🥗 You're Doing Influencer Marketing Wrong

Hey there,

Welcome to another bite to chew on.

If you’re anything like us, you’re 100% over hearing about Taylor Swift and how everything she touches turns to gold.

The first time she showed up to a Kansas City Chiefs game, Travis Kelce jersey sales went up 400% and he’s gained over 1 MILLION followers since their relationship went public.

But if we quit rolling our eyes for a second, we might see one of the best case studies for influencer marketing… maybe ever?

If you’re looking to amplify your brand’s message, influencer marketing is the answer.

But we aren’t Taylor and Travis, so it’s easy to mess it up.

This newsletter is your guide to avoiding screw-ups and mastering the art of influencer marketing.

We use these concepts every single day.

Don't let your strategy be a 'blank space'—here’s how to fill it with influencer marketing that works.

(we deeply apologize for that pun)

Understanding the "Taylor Effect"

Taylor Swift’s marketing Midas touch has been nicknamed the “Taylor Effect." 

This reiterates the ridiculous impact of celebrity influence on consumer behavior and brand engagement. 

It's an overall description of how personalities like Taylor can sway public actions and preferences, just like Kanye with Adidas (RIP that partnership) and Cardi B with Christian Louboutin.

Case Study: The Swifties’ Influence Network

Examining the "Taylor Effect" more closely, we see that Taylor's influence works like a pinball machine.

Her actions and preferences bounce and travel down through her community.

This leads to widespread behaviors that significantly impact consumption patterns. 

We can learn from this by acting as the initial catalyst for our own community.

Sparking discussions and actions that resonate well beyond the first point of contact.

Rethinking Influence: Beyond Celebrity Endorsements

Of course, we’d all love the ability to bankroll celebrity influencers.

But you’re able to achieve true influence much cheaper and stronger.

It's about fostering authentic connections and building a community that resonates with your brand's values. 

Start by identifying influencers who genuinely appreciate your brand.

This makes sure their endorsements come across as sincere rather than just being bought.

The goal is to nurture a community that actively engages with and supports your brand.

(Like our Obvi Facebook Community—We’d love for you to join!)

You want to turn customers into your best advocates.

Influencer Marketing Mistakes to Avoid

The key to successful influencer marketing is how you engage with both influencers and their audiences. 

Here are critical mistakes to avoid:

1. Lack of Authenticity

Influencers resonate with their audience because of their genuine personality. 

Ensure any partnership feels natural to the influencer's style and audience expectations.

2. Ignoring Alignment with Brand Values

Influencers should embody your brand's core values. 

Misalignment can lead to campaigns that feel forced or inauthentic to consumers.

3. Overlooking the Importance of Long-Term Relationships

Instead of one-off posts, aim for ongoing collaborations that build deeper connections with audiences.

4. Failing to Set Clear, Measurable Goals

Define what success looks like for your campaign.

Whether it's increasing brand awareness, driving sales, or boosting engagement.

Transforming Your Approach: A Step-by-Step Guide

To shift your influencer marketing from common errors towards building real connections and engagement,

Follow these steps:

1. Identify and Vet Potential Influencers

Look beyond follower counts. 

Consider engagement rates, audience demographics, and alignment with your brand's identity and values.

2. Develop a Clear Brief and Goals

Communicate your campaign objectives, expected deliverables, and any brand guidelines to ensure clarity and alignment.

3. Foster Genuine Relationships

Engage with influencers on a personal level. 

Understand their interests and how your brand fits into their narrative.

Depth is more important than width

4. Create Collaborative Content

Work with influencers to produce content that feels authentic to their style while effectively conveying your brand message.

5. Measure and Optimize

Use analytics to track the performance of your influencer campaigns. 

Learn from each campaign to refine your approach and improve future outcomes.

Putting All of This Into Action

In our second year into Obvi, we were investing $1,000 to $2,000 daily into our brand, earning about $5,000 in sales and striving for growth.

Suddenly, one random day, our sales unexpectedly soared.

We traced this surge to a Facebook influencer, a Midwestern mom with 2 million followers, who stumbled upon our protein powder.

She was looking for a protein power that just tasted good to help her on her already successful weight loss journey.

Without any prior arrangement, she shared her authentic experience and love for our product in a 20-minute live video.

Her endorsement led our sales to quadruple in a single day.

We immediately reached out to collaborate, sending her our entire product range and setting up a promo code to facilitate sales tracking.

Her subsequent video amassed a million views, marking our entry into viral success.

Inspired by her focus on weight loss, we launched a new product tailored to her audience's needs.

This influencer's genuine support and connection with her audience not only propelled us from $5 million to $20 million in annual sales but also highlighted the significance of authentic partnerships and engaging the right audience for our brand.

Why This All Matters

By avoiding common mistakes and adopting a more strategic, relationship-focused approach, your influencer marketing efforts can yield significantly higher ROI. 

This not only elevates your brand's presence but also establishes your company as a forward-thinking leader in influencer marketing.

Influencer marketing, when done right, can be one of the most effective tools in your digital marketing arsenal. 

It's not just about leveraging someone's reach; it's about engaging with communities in a meaningful, authentic way that drives results.

As you refine your strategies, remember the power of genuine connections and the importance of aligning with influencers who truly resonate with your brand and its values. 

This approach will not only enhance your campaigns but also ensure they contribute to long-term brand loyalty and growth.

Tool of the Week

Before we had all of these actionable steps put in place, influencer marketing was like trying to finish a puzzle but missing some pieces.

We were so excited to have influencers help us share our brand.

But finding the right ones and talking to them was difficult.

It was like throwing messages in bottles out into the sea, hoping someone would eventually find them.

And getting our products to influencers? A logistical nightmare…

We wanted everything to be just right for them.

The biggest job, though, was keeping up a good friendship with these influencers.

We had to keep coming up with new ideas and work really hard.

Then we found SARAL.

It changed everything for us in working with influencers.

SARAL made everything easier, from finding influencers to keeping a good relationship with them.

It helped us focus on the most important thing: making real, strong friendships with influencers who liked our brand just as much as we do.

If you're finding influencer marketing tricky, SARAL might be just what you need.

#ProudPartner

The Latest Soundbite

Whether it’s your cup of tea or not,

There’s no denying Taylor Swift has had a great music career.

But you should hear how Jimmy Kim orchestrates a symphony of email marketing success, hitting all the right notes with Sendlane.

We explore key strategies for retaining customers, targeting engaged audiences, and understanding buyer behaviors and product cycles in the latest podcast.

Hungry for More?

We're thrilled to have had 50 founders RSVP for our first event in Phoenix, AZ.

We’re excited to host our founder dinners nationwide and connect in regions who aren’t exposed to what the DTC community has to offer.

It was an amazing experience to engage with innovators from companies like Mars, Petsmart, GherdLi, and Nominal, highlighting the depth of talent in areas like Phoenix. 

As we launch our first-ever breakfast event in NYC, we're eager to kickstart the day with top founders and operators, hoping to make this a weekly tradition going forward!

All the best,

Ron & Ash