#1 Having an unfair or unrealistic value exchange
Often brands expect way too much from influencers without offering a fair exchange in return. Influencers will take the time to learn about your product, think about the core brand messages that will resonate with her audience and then shape and create content to deliver the best returns. Therefore it is respectful and critical to building long term, fruitful relationships to negotiate a partnership that is fair for all parties.
Did you know:Â 72% of influencers are turned off a brand campaign that expects too much, which will ultimately deter interest from excellent advocates
#2 No due-diligence to prescreen influencers
Pre-screening your influencers is essential in ensuring that your new brand advocates have a clear brand alignment. If this is not achieved, not only will the influencer be frustrated and reluctant to continue conversation, if a campaign does go ahead, your brand message may come across as inauthentic (and her audience can see this).
Did you know:Â Failing to conduct due-diligence causes frustration for 4 in 10 influencers and impacts conversion
#3 No personalisation. No Connection
The worse thing you can do is start your email to an influencer with, “Dear Mummy Blogger.” Sadly this happens. As the old saying goes, “first impressions count” – use this and make sure you are leaving a lasting, personable impression on these influencers. Take the time to learn her name, a little about her children and see what she has been getting up to. That way, when you do make contact, you are able to demonstrate that you are familiar with her, both as a person and as a brand. This will automatically lower any resistance and increase your brand appeal.
Takeaway: For an impactful start – first impressions count
#4 Focus too much on selling
Of course you have a fabulous product! But Mum Shoppers, including Mum Influencers, are less interested in all the ins and outs of your product and the technical information and a whole lot more engaged in knowing what effect will having your product make on her life? In getting to know you, the influencer needs to be sure how your product will address her readers needs, motivations and pain points. So make this part of your brand messaging to her clear. This approach will also stimulate engaging content ideas and make your brand message even more compelling to her audience. While there is certainly a role in understanding the nuts of bolts of your product, take steps to foster an emotional connection to the brand first.
Takeaway: It’s not about you – It’s about her. Mum Influencers want to know how will having your product make a difference in her readers lives.
#5 Boring, irrelevant messaging
Make sure your brand messages are tested and crafted to be emotive, compelling and relevant otherwise they will not engage with the influencer or the readers. If you go in with lack-luster messaging, the influencer simply will struggle to connect with your brand and therefore not feel empowered to share this with her audience. If you are not sure if you brand messages are as optimised as they could be, an expert agency such as Mum Power, or the influencer herself will be able to guide you on this.
Takeaway:Â Test the appeal of the brand messages and always ask for feedback from the influencer as well for maximum effect.
#6 Unclear briefs & expectations
Your brief is your blueprint and foundation to your influencer marketing success. A well crafted brief is clear, engaging and it contains everything the influencer needs to know to deliver timely, successful campaign goals and sets her up to exceed campaign expectations. Yet all too often briefs are incomplete, confusing or worse – ever changing.
Did you know:Â Over 50% of brands fail to create optimised, clear, concise briefs to ensure everyone is set up to thrive
#7 Asking for too much (different to point 1)
Naturally, if you are collaborating with influencers, like any marketing investment – you want to get as much out of the medium as possible. However, if you ask the influencer to cram in absolutely everything there is to know about your brand then you are setting your brand up for a less impactful return. The reason for this is that the core campaign goals and key messages will be diluted to make space for extra noise. To avoid weakening the potential impact, make sure you have a clear idea of your campaign goals, and what it takes to deliver your campaign goals. This way it is easier to identify if the approach is set up to address or if it is veering off track.
Takeaway:Â There is a difference between getting good value and cramming everything in.
#8 Not leveraging the relationship
If you’ve worked with an influencer on a campaign and they delivered what you required of them, why not continue that relationship with them? You’ve already spent time and effort selecting and planting the seeds for new brand relationships. It will save you time, effort and resources in the long run if you continue to nurture those relationships post campaign. And if you do this, influencers will move beyond the role of being an influencer, to being a high profile an advocate and even more of a trusted voice for your brand to represent you in future campaigns.
Did you know: 50% of the time, brands partner with influencers on a one off campaign then do not nurture the relationship beyond this -. Limiting the roll on benefits and wastes time and money.