Do you want to connect with influencers in your specific niche? A lot of bloggers do. However many of them go about it the wrong way. Forming relationships with influencers is something you really need to get right. Done well, it’s one of the best ways to grow your audience and brand name. And hopefully you’ll end up with some new buddies too. But if you approach influencers the wrong way, you will not get the results you want. In reality, you may even damage your blog and your brand name.

Before I go into particular tips for connecting with influencers, let’s get clear about what not to do.

The Incorrect Way to Approach Influencers

Being familiar with influencers is never ever about using a ‘system’ or ‘formula’ to make connections. Tools are available that let you establish a sequence of e-mails to influencers, which are then activated immediately depending upon whether or not the influencer opens your e-mails. And obviously they all guarantee to conserve you time or give you fantastic results. If your own blog is fairly big, you might well have been on the receiving end of some of these yourself. Do not use these tools. They frequently cost a lot, and influencers at all levels will have seen the boilerplate emails from these tools time and time again (typically with their name misspelt or omitted). No prizes for guessing what happens to these emails. They’re typically overlooked and erased. The unfortunate thing is, the majority of people who use these expensive tools to send their emails have good objectives. They’re great people. However, they’re potentially hurting their brand. So let me share some tips for reaching out to influencer that will offer you much better outcomes.

Tip # 1: Do Not Get Distressed if They Don’t React

Even if you do everything right, some influencers still will not react. As you can imagine, they get a lot of requests and have a lot of interactions each day. They may have thousands (or even million) of social media connections, which means they can’t react to everybody. Do not let that put you off. Make the approach anyhow and attempt to build a relationship. Simply make certain you have reasonable expectations, and do not be upset if someone does not get back to you. (Never ever attack them or call them out on social media for not responding. That’s a quick way to eliminate any chance of a relationship.).

Tip# 2: Do Not be a Stalker.

Everything I’m sharing in this post has to do with working: assisting influencers to achieve what they want, and looking for a great deal. So be passionate and reach out, however don’t overstep limits. This is particularly essential when it comes to offline interaction. For instance, sending somebody a gift may be a charming, welcome gesture. But don’t select something costly, too personal or possibly offending.

Tip # 3: Be Somebody Worth Knowing

When you connect with someone, chances are they’ll want to get to know you before they respond. They might take a look at your blog, or look over your social network accounts. You want your online presence to show you’re authentic and trustworthy. Showcase your proficiency if possible. But even if you do not have any know-how or many followers or readers yet, there’s still a lot you can do. For example, do you post all the time on Twitter? Or do you talk about topics that influencers in your niche will have an interest in? Even if you don’t have many fans yet, tweet as if you do. The very same goes for your blog site or site. Make sure it looks professional and done.

Tip# 4: Discover Where Finest to Contact Them.

Some influencers will tell you the best way to connect with them is on their contact page. But with others you might need to do a bit more digging. For instance, they might have lots of social networks accounts, however only one or 2 are in active use. I have a great deal of social media accounts, but there are some I do not use a lot (such as Twitter). I communicate more on Facebook, therefore that’s an excellent location to strike up a connection with me. Other influencers might be far more active on Instagram or Twitter. So it’s well worth taking a look at their accounts and seeing where they tend to be responsive.

Tip# 5: Help Produce Engagement with Their Material.

The majority of online influencers desire engagement resulting in some kind of conversion, such as a reader buying an item from them. Most of them are likewise actively creating material. You can assist them in getting the engagement they’re after. For instance, if they compose posts or release videos, you might talk about those. Do not just say “Good post”. Be constructive and add something to what they’ve done. If they’ve asked a particular question, address it.

Tip# 6: Assist Build Their Community.

In addition to leaving comments for the blogger, reply to other people’s comments. This applies not just to their blog, but also to the social media networks they use. For instance, in a Facebook group you might welcome new members who’ve published for the first time to introduce themselves. If it’s a Twitter chat, you might make an effort to ask questions and react to other individuals who are talking. (The people you get in touch with through comments might likewise end up being buddies or useful contacts for you.). But be careful you don’t go too far. You do not want anyone believing you’re trying to take over their community. If you have the time and inclination to help out a lot, contact the influencer and ask if you can help them as a volunteer. You might offer to invite new members to a Facebook group, or assist in preparing questions for a Twitter chat.