Looking for Influencers on your own?

I’m sure by now most of marketers like you are familiar with the term influencer that has been wiggling around on the tangled web.

The last time we discussed the term influencer marketing, we covered as many topics as possible.

However, I am certain that there’s one aspect we that we left out – your Influencer Checklist. The influencer checklist usually conists of the do’s and don’ts when it comes to engaging with an influencer directly on your own. 

How to engage influencers directly

The key to success to in any influencer campaign leans on a brand’s ability to single out the right influencers to deliver its message.

Here are some guidelines engaging influencers and mistakes to avoid:

#1: Make yourself visible

It is important for brands to make themselves known to the influencers. Marketers need to understand just how many brands pitch social media influencers every day. By making themselves visible, you are ought to establish a relationship with these influencers.

Follow them on Social Media

Most influencers are usually active across multiple online channels.
You should find and follow all of their social media platforms base on 2 factors.

Brands should get familiar with their style and the kind of content they post.
By doing so, you can develop a common ground for communication.

Determine which platform they are most active, so it would be easier for you to identify the best channel for establishing records of your interest in them.

“Cold calls” is a BIG NO.
Unlike agencies, Influencers are much more receptive to people who have a genuine interest in their story & content. So its ok, take your time to learn about them.

Sharing their content online

Sharing relevant pieces of the influencer’s content on one of your own social media platforms is a great leap to perform to connect with these influencers. Consumer-generated content will save you ALOT of time while marketing.

#2: Make your Move

Once the relationship between a brand and an influencer is established, it’s time to shift the engagement to a more direct manner, through social channels first and then moving on with a more personalized email. So shoot your shot!

Direct Message for a faster respond

Reach out them on social media platforms where they are most active, including detailed reasons why you love their content and personal story.

The first messages should connect with the influencers on a personal level while also laying the building blocks of what could eventually grow into a potential business partnership.

Keep it a wide net but personal and light.

• Try something like, “Hi there. I really enjoy your Instagram feed and loved your latest post! You have such great style, and I think that you would love my new clothing line, X. Look out for an email from me soon. I would love to connect!”

Personalized Email

After sliding into their DMs, you should then send a more in-depth email.

As mentioned above, continue to lay the building blocks by providing more information about your services, products, or brand in the email.
Here are a few tips:

• Avoid a generic subject line that could be confused as spam
• Include links to your website as well as direct links to any products or services that you think would be of particular interest
• Avoid laying out any specific “asks” or “offers”
• End the email with a vague ask like, “please get back in touch if you are interested in working together/learning more/collaborating”

 

#3: Appropriate Offer

Once an influencer has expressed their interest in working with you and want to come onboard, it’s time to determine an appropriate offer. The payout for an influencer to initiate a collaboration depends on a few factors.

Factors to consider:

• Determine their outreach, how big is their audience?
• What are you thinking about asking for in return?
  A featured blog post plus additional posts and mentions across multiple social media channels is “worth” more than one tag and mention in an Instagram post, or one mention within a larger blog post alongside with multiple other brands
• How much (in time, products or services) are you comfortable spending?
  Be generous but don’t offer more than you are able. The best offers are high in value but low in overhead cost.

• How will the influencer use your offer?
  If you are offering a free service—like a haircut or meal, — ensure that your offer includes the option of them to bringing a friend along or coming at a time that’s convenient for them. This will allow the influencer to have a proper incentive to actually take you up on the offer for a service.

All too often, not all campaigns are successful. Failures are bound to happen, so it is important to understand what to and what NOT to do when you’re considering working with an influencer to speak on your brand’s behalf.

Here are the NO-GO Influencer Checklist:

Mistake #1: Treat Influencers Like Real People

One of the biggest issues in influencer marketing campaigns is the lack of authenticity. Many brands seem to forget this- they approach influencers like another faceless brand or company and treat them with lack of human decency.

 

Influencer marketing is all about establishing and building relationships—real connections with real people.

Influencers have feelings too— so treat them like the people that they are.

Mistake #2: Engage the Wrong Influencer for Your Campaign

Find someone who resonates well with the audience you’re marketing to.

Choosing someone based only on their popularity & number of followers can and will definitely misfire.

If the person you’ve chosen doesn’t vibe well with your brand’s personality, marketing through them will never get the response you so badly desire.

Ensure your influencers have a lot in common with your brand: Interests, expertise, target audiences, and even aesthetics

Understanding their personal brand will benefit you and decide whether they mesh well with your company’s culture.

This will also help you approach them with a more personal touch— killing two birds with one stone.

Mistake #3: Being Disorganized—or Too Strict

Lack of communication and disorganization will instantly kill any relationship—business or otherwise.

Influencer marketing campaigns should organize the same way your other campaigns organize.

The worst case scenario is agreeing to help out a brand only to find out they don’t even know what they want or need from you.

ALWAYS be open to their suggestions.

Giving influencers a little freedom won’t hurt – so loosen up!

Are you familiar with the Elaine’s Jasmine saga?

If you’re not, lets get our cup of tea ready. We’re in the mood to spill some tea today.

Trixie Khong, founder of local jewellery brand By Invite Only, wrote an exposé about the popular influencer mentioned above.

The founder herself alleged that Elaine accepted her jewellery with full payment in exchange for three sponsored Instagram posts, but only for Elaine to go M.I.A for “3-4 weeks”.

Trixie then starts pulling out receipts on how Elaine decided to handle the matter unprofessionally.

After getting called out, Elaine then fights back fire with fire. You guessed it, it got worst.

When Elaine received the products, she mentioned how the products were, according to her, very poor in quality.

Elaine then said she value(s) the trust of her followers and therefore did not like and didn’t want to promote the products and she will do a refund and return instead.

Since the post became viral, multiple business owners stepped out with their stories about Elaine’s supposed “unprofessionalism”.

Apparently, the channel 5 drama did come to an end, Elaine has since issued a formal apology in response to the allegations.

Which side are you on?
*Touch your heart and ask yourself ok!* 

You’re probably thinking, “huh, then how leh? But i really want to jump on the influencer marketing bandwagon“.

FRET NOT! Kobe got your back. You can read up on our previous successful campaigns or try the free demo here.