How to get access to the influencers you need to grow your client’s brand

One of the best ways to get positive word of mouth and increased referral business is by the stories you generate with your current client base.

Namely — the clients of yours that you’ve managed to help turn into thought leaders.

Is there anyway to become a thought leader that doesnt involve us grinding for 100 or so years so that we can earn the title “since 1990” or “since 1960” that many iconic brands have?

 

While the above definitely commands respect, there are other ways in our day and age to achieve relative thought leadership and this is through smart collaborations with brands.

One of the first steps of identifying client needs involves what audience they are after that they do not already command the attention of.

As an agency, our job then is to look out for methods that help our customers find those audiences.

While some tried (and tested) methods include paid media and topic/keyword targeting, and some light influencer work, there is a largely untapped pool of opportunity which I coin Collaborative Content.

One of the main aspects of creating collaborative content is finding the right people to collaborate with.

The “formula” is simple, if my client currently commands audience X but is looking to now attract audience Y, all I need to figure out is a list of brands (regardless of industry) that already command my persona’s attention in the digital space.

Once I am able to identify those brands, the subsequent task would be to uncover the best way of reaching out to them to build a relationship, in preparation for a pitch to collaborate and get access to their much sought after audience.

Method 1: Linkedin

Performing a LinkedIn company search will quickly return a map of connections and commonalities that I can use to creatively find a way to build a route to the decision maker I need to pitch a collab opportunity.

Method 2: It goes down in the DM

Instagram DMs, especially with influencers, can be tricky. Who’s to say we’re the only one who had the idea of reaching out to them for “help”?

A smarter way to get their attention is to assume a more passive role, liking and commenting on their posts, preferably asking questions that prompt them to answer.

Ideally, those questions would be the type of questions that they would enjoy answering, or by answering, would reveal information that would make their post stand out even more, or look more interesting.

Get in the habit of this, and make sure they notice you. You would have a much better chance of getting a response through DM afterwards.

Method 3: Email

If the company has a contact us page, it honestly exists for a reason. Any serious company or influencer would actively monitor their incoming “Contact Us” form requests. Reaching out with a concise and well-crafted email to pique interest around a collaboration opportunity could be your way in the door.

Don’t forget to follow up.

Pro Tip: Don’t get emotionally attached. Make a list of multiple brands that attract more or less the same audience.