It’s no secret that the demand for influencer marketing is on the rise in the B2B sphere, with over 85% of organizations considering it an essential part of their programs. A well-planned pitching strategy is crucial to the success of an influencer campaign, as it is essentially, your chance to make a compelling first impression.
The success of pitching these campaigns relies on strategic targeting, personalization, and a nuanced approach. Merritt Group has always brought extensive experience in influencer marketing to the table, but we recently built and formalized a new service around it: our B2B and B2G influencer marketing offering. We’ve carefully crafted this offering and look forward to continuing to deliver fresh perspectives to the B2B and B2G industries through a specialized influencer marketing approach.
Merritt Group has created what we deem the essential checklist to pitch influencer marketing campaigns in the B2B tech world.
1. Get in touch with the RIGHT influencers
Every influencer has their niche. Whether it’s strictly cybersecurity, healthtech, or government tech, there is an influencer for nearly every specialty. The key to a successful campaign is engaging with those who have a deep knowledge of your field and who reach the decision-makers in your target audience. It all starts with solid research.
LinkedIn, Sprout Social, or Buzzsumo are all powerful tools that can help you in your search, but it’s also worth investing in tools specifically built for B2B influencer relations (Favikon, Tagger, and Ufluence are just a few examples) or partnering with an agency who uses those tools. However, regardless of which tool you pick, their benefits depend on you knowing who your target audience is and having a clear vision for what you want out of the campaign. If you don’t have clear goals, finding an influencer to help you achieve them is going to be impossible.
Identify some keywords that align with your end goals, and be as descriptive as possible in your search to find influencers actively discussing the topics you’re interested in. This, in turn, will allow you to target influencers who are aligned with your vision and capable of reaching your target audience.
2. Personalize the pitch
So, you did your research and found influencers you are interested in pitching…now what? It’s time to build the pitch that stands out! A generic, cookie-cutter pitch won’t it — especially not when pitching to an influencer. Influencers are looking for value-driven content and partnerships with companies that offer genuine benefits to them.
A tailored pitch demonstrates that you have done your homework, understand the influencer’s niche, and are familiar with their core audience. Think of it like pitching a reporter! You want to spotlight the mutual benefits and frame the campaign as an exciting journey to be a part of. A tailored pitch also sets you apart from the flood of generic email blasts full of bland jargon that influencers, journalists, and analysts alike field daily.
A thoughtful, tailored pitch shows you see them as a valuable collaborator — not just an email alias.
3. Offer clear value
When push comes to shove, without showing a clear benefit to engaging, you’re not going to convince an influencer to spend time collaborating with you. “Value” may mean offering payment or publicity on company channels with large reach. If your pitch is tailored enough, you should be able to identify mission-driven reasons for the influencer to engage as well. Strike the right balance between payment, publicity, and passion, and you’ll be golden.
Influencers also value having a say in the campaign itself. You don’t have to come to the pitch with a completely set-in-stone, scripted plan. Offer them the opportunity to collaborate with you and form a campaign that’s true to their personal branding and beliefs.
Also, don’t be afraid to ask upfront what “value” means to the influencer you’re targeting. Again, this leaves room for discussion and ensures that both parties reap the maximum return on investment. This “help me help you” philosophy can go a long way in building long-term relationships as well…but more on that later.
4. Focus on metrics
When you hear “influencer,” chances are you think of likes, engagements, follower counts, and viewers…start there. Gather representative KPIs from your social channels, website, and wherever else campaign content will be hosted, and show how those numbers work to your influencer’s advantage.
You should also include additional details about the performance of the business, product, or service that you’re asking the influencer to promote or validate. Be clear about where you are now and where you hope to be when the campaign wraps. Not only will they appreciate the transparency, but knowing your target outcome will also help them craft better content.
Similarly to the “value” conversation, there’s nothing wrong with asking which KPIs are most important to your target influencer. In fact, you should be aligned on that before working with them so you can demonstrate ROI throughout the engagement.
Some influencers are more metrics-driven than others, but if you want to show your target what you can do for them, KPIs need a place in your pitch.
5. Foster a long-term relationship
If you take only one thing away from this blog, let it be this: treat your influencer like they’re an extension of your team. Arm them with the resources and information they need to do their jobs, help them overcome bumps in the road, and figure out how you can help each other be successful—whatever that may look like.
When you’re crafting your pitch, don’t think of it like a transaction. Think of it as the first step in building a relationship with a trusted partner who could be vital to the success of your organization and who you could help become successful as well.
Celebrating a win is always more fun when you have someone to celebrate with!
For more tips on influencer relations and information on Merritt Group’s new B2B and B2G influencer marketing service, click here and check out our recent Lay of the Brand podcast episode with Samsung’s Nidhi Mehta.
