Influencers aren’t just for commercial brands.
Your B2B business can also take advantage of the power of influencers, regardless of your industry and niche.
However, building strategic partnerships with B2B influencers does require a different approach than B2C. After all, B2B influencing partnerships are more mutually beneficial rather than transactional.
So, here are the “lucky 13” tips on how you should approach new influencers, engage with them and strengthen your newly formed partnership:
1.) Identify Industry-Relevant Thought Leaders: Look for individuals who are respected and have a strong presence in your industry. They might be experts, consultants or influential figures in your niche.
2.) Leverage Professional Networks: LinkedIn is a powerful platform for B2B networking. Connect with potential influencers, engage with their content and start building relationships. It’s helpful to join industry-specific groups to find potential partners.
3.) Attend Industry Events and Conferences: Networking events provide an excellent opportunity to meet influencers face-to-face. These events often have sessions where industry experts share their insights, making it easier to identify potential partners.
4.) Personalize Your Outreach & Be Authentic: When reaching out, be specific about why you think the influencer is a good fit for your brand. Show that you’ve done your research and explain how the partnership aligns with their expertise and interests.
5.) Provide Value Before Asking for Anything: Before approaching an influencer, engage with their content, offer value and establish a genuine connection. Share their content, comment on their posts and provide thoughtful insights.
6.) Offer Mutual Value: Highlight how a partnership with your B2B business can benefit the influencer and their audience. This could include access to valuable resources, exposure to a new audience or collaboration on high-quality content.
7.) Highlight Case Studies & Success Stories: Share examples of how your product or service has helped other businesses succeed. Influencers may be more inclined to partner with you if they see tangible results.
8.) Strengthen Your Partnership: Once you’ve shaken hands, either virtually or in person, it’s time to strategically team up and move into the future together.
9.) Connect & Collaborate: Hosting webinars, workshops, or online events with influencers can be an excellent way to provide value to their audience while showcasing your expertise.
10.) Provide Exclusive Access or Early Releases: Offer influencers early access to new features, products, or services. This can give them a unique angle to share with their audience and can generate excitement.
11.) Leverage User-Generated Content (UGC): Encourage influencers to create content featuring your products or services. This not only provides social proof but also exposes your brand to the influencer’s audience.
12.) Maintain Long-term Relationships: Focus on building lasting relationships with influencers. Keep them in the loop about updates and involve them in future campaigns. After a partnership, share the results and impact with the influencer. This not only shows transparency but also reinforces the value of the collaboration.
13.) Comply with Disclosure and Regulatory Guidelines: Ensure that influencer partnerships comply with industry regulations and guidelines. Transparency is crucial for maintaining trust.
Remember: B2B influencer partnerships should be about genuine collaboration and value exchange, not transactional relationships. And when you build long-term, mutually beneficial partnerships, you can bet it will lead to sustained success for both your business and your influencers.
If you want to learn more about approaching influencers and maintaining long-lasting partnerships, reach out to DeanHouston+!