Tips to Create an Effective Influencer Outreach Plan

Influencer marketing is peaking now. Brands are waging bidding wars over who gets to publish the next sponsored post. The stakes involved in influencer marketing are high.

So, you can’t afford to go wrong with influencer outreach.

But convincing influencers to collaborate is not an easy task. They are inundated with proposals on a daily basis. In fact, they’re known to reject 75% of pitches.

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To avoid the risk of rejection, you need to know the main reasons why influencers say “no,” including:

Brand-value mismatch: If a brand’s image contradicts the values an influencer stands for, the chances of rejection are high.
Poor compensation: Influencers turn down offers that aren’t lucrative, monetarily or materially.
No creative freedom: While influencers appreciate clear campaign briefs, they find restrictive guidelines a big turn off.

You can’t rely on guesswork or good luck to make your influencer outreach work. You’ll need effective tips to approach prospective influencers so that you get a positive response.

Here are some best practices and tips to help you get started:

1. Identify Your Influencer Marketing Goals

You can engage influencers to enhance your digital presence or customer engagement. Some brands use influencer marketing as a lead generation tool or to drive sales.

Why do you want to collaborate with influencers? Determine this answer early. Your marketing goal will determine the kind of influencer you need.

If you aim to increase brand awareness, macro-influencers with large communities will be a good fit. If you want to multiply likes and shares on your social posts, micro-influencers with targeted communities will work for you.

What to do: Identify precise and measurable goals for your influencer campaign. This will also help you analyze your influencer’s performance later.

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2. Value Authenticity

The influencer industry is rooted in trust. Influencers promote brands or products that reflect their personal values. This reinforces their image among their community of followers.

Consequently, the brands that the influencer promotes also gain trust from the influencer’s audience.

What to do: Dig into the social media feed of your potential influencers. Gather information about their values and content style. Ideally, your brand values should align with those of the influencer.

Also, compare the engagement rates on their posts. Shortlist the low risk high return influencers.

3. Approach Shortlisted Influencers

Influencers are hard-pressed for time. Big-ticket influencers get many collaboration proposals in a day. You need to stand out from your competitors.

Also, you need to determine the best way to approach influencers. Not all influencers appreciate direct messages on social media.

What to do: Emailing is a safe choice when it comes to approaching influencers. While writing to them, ensure that you address them directly and respectfully.

Be forthright about your proposal. Tell them what’s in it for them. Once you and your potential influencer are on the same page, tell them what you’re ready to offer.

4. Determine the Payment

Influencers work harder on content creation if they are sponsored, says an InfluencerDB report. While cash is an accepted form of payment in the influencer marketing industry, it isn’t the only one. Different influencers expect different forms of payment.

Some influencers barter their services for free services or products. Others have a flat rate per project or post.

What to do: Look into your target influencer’s social account bios. Are they open to partnerships? If an influencer does not expect any form of payment, be wary. You don’t want to partner with an influencer who needs your brand name more than you need theirs.

Need more tips on how to approach your potential influencers strategically? Check out this infographic by iFluenz: