2020 is just about over, and the push for “new year, new me” goals is beginning to pick up steam. For individuals, that could mean starting a new weight loss plan, kicking a bad habit, or just learning to be more mindful.
For businesses however, the new year is an opportunity to bounce back from stifled sales and dwindling clientele. This is especially important after enduring shutdowns and sanctions throughout the COVID-19 pandemic,
There are many ways to approach lead generation in 2021. Tik Tok will continue to be a major player, as will paid ads on staple platforms like Facebook and Twitter. But what if your business doesn’t have time to figure out Tik Tok or invest in hit-or-miss ads on Facebook?
Influence marketing could be right for you.
I know what you’re thinking: don’t influencers cost major bucks? Yes, they often do. According to social media management platform Later, the influencer marketing industry is on track to become a $15 billion industry in 2021. Influencer posts can cost anywhere from some free merch to thousands of dollars. Even then, success of those posts is variable, with reach rates depending on a variety of factors.
But you don’t have to invest major cash to start your influencer marketing campaign. In fact, with a few photos and your existing clientele, you can begin drumming up new leads without dropping a penny on a paid post.
What is Influencer Marketing?
Influencer marketing is a type of marketing that relies on direct, human promotion of a product or service. This differs from traditional marketing, where advertising firms or in-house teams develop commercials, or product shots explicitly geared to converting sales. Whereas traditional ads can fatigue their audiences, influencers earn a level of trust from their supporters, making product promotion appear more authentic than a typical 30 second ad spot.
Leveraging your Clients
Maybe you can see where this is headed. Your organization already has a built-in influencer base that is ready to support you. Repeat customers and ardent five-star reviewers are already your biggest supporters. By adding value to their experience with your business, you can start tapping into their audience and connections to generate new leads and spread the word about your products and services.
All of this begins with photos. Major brands invest in sending products – and payment – to influencers in hopes that they will promote the products on their social media pages. This works best when influencers showcase the product as they would use it in their daily life. Think Travis Scott posing with his new brand of Anheuser-Busch seltzer Cacti, or Allison Stokke using her Woodway treadmill.
The process works like this: a business sends an influencer a product, the influencer takes a posts a photo with the product that drums up new engagement for the brand through the influencer’s audience.
For your business, however, photos of your clients naturally engaging with your products or services can eliminate the need to source big-time influencers or send out product samples.
And, by making your photos about your clients, and not your brand, you are creating content that supports the community around your product or service, rather than manufacturing an #ad.
No Merch Necessary
When I worked with Mercer County Community College’s women’s basketball team this fall to improve recruitment, we ran a campaign rooted around sharing photos from the past season to drum up interest for the coming one.
Simply by tagging past players in memorable moments and providing them photos of themselves to share on their feed, we were able to develop leads to recruit six new players in the span of two months.
There were no payments. No sponsored posts. No shipments of merch. Just a community effort to share content about a brand that the college’s athletes have already invested in and supported.
The same goes for your brand! By developing a photo library and connecting with clients on social media, you can share high quality content and build positive engagement with existing customers while opening opportunities for engagement from new clients.
Think of it this way. I love basketball. So does my best friend. If I see my friend share a post about a great experience he had at a local gym, I’m much more likely to consider signing up for that gym’s open court hours.
His support provides social proof that the gym is a great place to workout, and encourages his like-minded friends to consider joining.
And there you have it. By bringing fresh content to your customers, you can create your own set of influencers who are willing to share the news about your brand because they support you, and not because they are looking for a quick payout.