Influencer marketing is considered an effective brand-building strategy by 92% of brands and marketers. But 25% of companies have lost money due to wrong influencer selection or ill-executed influencer outreach programs, says a recent influencer marketing report.
There is no dearth of influencers for your brand to collaborate with. More than one-third of Instagram users are micro-influencers with engaged followings. However, not all influencers will resonate with your brand values and aesthetics.
Even if you find the right influencer to endorse your brand, there is no guarantee they will accept your collaboration proposal.
Reasons Why an Influencer Can Deny to Partner with Your Brand
The top reasons cited by influencers for rejecting a collaboration proposal include:
- Brand mismatch: An influencer’s personal reputation is at risk when they endorse a brand or product. They may refuse to partner with a brand that doesn’t align with their personal values or the aesthetics of their social feeds.
- Unfair compensation: Contrary to popular belief, just sending an email or dropping a message isn’t enough to get an influencer onboard. 69.4% of influencers cite earning revenue as their main goal, and insufficient payout can be a turn off for them.
- Unrealistic client expectations: Excessively strict content guidelines or unrealistic expectations can be a potential red flag for some influencers.
Another pitfall that can prevent you from hiring your desired influencer is if you fail to approach them in the right way.
How to Approach an Instagram Influencer You Want to Work With
Here are a few tips to help you approach your shortlisted influencers appropriately:
1. Do Your Research
Influencers are busy people. If you pitch them an irrelevant proposal, there are higher chances that they’ll deny the offer.
You should research your shortlisted influencers thoroughly. You should scan their social media feeds to understand the kind of content they create and the type of products they usually endorse.
You should approach an Instagram influencer who exhibits an affinity for your kind of brand. This will be a win-win situation for both of you.
2. Define Your Value Proposition
When you pitch an influencer, be upfront about what you bring to the table. If you want them to seriously consider your collaboration proposal, you need to ensure that it offers value to them as well.
You should ask yourself a few questions, such as:
- Is your brand adding value to their personal brand?
- Are you offering exclusive services or free products as a bonus?
- Is the compensation you’re offering lucrative enough?
3. Be Direct and Respectful
Influencers can influence the opinions of their followers by a single social media post. They expect brands to respect them for this and many of them won’t work with brands that don’t.
So, you should address influencers respectfully. You can compliment them for their recent work or accomplishment. Without wasting time, present your proposal to them and be open to negotiations.
4. Follow Up with Them
You shouldn’t get offended, if an influencer you’ve approached, doesn’t revert promptly. Calling them out in public or spamming their inbox can do more damage than good.
You should respectfully follow up on your proposal and include a clear call-to-action (CTA) so that they know how to proceed. Let go gracefully, if they still don’t respond.
Check out the below infographic by iFluenz for more tips:
About the Author
Yann Benichou is a software engineer and a tech and social media enthusiast. He recently started to blog about influencer marketing for iFluenz.