Stop trying to be an Influencer.

Influence is a fascinating concept.

Everyone is an "Influencer". Rather, let’s rephrase that.

Everyone has influence and is influenced by others. 

You and I can see the same advert, post by the same “Influencer”, watch the same movie, yet we could end up having polar opposite views, even though we have consumed the same content.

Predicting what influences people to do what you want them to vs doing the opposite of what you want them to do is like finding the Golden Goose that lays the golden egg. The book, Predictive Analytics, by Eric Siegel, looks at this in detail and is a fascinating insight into the modern-day marketing challenge. 

Cambridge Analytica is a textbook case study of how this works. If we set aside the negative aspects of it, and just look at the mechanics of what they did and how the did it, it is quite incredible. It’s just a shame that they, and I quote from a former employee “weaponised data”. If you haven't watched "The Great Hack", it is an eye-opener.

But let’s bring it back to you and I, as we do not have access to that amount of data (legally) or the data science and technology to support it. 

Whilst all of our influence is unique, one can argue that we do collectively sit in tribes of influence. 

iPhone vs Android 

PC vs Mac

Salesforce vs Dynamics 

Coke vs Pepsi

MacDonalds vs Burger King

You get the idea.

Its this collective tribe of influence and identity that you need to create and for your intended audience to follow you, your team, your brand. And remain loyal so that they go on to influence their micro-networks and so on and so. 

We are all connected. 

24/7.

You may be reading this and thinking I don’t have influence like an Instagram Influencer has. I guarantee you do. All you need is one person. One happy client, who trusts you. That one person who will answer your call whenever you call, respond to an email and so on. More importantly, they will be able to influence people in their network that they should follow, connect, consider you and your product/service/proposition. Even if that is just one more new person. That is one more new opportunity which has come to you. 21st Century inbound.

Think about this. Would you recommend anyone or anything to your trusted network if that was going to risk damaging or even breaking that trusted bond? I doubt it very much. 

I feel at times we forget that humans have been around a lot longer than all of this technology, as has the concept of influence. And Trust.

Technology has made us more connected than we had ever thought possible, in ways that were once in the realms of science fiction. As Gerd Leonhard says, "Science Fiction is becoming Science Fact."

We need to go back to basics, not get dazzled by the likes and followers, but focus on your close, trusted micro-networks, and start to activate them through meaningful and insightful content, which then activates their trusted micro-networks and so on. All leading back to you.

This takes time and effort. It does not happen overnight. Fatboy Slim had it right - Eat. Sleep. Rave. Repeat.

Post. Engage. Connect. Repeat.

There is no Golden Goose in Sales & Marketing.

Only Trust.