A struggling online brand should seek opportunities to collaborate with influencers not just to increase sales numbers.
Influencers also raise brand awareness and help businesses achieve long-term goals, such as becoming a dominating figure in a specific niche or expanding the business into other markets.
The problem is that not all brands have the necessary funds to simply persuade an influencer to join their side. Targeting top celebrities can be a waste of time without the right strategy, especially if a brand is operating on a limited budget.
There is also the question of how you can establish a lasting relationship with certain influencers. After all, continuity is beneficial, especially when talking about long-term strategies.
So, how should you approach influencers and work on building relationships with them? If you are interested in finding out, continue reading this article.
Contents
Creativity When Outreaching
Imagine yourself as an influencer who receives hundreds of different offers and cannot physically work with every brand. Do businesses that offer the most money stand the chance of getting accepted? Most likely, but one should not underestimate a creative approach.
To make a positive first impression, a business could customize a beanie or a t-shirt combining the influencer’s brand and the elements of the brand itself and offer the gift as a sign of interest to collaborate.
Another example of creative outreach is creating a hyper-personalized video. You could hire a professional actor and make a video dedicated to the influencer, with the main message being “we want to work with you.”
The more creative a brand’s outreach is, the more likely it is to attract the attention of an influencer, particularly if a brand is targeting a high-end celebrity. In the case of micro-influencers, the effort is not as high because micro-influencers are easier to persuade given how few lucrative offers, if any, they receive in the first place.
Interest in Influencer’s Content
Showing genuine interest in an influencer’s content is a worthwhile suggestion. For one, brands can expect a response from an influencer who notices that there is interest from a brand not just in collaborating but finding value in the content.
Going further, influencers will feel more comfortable and eager to collaborate with such brands. Sure, money is often the ultimate goal, but influencers should also see value in other benefits, such as the potential exposure that a brand brings by engaging with content.
For example, one of the ways to show interest in an influencer’s content is to share it on a brand’s page, which is where the exposure comes from.
Besides sharing the content, leaving a comment can also be considered a way of engaging with it. Commenting is not as effective as sharing in terms of exposure, but it still works as a method to show genuine interest in what an influencer can produce content-wise.
Common Goals
In an ideal partnership between a brand and an influencer, the goals of both parties should align. Or rather, at least one or two objectives that both are trying to achieve.
When you have common goals to work toward, it is easier to find motivation and common ground. Arguments are less likely to ensue or grow enough to disrupt the process when both parties are on the same page.
As a brand, you want to have a discussion with an influencer before starting the collaboration. See if you can find goals that are the same for both and take it from there. Even if a goal is not long-term, it still brings stability to the relationship.
Behind-the-Scenes and Exclusiveness
Influencers are more likely to collaborate with a brand that shows trust in them. One of the signs of trust is sharing behind-the-scenes stuff with an influencer. In a way, brands invite influencers to be part of the team in this way, and that sense of belonging to the group can be a great motivational booster.
Early access or access to exclusive products is another sign of trust, though it can be tricky to come up with exclusive goods for an influencer without the intention of making it accessible to others.
Creative Freedom
Creative freedom is about leaving the content in the hands of the influencer. Sure, there are bound to be some discussions about what the content should be about, specifically the details that make a bigger picture when it comes to the voice of a brand or specific policies.
For the most part, however, influencers tend to be more comfortable when they are not micromanaged and have creative freedom. If possible, a brand should accommodate the influencer’s needs and make as little impact on the content as possible.
