KISS: Keep your influencer strategy simple and clear.
I learned this exact concept while working with toy, whiskey, and streetwear influencers. Know your audience and provide value that aligns with the influencer's tone.
Please do your homework.
Before partnering, check to see if the influencer's crowd matches yours. You can chat like any other media. Who will follow them? What kind of content is being liked? We want sponsored posts to fit naturally within our feeds.
We piloted our first LinkedIn influencer program last year. We scoured the creator's social feeds to ensure the fit was natural. We saw an opportunity to build a true partnership that spoke to our community of followers and aligned with their regular content.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Influencers know their territory. If their style matches your brand, let them take the lead. Narrow down your list, step back and let them do what they want.
Give them freedom within the fence.
Give influencers creative space, but set clear goals and boundaries. This balance allows creativity to be at the forefront while keeping ROI top of mind. First and foremost, your posts should provide value to your audience.
Did someone say “free”?
Take advantage of the appeal of freebies. Learn from streetwear strategies. People like free stuff, including influencers. Offering giveaways that add value to your audience and bring in amazing profits at a fraction of the cost.
Play the long game.
A successful influencer campaign should be seen as a beginning, not a means to an end. Build lasting bonds, establish deeper ongoing partnerships, gain stronger brand loyalty, and build dual connections.
Redefining B2B marketing
Not only are we competing with our competitors on social platforms, but we are also competing with creators and B2C brands on those very platforms. So how do you stand out? By building a genuine bond with your audience.
Every interaction, whether B2B or B2C, involves humans. Social success depends on understanding your audience, providing value, and fostering a two-way relationship. Keep your goals simple, stay true to your brand, and let your influencers work their magic.
Building relationships goes beyond the boundaries of traditional marketing and focuses on understanding the needs and desires of your customers. Success depends on delivering real value, creating two-way dialogue, and building a human experience. In this age of constant digital noise, his personalized, relationship-driven B2B strategy cuts through the clutter and ultimately creates lasting impact.
By embracing simplicity, staying true to brand identity, and allowing social influencers to work their magic within clear boundaries, B2B marketers can redefine what it means to be a “B2B marketer.”
