Who are influencers and how to communicate with them to get what you want

Who are influencers

Influencers (from the English influence - "to influence") - people whose opinion matters to a certain audience. Most often, they interact with this audience through social media: Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube. Influencers talk about the latest trends in healthy lifestyle, makeup, fashion, art and literature - the list goes on and on, they are present in almost any field.

Katya Klep, video blogger

BadComedian, video blogger and movie reviewer

Yuri Dud, journalist and video blogger

Influencers have a loyal audience that listens to them and trusts them. These are not just super popular bloggers with a million followers or hundreds of thousands of fans. Influencers communicate with the audience, know it by sight, value and respect it. Therefore, the published content is carefully monitored: a vegan influencer will never promote beef patties through their social media accounts.

Influencers can be experts in one area or talk about everything at once, and not necessarily the number of their subscribers will be sky-high.

Influencers with a small audience of several tens of thousands often show a higher degree of audience engagement than bloggers with a population of over one million.

Companies - from small local to international chains - are introducing influencer marketing into their businesses and recruiting influencers to promote their products. It is an effective and promising communication channel.

How to communicate with influencers

Some influencers are very difficult to make contact and make connections with. And it hurts their careers.

The point is, influencers are usually very busy people. They simply don’t have time to read your life story in a long canvas of text.

Short letters with a well-built communication strategy are more likely to be read and not go unanswered.

Mike Loomis, an author and agent and coach for aspiring writers, follows the three-sentence rule so that sent messages will not be deleted before being read.

Greetings

First you need to deal with the greeting.

"Dear", "Dear", "Honorable" - these words at the beginning of the message, if you are not writing to your grandmother or the Pope, as if hinting: "Close me and remove me immediately."

Address the person by their first name. If you're brave enough, write "Hello." The point is to be yourself and get straight to the point, not show the other person that you are a frightened recruit who was forced to do this.

First sentence: why and why?

At the beginning of the letter, explain why you distracted the influencer from important things and why he should take time for you. Fit it into one sentence that has the following:

The answer to the question "Why should the recipient pay attention to your letter?" There may be general personal or professional interests. Or perhaps you come from the same city or region. Incidentally mention one or more facts, but don't overdo it. The interlocutor should not think that you are following his every step.
Proof that you are truly familiar with his work, accomplishments and outlook on life.

Example: "I read your last book with pleasure, I especially liked the third chapter, I am writing to you just on this topic."

The interlocutor will not see another template letter from a mass mailing, but a personal appeal of a person familiar with his work.

Second sentence: who?

Introduce yourself, tell us about yourself and answer the question that your interlocutor might have: "Who is this person and why should I care?"

Make it clear that you are on an equal footing with him, do not fawn. Show your worth: how you can be useful.

Of course, there is no need to talk about it in plain text.

Example: Instead of “I'm an important person in the industry. And I also jotted down 200 thousand words of a new novel, it will turn out great, "say:" My readers ask me similar questions on the topic …"

You made it clear that you work in the same area and interact with readers - let there be at least two of them. But at the same time, they did not boast of their publishing activities and mention how many of your books were sold.

Third sentence: what?

Just ask what you wanted. Be clear and direct, don't apologize.

If the goal is to get public feedback on your work from an influencer, don't bark and ask, "Could you, if possible, have a look at my manuscript?" This request requires additional consideration from the recipient (could it or not?), A few more letters and, probably, the cancellation of family leave. It is easier for him to delete such a letter and forget about it.

Show that you respect the other person's time, know what you want, and understand the unwritten rules of communication.

Example: "My manuscript and annotation to it, as well as some feedback that I have already received, are attached to the letter."

If you're asking for advice, you don't need to write "Can I ask you a question?" Just ask. Avoid questions with a touch of despair: "You may be too busy to read all this, but …" Whatever you ask, do it clearly and simply to get the desired answer.

Letter subject

Now, when it is clear from the body of the letter who, why and what is writing about, you need to formulate the topic. Her goals:

make sure that the letter does not end up in spam;
induce you to open the letter and read it;
make a good impression and set the other person in a positive way from the very beginning.

Choose a subject that is right for the recipient and reflects the essence of your letter. For example, "A small question about advertising support" or "A recommendation from our mutual friend Michael Loomis."

Emails with general or unclear topics like "Question" or "Need Feedback" are more likely to be ignored.

Reaching the goal

Influencers read between the lines. And they can feel fear.

Even if you're scared and anxious, your letter should exude confidence.

One of Michael Loomis's letters to the bestselling author began: "You have a reputation for rejecting all requests for public comment, and I have a reputation for successfully advocating for great newbie authors." And he got the answer he hoped for.

Michael ended another letter to the eccentric influencer with the phrase “Keep on kinking” instead of the boring “Sincerely yours” or the unbearable “Thanks in advance!”.

So worry, but don't show it in the letter.

A little humor, energetic storytelling, and lack of ostentatious formality play a decisive role.

After all, confidence and creativity attract successful people.

Useful Tips

Do not use “P. S.”if you do not send a copy of the letter to the sales or marketing department.
Avoid frequent repetitions of the pronouns "I", "me", "mine" and so on. If in a three-sentence letter, “I” appears six times, continue editing.
Divide the text of the letter into paragraphs. You've probably read a 200-word message written in a solid canvas. Not very nice, right? So respect the interlocutor.
Make sure you have the correct email address for the influencer or his assistant.
Add your website link to the signature at the end of the letter. The recipient will want to know the details before giving you an answer.