At one point or another, we’ve all been influenced by someone in our lives — perhaps a politician, English professor, close friend, relative, stranger or celebrity. Influence is a force. An age-old spell. A tool with the power to persuade. When it comes to your business and using your influence to coax a consumer into believing your brand is the right choice over competitors, what is it, exactly, that gives your brand authority? What are the elements of influence? How do you circulate your sway?
At our agency, these are the kinds of questions we ask ourselves when developing brands. Knowing how to cultivate influence and dispense it in a way that reaches audiences authentically is an instrument vital to your brand’s success.
Cultivating Influence
Remember the global bestseller How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie? He was onto something in 1936 when the book was first published, and his tellings still ring true today in a world so far removed from that of the 20th century. Influence is arguably the most powerful force in the world, and it’s one thing through time that will never fall, fail or go away.
Think back not so far to Fyre Festival (yes, we’re going there, but just for a minute). The “greatest party that never happened” used the oldest tricks in the book to capture its target market’s attention: influence, intrigue and exclusivity. Several macroinfluencers simultaneously posted an infamous orange tile to social media promoting Fyre Festival. The posts cumulatively garnered 300 million impressions in only 24 hours, underscoring the power of the influencer, albeit, on a much grander scale with the likes of Kendall Jenner and a laundry list of top-billed models and celebrities.
On a smaller scale, influencers and microinfluencers have great reach for brands looking to get their products in front of the masses. But how do you cultivate your own influence as a brand? It all starts with three little words: credibility, sustainability and relatability. Where I work, we meditate on these three words when working with clients to establish authenticity with consumers.
Being credible as a business has everything to do with establishing trust with consumers and demonstrating that your business has the knowledge for the solutions they seek. Social media is a great avenue to start with this. Join and actively engage in LinkedIn Groups. Post industry or product insights on both your personal and company LinkedIn pages. Write educational blogs and articles on your website and link to them from your company Facebook and Twitter accounts. Post and tweet actionable tips that your customers can take into their own home or business. But at the most basic level, be credible by producing quality solutions that your consumer needs.
Being sustainable as a business is about consistently delivering a standard for which your brand sets forth in the product or solution you provide. Be sustainable by keeping brand consistency through your image and the quality you provide.
Being relatable as a business is about connecting with the consumer on a human level. It’s about injecting warmth into your brand by showing consumers you’re just like them. Be relatable by breaking down the wall between you and your customer and engaging them in ways that are visceral and authentic. To do this, start with understanding your audience. Build personas based on your current customers: Who are they? What do they do? How old are they? Where do they live? Once you understand your customer persona, put yourself in their shoes and ask: How would I want to be spoken to if I were them? What would encourage me to engage with my product or brand if I were that consumer? Don’t talk above or below them. Be authentic to both your brand and your customers.
When you’ve conquered these three attributes, influence becomes a byproduct you only need to tap into.
Is Influencer Marketing Right For You?
Influencer marketing can be utilized for businesses, both consumer-facing and business to business, but there are certainly verticals where this strategy excels over others. If you’re selling a skincare line, for example, influencer marketing is a golden idea. Social feeds and YouTube channels are flooded with people trying new products and talking about cosmetics, so naturally, the influencer route would be a smart decision in promoting your product. However, if you’re a commercial roofer or tile distributor, influencer marketing may not likely yield the same results. This isn’t to say it may not benefit your business in some way, but there’s a larger conversation on social media surrounding certain industries. Deciding if your vertical has a part in those conversations is an answer only you can discern.
Research hashtags on social media synonymous with the industry your brand resides. Get a feel for the kinds of conversations being had over the products, services and subject matter of your industry. How large are these conversations? Are there people posting every minute? Every hour? Every day? Understand the demand to engage with your industry on social media before you decide for or against influencer marketing for your business.
