So – you’re convinced that influencer marketing is a great opportunity for your brand – but unlike a lot of examples you’ve seen online, you are a local business restricted to a certain location.
Worry not – we’ve got you!
Here’s how to execute a local influencer marketing campaign for your business:
Our Imaginary Scenario
Let’s set the scene for our example.
You are a local “brick and mortar” restaurant in London so it’s only really relevant to reach local people.
You think that Instagram is probably a good platform given the demographics of your typical customers.
Awesome! Let’s go!
Step 1 – Open Instagram on your phone
Step 2 – Search relevant local hashtags
This could be things like #london #londonfood #londonfoodie etc
Step 3 – Also try searching “Places”
Instagram users can geotag certain locations, so you can look up those locations in Instagram search and find potential influencers that way too.
Look for locations that are near to you.
Step 4 – Look through & find users who would be a good match
You want to find folks who are in your target demographic, have a good amount of followers, and have good engagement on their posts.
You’re not looking for someone with tens of thousands of followers, especially in a specific geographic area.
Check out their posts though and see if they get lots of engaged comments.
High (and quality) engagement = influence!
Step 5 – Send a Direct Message
You’re aiming for a casual tone. Remember, it’s social media, not a business meeting.
Generosity is disarming and creates a strong sense of loyalty. Treat them right and you’ll have an advocate for life.
Step 6 – Drop a comment on their latest post & let them know you’ve DMed
This is my secret weapon when it comes to getting noticed in Instagram DMs.
When a new brand reaches out to an influencer via DM, the message can easily get buried in a sea of noise (or worse, find it’s way into the “message requests” folder – where it will die).
A simple comment saying you’ve messaged is a really powerful way to overcome that. Make sure your comment adds some value to the post. Don’t just write “I’ve DM’d you” give it some thought!
Step 7 – Give them the best possible experience when they visit
The more you blow them away, the more likely they will be to shout about how good you are!
It’s really surprising how effective this can be but, it will pay dividends in the long term.
Deploy this strategy to really take your location-based business to the next level. Choose nano and micro-influencers for increased engagement and more tailored reach.