When amplifying a brand’s products and story, influencers are an amazing way to engage a broader audience and create lasting partnerships that continuously spread brand awareness. Influencer relations is still a relatively new angle of digital marketing that everyone is trying to tap into. It can feel daunting to approach creators and ask them to authentically interact with products or brands. If you’re looking to implement influencer marketing for your business or client, read on for three tips for organically engaging and partnering with influencers.

1. Befriend them! After all, influencers are real people also looking to network and make connections to grow their following. Like, comment and reply to their stories with thoughtful messages, letting them know you actively follow and admire their content. You’ll also learn the style of their content, what they post about organically and what their paid partnerships look like. Being an active member of their audience makes your name recognizable if you decide to reach out about partnerships. 
2. Personalize your outreach. When asking influencers to try products or partner with brands, heavily personalizing your communication will help foster an authentic relationship. Influencers get hundreds if not thousands of requests per week, so make yours stand out by showing them you know, understand and appreciate their content. Showing influencers you genuinely care about them and their brand will motivate them to take interest in amplifying your brand or products.
3. Offer affiliate programs. As amazing as it would be for influencers to post and promote products they love for free (or in exchange for free products), it’s important to remember for most creators, this is their full time job or at least a portion of their income. That being said, offering affiliate commissions to influencers gives them a larger incentive to post thoughtful, sales-driving content because they are given a commission of the sale. Having a customized code or affiliate link for each influencer you work with also allows you to track who is driving sales, website visits, etc. which are important for determining ROI. 

As the influencer sphere continues to evolve, we’ll continue to keep an eye on trends and report back as we identify new tips and tricks! In the meantime, who are your favorite sustainable lifestyle influencers? DM us your faves on Instagram @revpr!