More and more in product based businesses, brands are investing in Influencers to help spread the word about what they’re selling (the skincare industry included!) I’ve seen many PLSC clients work with Influencers and reap great rewards in their businesses because of it. Social media is big and it’s here to stay, so if you’re looking for a creative way to increase your online exposure and build your brand’s visibility, working with Influencers may be your next best step!

In a nutshell, an Influencer is someone on social media who has a large and engaged following. You send them your product and they post an image of themselves using it, in exchange for a fee. Because they have a big network of followers, their posts have the potential to land in the homes (or, on the phones!) of more people than you’d have access to if you were relying solely on your own social media following. 

Here’s some things to know and keep in mind when choosing to work with an Influencer:

• You can approach an Influencer yourself (just send them a DM on Instagram or an email), or use a platform like Tribe Group. Some people won’t announce that they’re an Influencer so if there’s someone you know and love online I suggest just reaching out and asking if they’d be interested in collaborating
• You should expect to pay for your product’s exposure. Costs vary but there will always be a fee (as there rightly should because curating a post takes time and energy)
• You should choose an Influencer who is aligned with your brand - their followers need to be your ideal customers otherwise you’re wasting your time and money
• You should resonate with the Influencers ‘style’ and how they share on their platform - a quick scroll of their feed will give you an idea of whether or not they’re a good fit for your business
• It’s important that you have a contract in place so you can be crystal clear about your expectations. The contract should cover things like: 
• Timeframes
• A direction that your product should be in clear view in the image and that your brand should be tagged
• Whether or not they need to use a direct affiliate link so you can establish your ROI (return on investment)
• Any specifics you want them to cover in their post (for example, that your products are all natural and vegan).

Working with an Influencer won’t be the Holy Grail in your business but it may be an effective way for you to establish credibility, increase your exposure and spread the word about your amazing products. For many PLSC clients, it’s definitely been an effective marketing tool that they’ve built into their promotional tool kit!