By Kris Jones 
If you are relatively new to the business of marketing, you might be tempted to think that influencer marketing is something of a fad. Working with influencers to reach your market is certainly a trendy technique at the moment, but that doesn’t mean it’s a new idea. In fact, this approach has been around for years.
In a pre-internet world, influencer marketing often came in the form of product endorsements by celebrities. Consumers would see a celebrity using a given product and would be motivated to purchase that product for themselves. That type of marketing still exists, of course, but online influencer marketing has taken on a different form. Now, the influencer may not be someone like a famous athlete or actor/actress, but rather a blogger, YouTuber, SEO consultant, or other digital ‘celebrity’ within a given space.
This is good news for businesses who hope to promote products or services online. With so many influencers available, you may be able to form meaningful, beneficial relationships in your space. Let’s look at three tips for making that happen.
#1 – Have Something to Offer
Sure, it’s great for your business if an influencer speaks well of your product, but how does that benefit them and their business? Like any good relationship, you need to make sure there is value on both sides. Think mostly about how you can serve others and the rewards are likely to come back to you in a significant way.
#2 – Be Real
If you are simply sending out a cold, form e-mail to all of the influencers you can think of in your space, it’s unlikely that you will get much of a positive response. As an alternative, try to build a real relationship over time by following along on social media, reading blog posts, commenting, etc. Invest in the person and what they are doing before you go asking for favors.
#3 – Respect Talent
Someone who has built a reputation as an influencer in a given industry didn’t get to that position by accident. They have a level of knowledge and talent in the field that should be respected. In other words, don’t expect to simply tell an influencer what you want them to say about your product, or how you want them to say it. This is a creative, successful person, and they have earned the right to be trusted.
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Sitetrail Research Team