Is this partnership right for me?
When partnering with brands, it’s very important to make sure you are choosing to work with brands that compliment your own brand. There are a number of things you should consider before making your final decision, so how do you know if it is the right fit? We suggest you begin by asking yourself these questions:
Is this a brand that makes sense for me to advertise?
Think about whether you would use this brand even if you weren’t being asked to work together. Is it a natural fit? You never want a partnership to feel forced or fake, and you should never do it just for the money. Your attitude going into the partnership will reflect the content you create, and your followers will be able to tell if the partnership is off-brand for you. Your followers also want to see you working with brands you have a genuine connection with. They are coming to you for your opinions and advice because they trust you.
“This is key for a successful marketing campaign, because credibility is influencers’ greatest asset, and by endorsing your product or service, they're automatically boosting brand trust. If they believe in the products and services they promote, it is very likely that their followers will do so as well,” Social Media Today.
Can I create authentic content around this?
Everyone knows that authenticity is key in influencer marketing. But, how do you achieve it? Don’t be afraid to explain to the brand that you know what kind of content resonates best with your followers and yields high engagement. They should be open to giving you creative freedom, so you can create the best content possible. Again, think about if the brand makes sense for you to advertise. Does it naturally fit into your lifestyle? The answer to this question should be yes, which will lead to an authentic connection with the brand.
According to a study done by RealWire, the majority of consumers express a preference for influencers who create authentic, engaging content and 90% of marketers say proving authenticity is critical to the future of influencer marketing.
Am I excited about selling this brand?
Think back to the first question and your answer. If a partnership makes sense, you should be excited to work with this brand and promote it to your followers. If it’s something you choose to use in your life on a daily basis, why wouldn’t you be excited about sharing it? When your followers can see your excitement, it makes them more excited and more likely to try out the brand, too. Spread your love, share the excitement, and open their eyes to something new. One of the best feelings of working in this industry is getting those messages from your followers saying they love what you are promoting!
We asked Foodie Tribe member Samantha from @chicagofoodauthority how she feels when followers DM her saying they tried something she promoted, and loved it. “I absolutely love when they message me that!! I genuinely only promote things I stand behind so I get super excited when people take my word & fall in love with those things.” We also asked, when you are genuinely excited about promoting a brand, do you think your followers get more excited and are more likely to try it out? “Absolutely. That’s why I think it’s super important to team up with brands you actually love because my followers can tell if I’m genuinely excited about something,” Samantha says.
We also spoke to Vanessa Gordon from @eastendtaste. "I cannot begin to express how overjoyed I am in knowing that one of my followers has tried a brand that I have promoted on Instagram. I have very dedicated followers with a diverse age range and know many of them personally. Several of these individuals will approach me and tell me how excited they were to try x brand that I recently posted about. They trust my judgment and knowing that I have introduced them to a new (oftentimes favorite) brands really means a lot to me."
Brand partnerships can be tricky, but when it’s a brand you are truly passionate about, the choice to partner together should be easy. And if everyone is happy at the end, there is always the possibility of creating a long-term partnership.
When asking yourself, “is this partnership right for me?” remember the three questions above, and use them to guide your decision.
Dara Schlossmann is an Influencer Manager at Foodie Tribe. In her free time you will find her taking advantage of the sunny Florida weather, traveling, or in the kitchen cooking up a new recipe.