1. Determine your goals

Influencer marketing is primarily used by brands to reach new target customers. It makes sense, since influencer campaigns allow you to reach a wider audience.

The goal is simply to reach new customers, not necessarily to make a sale right away. Increasing brand awareness and product consideration are the two most common goals of influencer marketing campaigns.

2. Know who you’re trying to influence

Your influencer marketing strategy must use the right tools, as well as the right influencers, to reach the right people.

It is important to determine who your target audience is for this campaign.

The best way to reach the right audience is to develop audience personas. You might be trying to reach more of your current audience or even a completely new audience.

Develop a set of influencer personas based on your decision. Understanding your influencer's qualities will help you find them.

4. Consider the three Rs of influence

Influence is made up of three components:

RelevanceReachResonance

Relevance

A relevant influencer shares content relevant to your business and industry. They need to have an audience that aligns with your target audience .

5. Compile a short list of influencers

Working with someone you trust is crucial when choosing a partner. It is important that your audience trusts and respects the opinions of the influencers with whom you partner. A superficial result will result without trust. There won't be a tangible impact on your business.

6. Do your research

Look at what your potential influencers are posting. Sponsored content is shared how often?

It's possible that their engagement rate won't last if they're hitting followers with tons of paid posts. Providing organic, non-paid content will keep followers interested, enthusiastic, and engaged.

Think about this when thinking about what the influencer should post. Whether the influencer accepts your offer or not depends on the number of posts you request in a short period of time.

7. Reach out privately, and personally

By engaging organically with their posts, you can start communicating slowly with a new potential partner. They have good content. When appropriate, leave a comment. Appreciate rather than sell.

You can suggest a partnership in a direct message when you're ready. Try finding an email address, too. Sending a generic or mass email is not a good idea.

Personal messages may take a little longer to write for each influencer. However, it will demonstrate your seriousness about a possible partnership. As a result, you will have a better chance of negotiating.

8. Collaborate with your influencer to develop effective content

A social media influencer who has worked hard to build a following will not accept a deal that makes their own personal brand seem inconsistent.

After all, influencers are content creation experts. This is why they prefer to be called creators. You’ll get the best value from their work by allowing them to showcase those skills.

It’s a good idea to provide some guidelines about what you’re looking for, of course. But don’t expect to stage-manage the entire campaign.