to accept promotional partnerships. They're also less expensive and less demanding to work with. They may have smaller audiences but the engagement of their following is often far higher, and they usually promote with greater enthusiasm.
7. Aim for many partnerships
With micro-influencers, what you lose in the size of the audience reached, you can make up for with the volume of influencers you partner with. Approaching many potential partners will also release you a little from the natural pressure of trying to make one particular deal work.
This doesn't mean, however, that you spam-approach as many influencers as you can. This could have a negative impact on your brand image. Take the time to build a relationship with each and every influencer you wish to connect with.
As these smaller influencers begin promoting your offering, word of your brand will spread, gaining momentum. The bigger influencers will become aware of you. It will then be easier to reach out to them for better deals.
Influencer marketing is fast becoming one of the best ways to promote a brand online. Armed with these seven tips, you now know how to work with influencers effectively. Put these lessons into action to reach your goals and boost your brand.
If you'd like an experienced influencer marketing specialist to ensure the success of your campaign, get in touch. We're here to help.
