Influencer Outreach 101
Getting your small business off the ground seems easy from the outside, you make a quick website on Wix or Wordpress, put together a logo on Canva, go viral on socials by posting some epic pics and flogging your products through all the "hottest" influencers... It's as easy as that right?
Trouble is, socials aren’t what they used to be. It’s becoming an over saturated market, with both products and influencers/bloggers.
Experiencing both sides first hand, I can understand how difficult it can be to get influencers (or should I say the right influencers) to promote your product, and why as a blogger I decline a lot of giftings.
It all comes down to brand alignment and credibility.
So here is my guide to influencer collaborations:
Whether you are going through an agency or doing the outreach yourself, it is always best to understand your customers and brand values before you start your gifting frenzy.
Over the years I have dealt with a lot of PR agencies that are desperate to hit a target for a client and are wanting to send me products that I know none of my audience care about, nor do they have any relevance to me at all (acne products for a girl with no acne doesn’t scream sales it screams scam).
Going through a 3rd party to get collaborations? Here are some tips on how to manage your agency outreach to ensure you are getting the most value out of your agency.
Get clear on your brand identity: Tell your agency you only want to reach out to those who align with your brand values. Don’t get caught up in the numbers they throw at you, and don’t put a strict timeline on them. Create an open an honest relationship with your agency to ensure they can do their job to the best of their ability and you get the most value out of their expertise. P.s. here is my personal template I use when identifying a brands ID, try filling it out if you are unclear.
Don’t be afraid to spend: Instead of sending your product to ALL the influencers in an attempt to hit the masses, ask your agency to do an influencer analysis. Get them to pick a handful of influencers that align with your brand ensure they have varied levels of reach and different collab styles (some paid, some comp.). Top tip: when paying an influencer for a post, I think it is always best to give them the product to road test first – ensure they like it, you can always tell when somebody is insincere, and it will only effect your ROI.
Ask them about their selection process: Who are they picking and why? Agencies freak out when they are given tight timelines, give them a little more leeway with the time they have to find influencers. This will ensure they get you the RIGHT ones, in turning giving you the best results. Don’t let them just send it through to their “exclusive” PR list..
Get creative: These guys are the experts, ask them if you can come up with some alternative ways to reach out to influencers or to get costings down. E.g. instead of a stagnant post, would an influencer be open to alternatives - did you see Burger King's recent FREE mass influencer marketing tactic? PURE GENIUS.
Ask for results: Your agency should be in touch with you, don’t let them throw numbers at you or social media jargon to confuse you. One of my biggest pet peeves is when an agency throws numbers and crazy words at clients who get too embarrassed to ask questions. No, an influencer does not guarantee sales, so if you are using an agency that is telling you to pay a person and it will take off, they are lying. It’s just not true. Something can work once and not work the next week. Get somebody who is upfront and will tell you the real stats.
Great reporting should vary depending on the target:
- Do they compare influencers e.g. your paid vs. organic results
- Do they ask for influencers stats?
- Are they checking for fake accounts?
- Is it all about the reach or do they consider your ROI?
- Do they have your business goals in mind e.g. is it brand awareness you are after or is it direct sales?
Tips for Direct Outreach:
If you are not going through an agency and are reaching out to influencers on your own it can be very difficult, and discouraging if you all you are getting is radio silence!
Although it can be daunting, keep trying! If all you are getting is No’s or silence, re-evaluate your strategy, message or even your product – if influencers aren’t interested why would the public? If influencers aren’t responding are you targeting the wrong influencers? Are you sending the wrong kind of message to them?
Here are my top tips on how to put together an influencer outreach message:Contacting: For the smaller influencers a DM may work, however if you do not get a response via DM it is best to send an email. Some influencers prefer this anyway (always check out their bio – sometimes they will mention their contacting preference).
The Message: Start of by keeping it short, and sweet don’t blab on too much however hit the points you need to. They should follow the order below:
What do you have to offer: What are you offering an influencer and why would they want to promote something for you? I understand how you are feeling, you have worked so hard, paid money for products and your business and now you are going to give someone free product so they can post a quick pic, why in the world would they say no to free stuff?
Let me tell you why.
In the beginning free stuff is great, until your inbox starts filling up with tummy teas, scrubs and costume jewelry brands who send the same stock standard msg. Believe it or not the majority of influencers/bloggers take pride in their feeds aesthetic so taking a photo of a scrub can take an hour min. to set up your shot, take a pic, choose one of the 1,000 you took and then edit. Not only that but being authentic is now “trendy” so if it doesn’t align it can be difficult to get a yes.
Start your message off with a personal touch, we love your page because of…
- your captions
- you are authentically you
- your website etc.
Then tell them about your brand and how you both have a similar vision or cross over, and why they would want to try your product and promote it to their followers *IF they enjoy it* giving people the *IF* is always great.
Be aware unfortunately some influencers may take advantage & not post however the majority take pride in their reputation and if you have done your research correctly and you have a great product you will be surprised that they will in fact now that they have the option go above and beyond to share it with their following.
Once they agree to try the product give them the option to be creative. If you love that they are funny but you have a “serious” product allow them to creatively add it into their video. Audiences respond best to authenticity. Be open to their ideas!
Finally, ensure they understand the commitment. E.g. if they like your product please promote it, or if the post is paid that they provide the agreed upon content (ensure this message comes later however it should be in there depending on the circumstances).
It is always good to keep a spreadsheet of who you have sent products out to both paid & unpaid, those who responded & did not, so you do not double up and also so you have a track record of who was great to work with (so you can work together again) and who took advantage of the opportunity (when/if this does happen, don’t get snarky cut your losses, move on, their name will be tainted soon enough but do not jeopardise yours in the process!)
Hopefully, this helps in your quest to promote.
At the end of the day, it doesn't matter how many giftings or initial sales you get from your social media marketing efforts that alone will not build you a sustainable business, you need to ensure you have a great product and take the time and effort to ensure your customers, collaborations and employees are happy. Without that, you have no business.
If you have any other social media/digital marketing related questions, please send them through to [email protected] or DM me on insta @demikotsoris
Liked this article? Read about why I started taking cold showers.