Influencer Marketing

Not too long ago, the consumer didn’t have much of a voice. If they were unhappy, they could complain directly to the company (or rather, a poor facsimile of the company delivered in the form of a cranky customer service rep with a horrid phone-side manner) or the few friends who could stand to listen to one more tirade about your broken Shark broomvac. Now most people just get on the Internet and scream their fingers off.

According to a recent Nielsen study, 90% of consumers surveyed noted that they trust recommendations from people they know, while 70% trusted consumer opinions posted online. The thought of buying a car, a computer or even a gardening hose is now accompanied with a Google search and extensive perusing of customer reviews.

Today, you no longer have to depend on the integrity of a company, traditional advertising or even your close knit community to make consumer decisions. You can turn to the Internet to see what other people (real people) like you have to say before shelling out your hard-earned dough.

Now that everyone is on Facebook and is plugged into Twitter, marketers must rise above the noise and engage those who, in turn, are able to engage the masses. These are the influencers.

Influencer programs help companies craft and guide the conversation that’s already going on about their brand by engaging with key influencers to speak on their behalf—think about what happens to book sales the minute a novel is put on Oprah’s Book Club list. These influencers are your biggest brand advocates, those who feel passionately enough about your brand or product to reach out and persuade people to get on board. They have the power to make or break your brand by spreading the word and getting people to listen. Regardless of the advertising dollars spent, influencers are the newest, most powerful marketers.
So in order to capitalize on these willing brand advocates, you must:

Identify your influencers– This can be a daunting task, but well worth the effort. True influencers are people who have a stake in your product; they are well-informed, persuasive and often highly regarded in their online communities. Figure out where your influencers are posting and weed out the casual commenters. Troll online forums, ask around, take the time to really dig for the contributors who you think can make the biggest impact.

Listen- Keep the conversation two-sided. Know what your influencers are saying, and be open to their suggestions. They are in touch with the wants and needs of your consumers, so use them to test out ideas, ask their opinions and really listen to their answers. The lines of communication should be friendly and personal. The goal is to build a relationship based on trust and mutual respect that will benefit you both.

Engage– Work closely with them and learn all you can about their process. The sites they visit, the forums they frequent and the virtual circle they travel in. This will help you better understand your influencers and in turn will help you find more people like them. Keep up with the conversation and you’ll stay one step ahead of the competition.

Please post comments and I will try and answer any questions.