How to Get Influencers To Promote Your Product - Proven Tips

Influencers are like the cool kids in high school—everyone wants to be their friend—with a catch, of course. They have the power to sway the behavior of their followers and can make or break a brand’s reputation. They play little gods on Internetland. But let’s face it, getting their attention, especially the mega influencers’, is like getting a reservation at a Michelin-starred restaurant on Valentine’s Day. So, if you’re ready to compete for their affection, here are proven tips on how to get influencers to promote your product.

But first, what the heck is influencer marketing?

Influencer marketing is like a modern-day version of word-of-mouth advertising, but instead of relying on your neighbor’s opinion, you’re trusting a social media star with millions of followers. These influencers have become the new celebrities, with fans eagerly waiting for their next post like it’s the latest blockbuster movie. There is no other way of saying—content is a form of consumption, and the influencers are the feeder, the enabler.

And let’s not forget about the big bucks involved. According to a recent study, the influencer marketing industry is projected to be worth $21.1 Billion in 2023—that’s enough money to buy a private island somewhere in the Pacific or a lifetime supply of avocado toast.

It’s clear that influencers have become crucial players in the marketing game, and businesses are ready to pay top dollar for their influence.

Influencer 101: The 5 types of influencers

If you’re new to the influencer game, it’s essential to know your ABCs—or in this case, your MMNNs. That’s Mega, Macro, Mid-tier, Nano—and no, we’re not talking about some strange alien language. We’re talking about the different types of influencers you need to know in order to navigate the world of social media marketing.

Mega-influencers

Mega-influencers are the A-listers, the Beyoncés and Kardashians of the influencer world, with followers in the millions.

Macro-influencers

Macro-influencers are the B-listers, still famous but a little more attainable, with followers in the 500K to 1 million range.

Mid-tier influencers

Mid-tier influencers are the C-listers, not quite famous, but still influential, with followers in the 50K to 500K range.

Micro-influencers

Micro-influencers are like your favorite indie band, small but mighty, with followers in the 10K to 50K range.

Nano-influencers

And last but not least, we have the nano-influencers, the underdogs of the influencer world, with followers in the 1K to 10K range.

So, whether you’re looking to collaborate with the big guns (if you got the budget for it) or take a chance on the little guy (with loyal followers), knowing your MMNNs will help you navigate the influencer landscape like a pro.

That said, if you’re tired of begging influencers to notice your brand like a desperate ex, then this article is for you. We’ve got 11 proven tips to help you win over those social media darlings and have them promote your brand like it’s the hottest thing since sliced bread.

From finding the perfect influencer match to wooing them with irresistible offers, we’ve got all the tips and tricks you need to succeed. So, get ready to turn your brand into the talk of the town (or at least the talk of your target audience’s social media feed).

11 Proven Tips – How To Get Influencers To Promote Your Product

1. Create a product or service that consumers actually need.

Before sliding into the influencer’s DMs, take a step back and ask yourself, “Do people actually want what I’m selling?” (But go easy on that imposter syndrome, yeah?) It doesn’t matter if you have the most charming influencer on your side, if your product is about as useful as a chocolate teapot, you’ll have a hard time selling it.

No amount of branding works when there is nothing to stand on in the first place. You don’t want the same fate as Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos. Sure, a really quick leap from chocolate teapot to Theranos, but you got the drift.

So, grab your lab coat and do some market research. Validate your idea, and make sure people are willing to fork over their hard-earned cash for your product or service. Once you have that squared away, let the influencers do their thing and watch as your sales skyrocket!

2. Be Clear with Your Campaign Goals.

Whether your goal is to be the talk of the town, increase your social media interactions, boost your sales, or to get a glimpse into the mind of your customers, choosing a goal will give you the clarity you need to focus your campaign.

But remember, different goals require different metrics to measure your success. For example, if your goal is to increase brand awareness, you might measure your reach and impressions. If you want to improve conversions, you’ll need to track clicks, sign-ups, and sales.

