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The real cost of Influencer Marketing

By Coaching Entrepreneur Social Media Twitter

Having received more than my fair share of branded disposable pens and matching lanyards over the years, I feel its my duty to inform brands and agencies to stop trying to buy my loyalty with cheap plastic gifts and branded promo-gear.

My loyalty should be curated, nurtured and rewarded.

Let’s be honest, you are looking to use me as another marketing channel and hoping that my mid level influence can help grow your brand or deliver your campaign objectives. It can, but only as long as I already believe in your purpose and buy into your marketing message and most importantly, love your product.

Influencer marketing is a very smart way of using a third parties voice to authentically portray your brand in a way that would only seems paid for and fake, if it were coming directly from the brand. Influencer marketing has been around before the dawn of social media, before the web and before traditional marketing was even dreamt up. Storekeepers would ask patrons to spread the word, and if the customer had a good experience, would do just that. Nothing has changed except the medium on which we spread the word.

I understand what you, the marketer, want to use me for and feel that I should be fairly rewarded for my part in your process. It is paid-for media and the reward should be cash.

My voice to my followers is far more powerful than any other medium you have in your vast arsenal of marketing channels. The consumer of today no longer believes your polished message and scripted values. The consumer of today wants to hear an honest message, one that is unique to the influencer but the truth no less. Consumers want someone that will answer the questions asked, with deep insight into the product and will kill for the brand if he is truly an ambassador.

Would you rather have a message being broadcast to thousands of people that don’t necessarily care or a conversation between an ambassador and a few real potential clients of the brand, who will most likely spend money with you? Influencers who believe in the brand will not only drive awareness but will drive an action that is valuable to the brand.

Involved affiliate marketing has proven to be hugely successful in industries like travel, fashion and restaurants. This is because people will trust the voice of a virtual stranger over the “your call is important to us” tone of taglines. Influencers have taken the time, often over years, to build credibility with their audience and have their own authentic voice and tone, which resonates with their own audience.

Influencer’s audiences are often incredibly niche. Understanding whom their audience is absolutely key to using an influencer to sell the right product to their niche audience. My personal online audience has evolved drastically from a comedic one to an entrepreneurial business base in the creative and tech industries. You can’t expect me to promote food brands or fashion, as my listeners know that this is not what I talk about and it won’t appear credible. I have taken years to have the right followers for my brand, my business and my messages, and if you want to gain access to this market and put my own credibility at risk, then you should pay for the privilege. If you are financially compensating someone then you also get the right to guide the conversation towards your own goals and expect certain clear deliverables to be executed by the influencer, in the influencers own unique tone and fashion. Giving the influencer the freedom to express your message intheir incomparable voice will deliver the greatest results for your business.

You want your influencer to feel rewarded, acknowledged, loved, important, or any combination of those and ensure that they are partners in your communication strategy.

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A late bloomer digital native with a passion for education. | Ryan Sauer #Proudprofile

By Business Coaching Motivation Social Media Twitter No Comments

ryan sauer

Ryan Sauer loves to be the center of attention, its half the reason he loves lecturing so much. Ryan is called “Sourz” by his close friends from the late 90’s and “Ryan” by everyone else that met him post Y2K.

The strange thing is Ryan grew up with little to no technology in his life, his parents were so slow on the digital revolution that Ryan went from Betamax to DVD, never knowing the true joy of VHS.

So how does a boy born technologically challenged, grown into a man worthy of lecturing Marketing masters students at Wits Business School? Beats us.

Ryan loves digital marketing like fat kids like candy.

In 2009 he decided at the age of 22 with his vast expanse of wisdom in industrial psychology and HR management to open a digital consulting agency in JHB (bright idea) and has grown his operation from 2 clients barely spending enough to buy a bag of chappies, to over 74 clients spending just enough to buy 2 bags of chappies.

Ryan’s agency specializes in customized digital solutions that generate results for their clients with a measurable ROI.

Some of the services Ryan offers include:

  • Website design and development (baai Mooi!)
  • Search Engine optimisation
  • Paid advertising
  • Social media management and campaigns
  • Email marketing
  • Customer retention management software
  • Powerful reporting tools

We also specialize in:

  • Audits
  • Research studies
  • Consulting
  • Training
  • Pure reporting

 

So if you need an agency that is small, agile and has moderately attractive people you don’t mind meeting with, give us a shout.

 

CONTACT

082-788-2249

Email : ryan@searchoc.co.za

www.searchoc.co.za

3rd floor 5 Sturdee Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg.

Twitter @searchoc

Facebook SOC

 

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The importance of storytelling and authentic leadership by Kevin Welman

By Business Coaching Mentoring Motivation Public Speaking Social Media Twitter No Comments

Kevin’s presentation was entitled ‘Importance of storytelling and authentic leadership’ and covered the importance of good storytelling in your business and the duties that MD’s and business owners have to become authentic story tellers.

Check out the full presentation here:

 

The overriding theme that Kevin shared was as follows:

  1. Be as you wish to be seen and be authentic
  2. Be available and have an opinion
  3. Your reputation is all you have

Mr Nic Haralambous Founder of NicSocks.com speaks!

By Business Coaching Mentoring Motivation Public Speaking Social Media Twitter No Comments

Nicholas Haralambous is the founder of the online fashion company, NicSocks.com.

Nic was the CEO and co-founder of Motribe, the mobile community platform, before the company was successfully acquired by the social network, Mxit in October, 2012. He also founded ForeFront Africa consulting firm before selling that business to Imperial Holdings.

He was selected as one of the 200 young South Africans to take to lunch by the Mail&Guardian, featured on GQ’s list of top 30 men in media and was also a finalist in the Men’s Health Best Men Awards. The company he co-founded, Motribe, was named by Forbes as one of the top 20 startups in Africa.

His career included roles at the Sunday Times, Financial Mail, 702, Mail & Guardian as well as Vodacom SA.

PART ONE

PART TWO