How to Maintain Positive Relationships With Brand Influencers
Did you know that 86% of marketing experts used influencer marketing, and about 94%of them found it compelling? With the boom in the E-commerce industry and social media being an integral part of the new generation, influencer marketing has become more popular and effective than ever.
Influencer marketing is one of the leading social media marketing strategies today. Word of mouth or an endorsement from someone who influences the niche you work on can impact their vast follower base and help your business establish brand image and credibility.
However, influencer marketing can only work effectively when you make an effort to build a strong, mutually beneficial, and transparent relationship with an influencer.
Choosing an influencer for your business requires an in-depth understanding of the influencer’s image, audience, and marketing trends. An appropriate influencer selection will ensure a successful marketing campaign.
We have compiled a list of techniques that will enable you to confidently approach and build a long-lasting positive relationship with social media influencers:
1. View Them As Collaborators, Not Influencers
A vital aspect of maintaining a positive brand relationship with influencers is treating them as business collaborators. You can personalize your emails using specific examples from their content to explain why that influencer would make a great ambassador for your brand.
You must collaborate with people who believe in your service and have aligned interests, not just those with a considerable following. It is essential to do your research and learn about your influencer’s audience to find a mutually beneficial ground that can be maintained for a longer time.
2. Communicate Clear Expectations
Influencers, especially lifestyle influencers, are constantly approached by numerous brands. Communicating clear expectations is important to establish an effective and sustainable relationship with an influencer. Don’t be afraid to ask your influencers about their preferences, ideas, and working styles. You should be open-ended in your communication style and willing to compromise.
Setting clear expectations can include defining the number of content pieces you expect over a period of time, captions, and campaign tagging. You should also outline visual or video graphics content requirements and expectations. These practices will reduce the chances of miscommunication and the need for numerous revisions.
3. Avoid Limiting Creativity
Influencer-follower relationships are built on the influencer’s creative nature and personal brand. Influencer management requires confidence in their abilities and is key to maintaining a healthy relationship. Your business needs to acknowledge that influencers have the authority to their social media content.
It is entirely acceptable for your business to have promotional ideas and content input for your influencer marketing campaigns. However, exerting too much control over the influencer’s creative space can negatively impact your brand’s relationship with an influencer or discourage them from working with you.
Influencers are aware of their customers’ trends, likability, and preferences. After setting out clear expectations and requirements, let the Influencer take control of the content wheel and create engaging content for their followers. With creative freedom, Influencers will deliver the most authentic sponsored message and get your point across. This will lead to effective marketing campaigns, which will ultimately increase ROI.
4. Plan Ahead
Since influencers’ work is personal and organic, you may mistakenly assume that influencer content is a spur-of-the-moment. However, failing to plan and forcing influencers to come up with content instantly for your new marketing campaign can lead to confusion, stress, and damaged relationships with influencers.
After the collaboration has been established, influencers and brands need to work together and plan for the upcoming marketing campaigns or introduce new products.
There are many factors to consider and strategize, including creative briefs, content creation plans and approval, post scheduling, and even evaluation. Proactive planning can yield better campaign results and establish your brand more cooperative and influencer-friendly.
Endnote
Influencer management is not an easy task for most businesses, but it is essential, as it will directly affect your brand’s reputation and chances of maintaining collaboration with the Influencer in the marketing space. An influencer marketing platform can help you connect with influencers who naturally align with your businesses and are well-known for their work.
To effectively manage influencers, you need to communicate clear expectations regarding the campaign and reach. Allowing influencers to contribute valuable input can help in better campaigns. Not limiting engagement with Influencer to paid posts and PR can establish a connection between Influencer and your marketing team, which can help you be creative and stand out.
##
With love,
FWO
