The PR Adviser: Finding Local Influencers, Part II

by himself, stay in any hotel, and participate in all events and brag about it on his social profiles.

My final response? @#&%$ no!

The best influencers understand this is business and provide measurable returns to justify their demands. The rest believe they deserve money by virtue of just existing.

This is why you start with a large list. You’re going to get people who not only ask for the world, but also demand Venus and Jupiter be thrown in. When you have other options, you can always respond in the words of Ralph Kramden: “Bang, zoom, to the moon!”

I was asked during the webinar what to do when your chosen influencer doesn’t respond.

If you take nothing else from this article, please remember you always have other options. What one influencer won’t do, another will, and there are currently a lot of influencers to go around.

It’s your company, your brand, your investment. Only work with those who immediately understand this will be a partnership, where both sides are gaining something from working together.

Before you begin negotiations, do yourself a favor and download the free Influencer Marketing Toolkit from my website. You’ll find worksheets to help outline your entire influencer marketing strategy.

Now, when it comes to compensating micro-influencers, know that compensation doesn’t necessarily mean cash.

Whenever I go into any negotiation, I already have an idea of what I’ll accept. However, I let the other party lead the conversation. You never know if they’re going to suggest something less than your planned offer. Let the influencer first propose how they see you two working together.

If they want money, don’t hesitate to ask how they’ll show a return on your investment. Ask for quantifiable evidence that their past financial arrangements generated store or website traffic, increased sales or some other parameters you’ve outlined in the worksheets.

Those who can provide this information deserve whatever payment you negotiate. For those who can’t, find a non-cash alternative.

The best influencers understand this is business and provide measurable returns to justify their demands. The rest believe they deserve money by virtue of just existing.

A non-cash alternative could be allowing the influencer access to your inventory to borrow pieces for major events in exchange for tagging you on her or his posts. With this access, the influencer feels superior to her or his followers, and you’ll get ongoing shout-outs across her or his platforms.

I direct you again to my Influencer Marketing Toolkit, where you’ll find a sample contract to iron out details of the partnership.

While I’ve watched many hours of “Suits,” “Ally McBeal,” “The Practice,” “Damages,” “Better Call Saul,” “Perry Mason” and “Matlock,” remember I’m not a lawyer, nor do I play one on TV. Make sure your attorney reviews the sample contract and amends it accordingly.

Now, my dear friends, back to your regularly scheduled Vegas planning.

If you have some more time, or if your sanity is dependent upon not filling out one more FedEx label right now, check out my past column on preparing for Vegas. Make the PR Adviser proud and maximize every opportunity to promote your business.

I’m sitting out Vegas this year, but I’ll be with you in spirit. And I’ll be back here next month to answer another webinar question, “How can I turn my staff into influencers?”

In the meantime, if you have your own pressing PR, marketing or social media questions, send ‘em my way!

I wish you all a prosperous show.

Lilian Raji is a strategic communications and PR adviser who helps companies understand their marketing problems, then designs and executes strategies to solve them. Learn more at LilianRaji.com. Submit questions for Lilian to answer here and connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.