Influencers have many choices when it comes to the brands they want to work with, so it’s important to make sure you stand out to improve influencer response rate. Generally, influencers are drawn to brands where:
The product is high-value
There is an opportunity for monetary compensation (either a flat fee or commission)
The brand is recognizable and has a strong presence on social media
The brand’s values align with the personal values of the influencer
If you are a smaller business just getting started, you can absolutely still work with influencers even if you don’t check all the boxes above! Here we’ll give you some tips on how to maximize the response rate for your program.
Product value: If you have a high-value product, make sure to highlight the retail value of the products! If you are offering a lower-value product (makeup, clothing, etc), consider offering a product bundle as well as additional swag to make the offer more appealing. Remember to highlight this offering on your application page!
Compensation: If you can, offer payment for posts or commission (or both, if possible!). This will dramatically increase your response rate. If you do not have a budget, consider offering a product without a requirement to post. While this tactic may feel scary, product seeding is a great way to familiarize people with your brand, and often times they will still post if they love the product! For more on product seeding programs, click here.
Brand Story: Even if you don’t have a ton of brand recognition, your story and values can absolutely help make influencers want to work with you. Highlight how your products are different, what your brand stands for, and why you are excited to build a community of influencers.
From a tactical perspective, here are some quick tips on response rate that you can implement today:
Target smaller influencers (less than 5k followers).
Customize your outreach email to explain more about your brand and your origin story, as well as why you are excited to partner and grow with influencers.
Scale out the amount of people you reach out to!