Landing an influencer as a partner can give a business a big advantage. The right partnership can have a huge impact on a brand, helping it move from a small, relatively unknown company to a household name. However, if brands don’t approach potential influencer partners in the right way, they might miss out on an opportunity to work together.
Here, 13 members of Forbes Agency Council explain some of the reasons a brand may fail to land an influencer as a partner, along with advice on how to avoid making these mistakes and what to do instead.
Forbes Agency Council members discuss mistakes to avoid when trying to land a partnership with an influencer.
Photos courtesy of the individual members.
1. Having Mismatched Values
Legitimate influencers will, and should, pick brands to promote that have and live by the same or similar values as them. This, in turn, breeds a genuine collaboration between both parties, rather than a forced or staged partnership that the end user cannot relate to. – Neal Patel, Bruce Clay Advertising LLC
2. Being Too Transactional
“Influencers” are people, not ad units. Brands often make the mistake of being too transactional with influencers, treating them as simply another part of their marketing mix. Influencers are actually a brand’s best source of word-of-mouth recommendations to reach new audiences and can be powerful partners when the brand invests in building strong relationships. – Mae Karwowski, Obviously
3. Trying To Control The Influencer’s Narrative
Influencer equity is built on authenticity as much as on the number of their followers. If a company expects to control the narrative, it undermines the influencer’s credibility. That’s a non-starter. Education on the essence of influencer marketing will help, as will identifying the right influencers to approach. Then, “negotiate” the content and allow some freedom to ensure your content resonates. – Carol Levine, energi PR Inc
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4. Making Creators Feel Like Commodities
Most creators would love the opportunity to work with brands. So, when a brand fails to land someone, it’s time to think and reflect on what went wrong. The worst thing brands can do is make a creator feel like a commodity. This could be done by not being willing to pay creators competitive rates, using templated mass communication, or not being thoughtful about the creator-brand fit. – Faique Moqeet, Hamster Garage
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5. Not Understanding The Influencer’s Brand
People reach out to me all the time to sponsor their products, and 99% of the time, I ignore them because it’s clear they have no idea what my brand and audience are all about. Once in a while, a brand will send me their product and show that they’re aware of my brand and what I’m all about. This is refreshing for me. – Sun Yi, Night Owls
6. Asking An Influencer To Sacrifice Their Values
Misalignment of values, insights and, in most cases, compensation are big reasons why brands fail to connect with influencers. Creators have carefully built tightly knit, micro-communities that they will never sacrifice for any brand partnership. Strong influencers know their exact position in the market and, in fact, rely on data insights to power collaborations. Strong authentic collaborations can be unlocked exclusively by highly skilled brands. – Steven Lammertink, The Cirqle
7. Not Doing Enough Research
To begin with, do thorough research and curate a list of influencers who are relevant to your brand/product. Then, run your idea/brand by everyone on the list and create a short list of the top three. Identify which of the selected influencers is the perfect match, see if financials align and then work hands-on with the influencer to create high-quality content. – Peter Belbita, Noble House Media
8. Arguing Over Creative Control
It ultimately comes down to three things: compensation, deliverables and creative control. They’re all equally important, but creative control is typically where things go south. Influencers want more control, while brands see it as a “typical ad” and want to take over. The key is finding an influencer who aligns with your brand’s values, and then allowing them the freedom to do what they do best. – Rafael Romis, Weberous Web Design
9. Presuming To Know The Influencer’s Audience Better Than They Do
Approaching them as a media platform rather than as a creator is a mistake. A brand’s No. 1 “mistake” is to not let go of creative control when working with an influencer as a partner. The influencer knows best what their audience wants; they have built this audience themselves. They are the voice and the creative power behind it; don’t try to control that narrative. – Maddie Raedts, Media.Monks
10. Lack Of Authenticity
If the partnership isn’t authentic, then it isn’t going to work. Brands must understand their audiences now more than ever and let influencers have control over what they create. Trust influencers to make content that makes sense for their audience and ditch the strict brand guidelines. Good influencers are people who are authentic to their audience and consistent with their content. – Brett Hyman, NVE Experience Agency
11. Not Finding Your Own Voice First
One of my key mantras for brands is to “be brave, be bold, be you.” Know what your brand is and what it is not, and be authentic. Find your voice and make sure it resonates with what you actually do. Then, and only then, you can find partners and influencers who mirror your values. – Julia Linehan, The Digital Voice PR Agency Ltd
12. Not Being Purpose-Driven
If an influencer is going to tie their personal reputation to that of a consumer brand, you better believe they need to walk the talk. More than ever, consumers want to know that the brands they are buying from stand for something and will make decisions through the lens of having a greater impact. As powerful as they are, influencers have great responsibility in this way. – Kristen Brown, Hoot Design Company
13. Asking For Time-Consuming, Complex Deliverables
Most influencers are turned off by excessive or overly complex deliverables. If your brand’s request is too time-consuming or strenuous, they’ll most likely pass, especially if the compensation isn’t convincing. Keep your deliverables simple and easy. – Lion Shirdan, UPRISE Management
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Author: Expert Panel®, Forbes Councils Member
