Just as trends and the market changes, so do marketing tools and tactics. While influencer marketing is not something completely new, it is a tool that is fairly new and deserves some spotlight.
Influencer marketing takes the concept of an endorsement and inserts this idea in to content driven marketing. It’s where a person creates conversation and trust within your target audience. The difference is the goal is to not only gain attention and reach new audiences, but to create impactful conversations and engagement form your audience Unlike endorsements, influencer can be anyone and be anywhere. It’s not about the popularity, it’s about everyday people.
You may be asking why you need to add influencer marketing to you strategic plan at this point. Statistics show that people trust people. Celebrity use is nice but is very expensive and the word of a celebrity is not trusted when it comes to everyday services and products anymore. Other perks of influencer marketing:
- User generated content to use on social media
- Reach new audiences through your influencer
- Create relationships with not only current clients but also local businesses
- You show your face to the local community
- It’s more effective because its a more genuine form of marketing
- Earns your business credibility
Some examples of influencer marketing content that are usable are reviews, blogs, social media shout outs or sharing your information/posts.
Here are a few ways you could go about using influencer marketing in your marketing plan.
- Choose a handful of happy customers.
Who better to talk about and promote your business than a happy customer? Tasks of these influencers could be responding to inquiries on your business social media page, sharing posts and sharing blogs. It’s not their job to sell your product or service, it’s their job to introduce you to new audiences. More than one influencer is always better-more personalities increase interest factors and more audiences are reached.
- Ask for reviews.
Reviews create trust because they are from average people who have purchased your products or used your services. You can also use these reviews as content by sharing them on your social media platforms or working them in to social media graphics and printed marketing pieces.
- Team up with other local businesses.
One of the best ways to reach many audiences and people within a community is to team up with a local, non competitive business. You refer to them, they refer to you. Kind of you scratch my back I’ll scratch yours type of thing.
Influencer marketing can be one of the easiest, budget friendly and most impactful marketing tool in your plan.
