Pulse December 2016 | Page 45

follow these influencers don’t come to watch a commercial. They primarily subscribe to these channels for the entertainment factor. The big draw here is that influencers don’t endorse brands with the core objective of selling. Instead, it is about ensuring that their viewers get an honest and unbiased review of what the brand is offering and the kind of value it provides to consumers. For brands, the gains come in the form of high-quality content, fantastic distribution, and highly influential brand ambassadors. If you can get a George Clooney or Jennifer Lawrence for your brand, that’s great. But if you can’t, then the next best option is to partner with social influencers! Social audiences can interact with influencers on the same level, which builds relatability. And relatability is what builds trust in a brand. Today’s knowledge economy demands subject-matter experts. For audiences, social influencers are just that. Influencers motivate and engage their audiences as they are as much about educating their audiences and entertaining them. The important thing is, for a brand influencer to be effective and impactful, they don’t have to have a social following of millions. Influence can be just as powerful within a little tribe of happily engaged subscribers. Here’s what Influencers bring to the table: l They are viewed as authorities on specific topics of interest. Any mention about your spa brand within their niche community of influencers can easily transfer their audience’s trust in your favor. l Local influencers can be easily accessed. Because they are mostly local, they can be more successful in building relationships that are authentic and highly relatable. l If your brand aligns with the influencers area of expertise, their following is already primed to receive How to Find the Right Influencer for Your Brand Partnering with influencers for your spa business needs to be a collaborative effort in the sense that you encourage them to provide feedback on how or what will make your content resonate with their audience. They know what works so their opinions will make a difference. Here are a few other things to keep in mind: l Ensure that the influencer’s brand aligns closely with your brand. l If you are focusing on “niche” (specific product/service) marketing, make sure the influencer’s niche is relevant to your brand. l Be sure to check the influencer’s website, blog and social following to see if your target audience and the audience of the influencer are on the same page. Don’t go with an influencer simply because he has a social following of more than one million. High reach doesn’t always result in high conversions. l A small interactive community of engaged fans is much better than a big following of subscribers who are unresponsive or have little interest in your brand. An engaged audience will be enthusiastic about their comments, retweets and social shares—this is the kind of audience you want to engage. l Collaborating with your influencer(s) will only work when you are willing to be consistent in your relationship-building efforts. Focus on consistently creating content that keeps your influencer’s audience interested and engaged. l Find out what kind of content, the kind of tone and messaging your influencer uses to create a buzz and style your content to match that format. December 2016 ■ PULSE 43