And who knows, if you can achieve all four goals, you might just become the Queen B of influencer marketing, the Beyoncé of branding.  

3. Establish how you’re going to measure the results.

It’s no secret that influencer marketing can bring in some serious cash. In fact, businesses can expect a whopping $5.78 return on investment for every dollar spent. But measuring the success of influencer campaigns? That’s where things get tricky.

According to recent data, 65% of brands struggle to measure ROI from their influencer efforts.

Fortunately, some clever ways to track your progress include using Urchin Tracking Modules (UTMs), giving influencers exclusive coupon codes, adding them to your affiliate program, and even creating personalized landing pages just for them.

4. Now, It’s Time to Find the Right Influencers.

The first step to getting influencers to promote your brand is to find the right influencers to collaborate with. You need to look for an influencer who shares your values and interests and has a following that matches your target audience.

And let’s not forget about the importance of authenticity. You don’t want to partner with an influencer whose followers are as fake as a three-dollar bill. So, before swiping right on every influencer, use tools like HypeAuditor and Social Blade to weed out the phonies and find your perfect match.

PRO TIP #1: Different niches, different platforms. It’s like choosing the right outfit for the right occasion—for B2C products and services, Tiktok, YouTube, and Instagram are the trendiest platforms to rock. But if you’re looking to tap into the B2B market, then you need to dress to impress on YouTube, podcasts, Twitter, and LinkedIn (especially LinkedIn)—the VIP areas where B2B influencers are mingling and doing business like it’s nobody’s business!  

PRO TIP #2: Finding an influencer with high engagement is like finding a unicorn—rare, magical, and highly coveted, but if you find them, hang on to them. You want an influencer whose followers hang on to their every word like it’s gospel and who can’t wait to hit the share and comment buttons. So, before you slide into their DMs with your pitch, stalk their profile and see how much their followers interact with them. The more engagement, the better the chance that your product promotion will be a success.

5. Build a Relationship with Influencers.

If you want to get on an influencer’s good side, you need to treat them like a VIP—Very Influential Person. You show your interest by engaging with their content regularly.

Liking, commenting, and sharing their posts can make you stand out from the crowd of thirsty brands and show that you’re genuinely interested in their work. And who knows, maybe they’ll even slide into your DMs to say thanks or ask you out for coffee. The former is very unlikely.

Attending events that influencers host or attend is also a great way to meet them in person and make a lasting impression.

So, put on your best outfit, practice your small talk, and get ready to charm those influencers like the smooth operator you are.

6. Offer Value to Influencers.

Now that you’ve laid the groundwork for a solid relationship, it’s time to unleash your inner Don Draper and create the perfect pitch. No pressure.

To stand out from the crowd and get your chosen influencers to promote your brand, you need to offer something worth their while. It could be anything from free products or services to exclusive access to events or even a cut of the sales.

Take Glossier, for example. This beauty brand knows how to treat their influencers right. They roll out the red carpet with invites to exclusive events and personalized gifts that make influencers feel extra special. No wonder they have such a loyal network of influencers who can’t wait to show off Glossier’s products to their followers.

So, take a cue from Glossier and make your influencers feel like they’re royalty. It’ll pay off in the end.

PRO-TIP #1: Pitch your idea first before setting the terms of your partnership. And if they say no, don’t take it personally. Just move on to the next influencer on your list. Remember, rejection is just redirection.

PRO-TIP #2: When approaching influencers with your pitch, remember to make it personalized and show that you’ve done your homework. And  definitely make sure you’re not  copying and pasting the same pitch to every influencer you contact. That’s a surefire way to get sent straight to their spam folder.

7. Collaborate on Content.

Collaborating with influencers on content is like having a celebrity stylist pick out your outfit—it’s a game changer. Whether it’s a sponsored post on Instagram, a YouTube video, or a guest blog post, working with influencers to create content can help you tap into their creativity and create content that speaks to their followers while promoting your brand. And it’s proven by seasoned marketers—the best output is collaborative.

PRO TIP: If you want to get the most out of this collab, you need to let influencers be themselves. Give them the creative freedom they need to showcase your brand in their own unique way. This way, you can create authentic and genuine content that resonates with their followers and helps you build trust and loyalty with your target audience.

Remember—it’s their creativity and uniqueness that made them successful influencers to begin with.

8. Leverage User-Generated Content.

In relation to collaborative content, UGC, or User-Generated Content, is like a treasure trove of advertising that brands can tap into. It’s the content created by everyday people that rave about your brand or product.

When influencers promote your brand and share it with their followers, make sure they tag or invite your brand as a collaborator.

You can also repurpose this UGC gold by featuring it on your website, social media, or even in your ads. Doing so shows your potential customers that real people love your product, not just you and your mom.

PRO-TIP: If you’re doing it manually, you can always follow the hashtags niche of your product or service. It’s always helpful to spend some time on platforms your influencers spend the most time with. Follow helpful hashtags like #ugc and #ugccreator to see what content and products are popular.

9. Use Influencer Marketing Platforms.

In the world of influencer marketing, time is money. That’s why using influencer marketing platforms is a smart move. These platforms make it easy to find the right influencers for your brand based on niche, location, and follower count. Plus, they come with handy tools for managing collaborations, tracking metrics, and compensating influencers.

Popular platforms like AspireIQ, Tribe, and Upfluence are your personal matchmakers for influencer partnerships. They’re particularly helpful for businesses dipping their toes into the influencer pool for the first time.

With these platforms, you can jumpstart your influencer marketing game without having to solo navigate the murky waters of influencer relationships.

10. Be Transparent about Sponsored Content

Being transparent helps to build trust with the influencer’s followers and ensures that your brand complies with advertising guidelines.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requires influencers to disclose when they have a financial relationship with a brand. This can be done by using hashtags like #ad or #sponsored in the content caption. Educating influencers on these guidelines and ensuring they follow them to avoid potential legal issues is important.

While it might be tempting to sneak a sponsored post in without disclosing it, transparency is the name of the game in influencer marketing. The FTC is like Santa Claus – they know when you’re trying to be sneaky.

So educate your influencers on the guidelines and use the appropriate hashtags to avoid getting a lump of coal in your legal stocking.

And who knows, if your product is that good (remember Tip #1), maybe your influencer will love it so much that they won’t even need to label it as sponsored. Yes, there are some Chelsea Kauais out there, but they are rare, so don’t bank on it. The influencer economy is real. Period.

11. Build Long-Term Relationships with Your Influencers.

If you want to be influencer marketing royalty, you need to treat your influencer like a long-term partner, not just a one-time fling. By building a strong relationship with your influencer, they’ll become your brand’s biggest cheerleader. You’ll have them shouting your name from the rooftops (or Instagram stories, same thing).

Plus, when you work with the same influencer over time, you’ll develop a level of trust and authenticity that’s hard to achieve with a one-time collab. They’ll become part of your brand family, sharing their valuable insights and helping you optimize your strategy to crush the competition.

How to achieve this, you ask? Implement Tip # 2 with the long haul in mind.

Summary Time – Influencer Marketing

First, businesses must do their homework and identify the perfect influencer for their brand. No more randomly sliding into DMs like a thirsty ex, folks. And hey, if you want them to promote your stuff, make sure you offer something valuable in return. No one likes a cheap date.

Second, be transparent with your influencer and their followers. No sneaky, shady stuff allowed. And don’t forget to harness the power of user-generated content! Your customers can be your biggest cheerleaders.

Third, don’t make things harder than they need to be. Use influencer marketing platforms to make the process smoother and keep track of your metrics. We’re in the 21st century, folks. Time to upgrade your marketing game.

Last but not least, build a long-term relationship with your influencers. Don’t be a one-hit wonder! They can give you insights that will help you improve your brand. Now go out there and slay the influencer game like the boss you are!