Pulse June 2021 | Page 28

INFLUENCER FLUENCY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 24
small-scale influencers will likely be easier to work with , have more engaged followings , know your brand better , work harder , and cost less — a big concern for many spas whose owners or managers are reluctant to spend cash on an inherently trial-and-error strategy . Chasing numbers and followers will likely lead to empty pockets and low ROI , notes Ciocan .
Vega agrees : “ A large learning experience early on was paying a celebrity to promote our product . It was a famous person , but her following wasn ’ t our core , our people . It ’ s quality over quantity these days . Consumers are very keen and if you want them to pick up what you ’ re putting down , it ’ s got to be authentic .”
In summary , start small if you ’ re just beginning to work with influencers . Find local micro-influencers who are highly engaged . Establish clear terms that allow you to put a hypothetical dollar value on what you are providing to each other . Educate them on your goals . Follow-up with them after the activation . Analyze the results and decide if you ’ d like to cultivate a long-term partnership . When working with micro-influencers , the financial risks are small but the potential benefits are enormous , especially for local spas and niche resource partners — and in 2021 , when consumers are shopping and buying more online than ever before , influencers might just become a keystone of your marketing strategy . ■

FIVE MISTAKES TO AVOID

Not Communicating

1 .

Throughout the Process So you ’ ve hashed out the details of the activation and the influencer has received the product or treatment . Do you now just wait for the posts and videos to drop ? According to ISPA members , that ’ s one of the biggest mistakes you can make while working with an influencer . Instead , communicate with the influencer throughout the process , and don ’ t be afraid to reach out to them — or nudge them — during the posting phase .“ These influencers are doing a lot of deals and making a lot of posts ,” says Daniela Ciocan . With so much going on , it ’ s ultimately up to you to make sure the influencer is delivering what you ’ ve agreed upon , when they ’ ve agreed to deliver it .
superior strategy if you ’ re just starting out . This is especially true as a spa operator , since much of your business is likely local or regional anyway .
work together and you both move on . However , it ’ s essential to avoid thinking short-term . Instead , treat influencers like you would your customers and establish long-term relationships . Once you ’ ve been through a successful activation with an influencer , proactively keep them in the loop and stay in touch . And if the first activation is a bit bumpy but the relationship shows promise , don ’ t give up : Erin Stremcha notes that some “ trial and error ” isn ’ t unusual .
Going Too Big ,

2 . Too Quickly Bigger isn ’ t always better , and one common mistake that spas and resource partners have made is to go too big , too quickly by working with high-profile — and high-dollar — macroinfluencers early . Focusing on small , local micro-influencers is often a

Forgetting to Educate

3 . Your Influencers For those of us who spend all day thinking , breathing and living spa , it ’ s easy to take for granted knowledge of terminology , products and treatments . Don ’ t assume that your influencer is as familiar with spa as you or your normal customers are . Instead , leave no stone unturned : make sure you provide them with all the information they might need about the experience , product or service they ’ re sharing with their followers . Sharing campaign goals is also important to helping them get the right message across . Educating the influencer ensures that the message they share is true to your products and true to your brand .

4 . Thinking Short-Term It ’ s easy to think of influencer marketing as a short-term strategy or as a short-term relationship : you have a goal , you select an influencer , you

5 . Skipping the Research Many ISPA members receive multiple requests from influencers every day . Performing due diligence is an essential part of the process , and skipping out on some ( or all ) of this research is a surefire way to eventually get burned . Are their followers real , or are they fake accounts ? Do their posts have engagement ? Is their audience one that makes sense for you and your brand ? Are they working with other brands that are too similar to yours ? Asking these questions is essential , says Ciocan , to successfully using influencer marketing . ■

26 PULSE ■ JUNE 2021