Influencer marketing is all about positive working relationships. An influencer is someone who has has a lot of clout online. They might have tens of thousands of followers who avidly follow everything they say or do.
Partnering with the right influencer can help spread the word about your brand, but it only works if you build a strong, mutually beneficial relationship. Here’s a guide to help you get started.
Find the right people
There are a lot of high-profile influencers on all social platforms, but not all of them will be right for your brand. In addition, the more followers an influencer has and the greater the engagement each post yields, the more they charge per post. There will be some room for negotiation but bear in mind that top stars like Kim Kardashian charge a whopping $250k for a photo posted on Instagram. Only you can decide whether it’s worth it!
Don’t assume that you need to work with a major influencer like Selena Gomez or Logan Paul. Micro-influencers have smaller audiences, but they can be just as effective if your brand falls into a fairly narrow niche. In addition, they are much more affordable.
Research influencers in your target niche. Create a short-list of possible influencers. You can use a tool like Nuwber to find up-to-date contact details for the people on your short-list. Nuwber searches for people based on their name, address, or telephone number. It’s a great way to validate someone’s contact details before you try and reach out to them.
Start a conversation
Be careful when reaching out to an influencer. Keep it low key, to begin with. Like their posts and comment on their social media feeds. Flattery will get you a lot further than a sales pitch. Once you’re on the influencer’s radar, you can send them a personal message.
Always be respectful when you reach out to an influencer. Be upfront about what you want from them. Don’t lie. Tell them how and why a relationship with you is mutually beneficial. It’s not all about you.
Build an influencer network
Once you begin working with one influencer, you can use this positive relationship to cement bonds with other influencers in their inner circle. People are more trusting when they are given a personal recommendation from someone they know. Get your foot in the door and begin building an influencer network.
Create great content
Influencers won’t want to work with you if your content is low quality and/or irrelevant to their message; it reflects badly on them and jeopardizes their audience reach. Make sure any content you ask an influencer to share is top quality and a good fit for their audience.
Nurture your influencer relationships
Working with an influencer is not a one-time thing. Your aim should be to build a lasting relationship. To this end, work hard at nurturing your influencer relationships. Thank them. Make sure they understand how much you value your contribution. Once you have established positive influencer relationships, monitor brand engagement using analytics tools. And if you feel the relationship is not working as well as you might have hoped, start looking for a different influencer to work with, one that is a better fit for your brand message.
