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FEATURE<br />
Marketing<br />
UNDER THE INFLUENCE<br />
Engaging with influencers can be a powerful way to grow your brand, as it allows you to tap<br />
into their established audience and credibility. Here’s how to go about it…<br />
Everyone is talking<br />
about the value of<br />
‘influencers’ today<br />
and what they can<br />
bring to your brand. But how<br />
to find these people and work<br />
with them to reach more<br />
potential customers? The first<br />
step is to identify relevant<br />
influencers. Look for those<br />
whose audience aligns with<br />
your target demographic and<br />
whose content complements<br />
your brand.<br />
Tools like social media<br />
analytics platforms, influencer<br />
marketing platforms, or<br />
manual searches on social<br />
media can help you find<br />
relevant influencers.<br />
Before reaching out, engage<br />
with the influencer’s content<br />
by liking, commenting and<br />
sharing. This helps establish<br />
familiarity and shows genuine<br />
interest in their work. Follow<br />
them on social media and<br />
subscribe to their newsletters<br />
if they have one.<br />
When reaching out to<br />
influencers, personalise your<br />
messages. Mention specific<br />
content of theirs that you<br />
enjoyed or explain why you<br />
think they would be a good fit<br />
for your brand. Avoid generic<br />
messages that sound like mass<br />
emails.<br />
MAKING IT WORK<br />
Of course, the influencer<br />
will want to know what’s<br />
in it for them! So make<br />
sure you offer something of<br />
value in exchange for their<br />
collaboration. This could be<br />
monetary compensation, free<br />
products, exclusive discounts<br />
for their audience or exposure<br />
to your own audience.<br />
It’s also important to<br />
be very clear about your<br />
expectations. Make sure you<br />
outline what you expect from<br />
the influencer in terms of<br />
content, posting frequency,<br />
messaging and any other<br />
requirements. Be open to their<br />
input and creative ideas as<br />
well.<br />
Encourage influencers<br />
to create content that feels<br />
authentic to their brand<br />
and audience. Forced or<br />
inauthentic endorsements can<br />
backfire and damage both the<br />
influencer’s credibility and<br />
your brand’s reputation.<br />
Set measurable goals for<br />
your influencer marketing<br />
campaigns and track their<br />
performance. Metrics such<br />
as engagement rates, website<br />
traffic, and sales attributed to<br />
the influencer can help you<br />
evaluate the effectiveness of<br />
your partnerships.<br />
MAINTAINING THE<br />
RELATIONSHIP<br />
Building long-term<br />
relationships with influencers<br />
can be more beneficial than<br />
one-off collaborations.<br />
Continue to engage with<br />
them, even after the campaign<br />
ends and consider working<br />
with them again in the<br />
future if the partnership was<br />
successful.<br />
Ensure that your influencer<br />
partnerships comply with<br />
relevant regulations, such as<br />
disclosing sponsored content<br />
or adhering to advertising<br />
standards set by platforms<br />
like the Federal <strong>Trade</strong><br />
Commission (FTC) in the<br />
United States.<br />
Keep an eye on industry<br />
trends and changes in the<br />
influencer landscape and<br />
be prepared to adapt your<br />
strategy accordingly. What<br />
works today may not work<br />
tomorrow, so staying agile and<br />
responsive is key to ongoing<br />
success.<br />
By following these steps<br />
and approaching influencer<br />
partnerships strategically, you<br />
can effectively leverage their<br />
reach and influence to grow<br />
your brand.<br />
Hunter Media<br />
john@hunter-media.co.uk<br />
www.huntermedia.co.uk<br />
42 www.tackletradeworld.com
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