Influencer marketing has proven to be a successful strategy for most businesses, with an average return on investment of $6.50 for every $1 spent, according to Social Shepard. In fact, only the lowest 18% of businesses fail to produce any revenue from it. In the UK, Google Searches for “Influencer Marketing” have grown by 400% from 2016 to 2023, and most marketers will admit (at the very least) that it increases brand awareness, drives more traffic to websites, and can help businesses earn high-quality and authentic backlinks.
However, many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMCs) struggle to connect and collaborate successfully with the right influencers. One reason for this is the communications approach adopted to be more relatable to millennial or Gen Z creators. It can be too casual and informal and often drives away the very people these businesses want to work with. Remember that credible influencers with audiences engaged enough to generate additional sales, exposure and social currency are bombarded with numerous emails daily. Therefore, to avoid being marked as spam or scams, SMCs should know how to navigate the social media terrain.
First Impressions Still Matter In A Digital World
Firstly, receiving business messages from free email services like Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, or AOL are only partially trusted by seasoned creators. If a brand uses these email providers, as many SMCs do, the tone of the email (particularly the first introductory message) should be much more formal. Grammatical and punctuation errors are signs of scam emails; therefore, try avoiding those. Additionally, personalization is vital; 'Dear @Djangounchained' will be far less well-received than 'Dear Tom, I'm a huge fan of your @Djangounchained account' etc. Indeed, If your email doesn't use an influencer's first name and instead calls them by their Instagram handle, it can be perceived as a mass email sent to multiple people.
This may seem like a moot point, but I have seen email signatures removed from introductory communications by brands that ought to know better. Businesses should ensure their email signature includes the necessary contact details (first name, surname, department, address, website, logo, etc). The lack of a detailed one is a crucial feature of scam emails, and serious content creators usually see it as such. Lastly, many influencers are wary of messages offering a set upfront payment without first asking for their rates or terms. While some companies favour this direct approach, it can be seen as spammy because serious brands understand the etiquette of asking creators for their media cards before discussing or negotiating fees.
Identifying the right influencer that compliments your brand is critical for businesses wanting to include influencer marketing in their marketing strategy. The next step is even more crucial if you would like to secure those valuable partnerships.
Ngozi Onwuchekwa,
Marketing Director
AXIS DIGITAL MARKETING LTD
124-128 City Road
London
EC1V 2NX
E: ngozi@axisdigitalmarketing.co.uk
Ngozi is a Digital Marketing professional with an MBA certification and more than ten years of experience in the field. She is the founder of Axis Digital Marketing LTD, a boutique marketing…
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