By: Sergio Morales, Account Coordinator
Last week, the RBOA family attended The Florida Public Relations Association’s (FPRA’s) Capital Chapter’s monthly luncheon, where we had the pleasure of participating in an engaging presentation about influencer marketing by Social Fresh Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Founder Jason Keath. Throughout this presentation, he brought up many important marketing strategies that we thought would be valuable to share.
During his engaging presentation, Keath talked about how new technologies have given power to the “individual” – enabling him or her to communicate with whole communities. He reminded us that – whether we realize it or not – we are exposed to a large volume of advertising on a daily basis, such as billboards, TV commercials and spam email. However, the subject that Keith focused the most on (and we will too) was the influencing power that the appropriate media can have on your target audiences.
When talking about the appropriate media, we actually mean influencers. Influencers are people who have the ability to reach the right group within the public easily. Influencers can sometimes be early adopters or people who embrace pop culture, but whether it is because of their creativity or because of their eloquence, they have the ability to motivate followers to move toward a valuable action.
In an attempt to seek out newer and more effective methods of connecting with customers, advertising through influencers surfaced. Today, influencer marketing has become a common practice among marketers. It can become difficult, however, when you have to find the right influencers who can take your idea, brand or concept and transform it into mainstream consciousness. Of course, strategy is crucial, and since it was Keath who brought this to our attention, we will follow his.
Focus: The first step is to clearly define what it is that you are trying to say and to whom. By doing so, you will create the foundation upon which your strategy will rest. With a clear message and a focused target, it will be easier to define who your influencers might be.
Research and Refine: Do your homework and search for the right influencer. Whether he or she is an athlete or a member of the Geek Squad, the right influencer will be able to create a targeted and relevant message, while maximizing the number of reaches and giving credibility to your voice.
Build a Relationship: The influence that close friends have over our actions is significant, and we need to take advantage of this. Develop relationships with you prospective influencers by getting to know them. If done well, your influencer can enable your brand to become an integrated part of the customer’s life, instead of a distraction on his or her Facebook sidebar.
Activation: Customize your message according to whom you are attempting to reach. Make your prospective influencers feel special and unique! They will be more willing to consider your offer when it comes time to ask. After all, their followers will listen to them because they are trusted sources. But can your influencers trust you? Make sure your influencers feel that they are doing the right thing by advocating for your brand.
Follow up: Stay in touch with your new “friends” and let them know that you care. You could send a happy birthday note or respond to questions they may have about your company or industry. Thanks to social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest, this is not a hard task to accomplish.
In the future, companies – regardless of industry – will strive to gain influencers in the social marketplace. As the primary liaisons between brands and consumers, influencers can give power and value to your voice while maximizing your reach. The evolving influencer market is sure to continue presenting new ways for professionals to identify, activate and share their messages – making it essential for us to keep pace with the changing trends in order to stay at the top of our public relations game.