How working with influencers can boost your brand

No matter how sophisticated the marketing technique, few things come close to what has long been the gold standard of marketing; word of mouth.

What it comes down to is trust. This is why we take it to heart when our friends, family, or close colleagues recommend something to us – we trust them. Given how much advertising we’re exposed to on a daily basis, it makes sense that the everyday consumer has become sceptical of conventional advertising.

So how can you reach your target market and get them to trust you and your products? Through the power of influencer marketing.

We’ll explore this and more in this guide. Including:

1. The power of connect and collaborate – what is influencer marketing?
2. Micro influencers
3. Connecting through social media
4. Protection when you work with others

The power of connect and collaborate – what is influencer marketing?

When a product comes recommended by someone we recognise, the message is much more effective. This idea, when combined with social media, creates what is known today as an influencer.

These are people with a high number of social media followers, such as Kim Kardashian and Ronaldo. When these celebrities recommend something to us, the message has a bigger impact.

When you get access to an influencer, you get access to their loyal fan base. These followers could be in the hundreds of thousands, even the millions. Getting your product in front of that many eyes, with a more personal message, can lead to a massive spike in awareness for your brand.

The problem is that the bigger the influencer (those with higher numbers of followers), the harder they are to get. You’ll be competing with some of the biggest brands on earth for their attention.

So, if you can’t get your product on to Kim Kardashian’s page, what can you do? Take advantage of something more accessible and just as effective; Micro-influencers.

Micro influencers

Unlike Kim Kardashian or other prominent influencers, micro-influencers have a smaller following and their profiles focus on a particular niche. This could be anything from theme park rides to sustainability tips. People will follow these profiles because they feature content they’re interested in.

Typically, they have a deep knowledge of this niche and will share this knowledge and advice with their followers. They will also include recommendations about products or services related to their niche. This is how they can help you.

If there is a micro-influencer that has a page related to your business, they will have gathered a group of people that fit the profile of your target market exactly. If you can get them to recommend your products to their trusting audience, this could make a big wave in your sales numbers.

Finding a concentration of your target like this in one place is hard, even when you pay for it.

Connecting through social media

When it comes to micro-influencers, there are a few things you need to consider before you start trying to contact these people.

The first step in the process is understanding your goals. Whether you’re looking to generate brand awareness, boost sales, or promote a new product, you need to be clear about your objective. This will determine which influencers you approach and the proposal you make to them.

Once you’re clear on your goal, it’s time to track down these profiles! You can do this in a number of ways, but these steps may help to make the process more efficient:

1. Start with Hashtags: 

   Hashtags are used by Instagram and its users to help people find the content they’re interested in. Micro-influencers within your niche will use hashtags that are relevant to your product.By searching the hashtags relevant to your product, you’ll be able to find influencers who can help you.

2. Narrow down the results:
   Once you’ve compiled your list of influencers, you must narrow down the best candidate for your business. Whilst they may share your niche, they may not be a good fit for you.
   • Start with your location. If, for example, your product only ships in the UK, an influencer in New Zealand might not be of much help to you.
   • Next, you need to understand the content they share and your brand. Do they have enough followers? Is their audience engaged? If you choose these influencers, they will be representing you and your products, so keep this in mind.

3. Use Influencer websites and Agencies:

   If you’re struggling to find micro-influencers that you think would be a good fit, Instagram isn’t the only place you can look.

   As the demand for influencers increases, services have opened up to help. This is in the form of agencies and databases. By using these services, you may be able to find the micro-influencers that you’re looking for.

4. Make Contact:

   Once you’ve found your desired micro-influencers, it’s time to reach out. If possible, contact them via an email address or another channel outside of the platform. They will typically have this information available on their profile. If not, you can contact them directly through your official company profile.

   Introduce yourself and your products (if they aren’t familiar with them already), explain your goals, and what you’re willing to offer them. This could be a commission based on the number of sales they generate, a fee per post, or some free products – it’s up to you.

   Make sure that you’re clear about the messaging you want them to use, and any form of communication that they should steer clear of.

Protection when you work with others

Unfortunately, when you’re working with strangers, there is always a chance that things can go wrong. Should this happen, this can lead to serious problems for your business.

So, how can you ensure that you and your business is protected? With comprehensive public liability insurance. This insurance means that if a member of the public is injured as a result of something your business has done, you will be protected. When it comes to claims management, our dedicated team at Brisco Business works tirelessly to ensure a smooth process for our business insurance customers.

Dean Laming

Dean is a Chartered Insurance Broker with more than 25 years insurance experience. Through various underwriting, operational and management roles, Dean has built up extensive knowledge of how to run a business and is now Managing Director of Brisco Business, part of the wider Henry Seymour Group.

All articles by Dean Laming