Interested in connecting with the influencers from online? Let’s start with an example:
If you’re a restaurant or a company dealing with certain culinary services and you want to be promoted on a blog, you don’t just simply throw an e-mail to the hottest culinary blogger asking for a banner on his blog. That’s stupid. You simply start by giving some attention to the blog. You read it daily, see what his reader are, see if he has made this kind of campaign before and if his blog is in a positive note.
I’m thinking you don’t want to be on a blog that is full of wise guys commenting without knowing what they’re talking about. After reading his posts and see that the blogger is one of the best, you start to know him better. See his social media networks (it’s necessary that you have one those, otherwise you’re null), his comments and reactions. Now that you know him better, you begin to comment on some of his posts (so that he sees you as a loyal reader).
Your first contact with him has to be smart (stay away from comments like “so great”…
that’s hot” “THIS”, etc.) Only then you can send an e-mail or if his address is public (but I highly doubt it) send him a coffee invitation or maybe one to your restaurant letting him know you want to have a talk with him regarding a future campaign.
Before meeting with him, be sure that your services are highly professional and you’ll present him with the best. A professional blogger will be attentive to the details. And from that first coffee onwards, you can call it business. Give time for researching the field and the influential person.
Though it’s not just companies that are able to make cool stuff through influential people. For example there’s one romanian blogger, Cabral, who has done something worth respecting. One night he cam up with the idea of taking a pack of cigarettes to a student that wrote on his blog. And now, if a restaurant place would be smart enough it could talk to him about one day preparing a really large menu for the students. It wouldn’t be a bad idea, but no one thought of it yet.
If your services are tacky, second class and on top of that you want an online campaign with influential people, then I’m sorry for saying this but you’d better stay put. Be a professional in services, products and communication and only then you can think about an online marketing campaign.
[Tweet “Your product is more important than your marketing strategy. “]
If you want a successful campaign pay attention to their needs. Influential people usually put their desires out there, online or you can read them through the lines.
If I were a car salesman and heard that one of the bloggers from my city has to go to another city, I’d offer to take him there with the car company and on the way there I’d let him drive it. I’d bring a CD with his favorite music and I’d read some of his post beforehand (just to know who I’m sitting in a car with). I’m certain it would be good for business and it wouldn’t even cost me more than an advertisement on a billboard in the center of the city.
Think different.
In conclusion:
How to carry on a marketing campaign dedicated to influential people in online? -allow time for knowing the influential person and their “playground”
1. Offer a (free) unique experience
2. Have an eye out for their needs
3. maintain a relationship with them not just during the campaign, but also outside of it (you never know).
If I missed anything…you let me know!
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