PR Week revealed that 75% of PR and Marketing executives plan on increasing their marketing budgets over the next two years. As influencers, you know this industry is BIG business and can be a profitable venture for you. However, we still hear stories of bloggers going into thousands of dollars in debt (millions of Naira) to “flex on the gram.” Purchasing products to review can be a huge expense for micro influencers who don’t have a large enough following to undertake sponsored engagements. As an up and coming influencer, joining a brand’s PR list and having the opportunity to receive products for review at no cost will help establish your credibility in addition to saving money.
So how does one get on this mystical brand PR lists?
Content is key
Large brands get tagged regularly by hundreds of thousands of content creators. Your content needs to stand out even if you don’t have the largest numbers. First things first, you need to make sure your social media page consists of high-quality images and videos. Make sure to read last week’s post on the top technology and tools to make you insta-famous. Also, don’t forget about engaging with your followers. Respond to comments and create content that specifically appeals to your audience. The quality of your content will attract both large and small brands. It’s better to post less but have high-quality engaging posts than to post every day and the quality and engagement is low. Remember, QUALITY OVER QUANTITY!
Connect with the right audience
Ever heard the saying, there is riches in niches? Basically, what this means is that you can find success by super targeting your audience. There are hundreds of thousands of beauty content creators on Instagram. Influencers like Cocoa Swatches have found success by focusing on a segment of the beauty industry. Ofunne Amaka of Cocoa Swatches uses her platform exclusively to regularly display swatches of popular makeup products on brown skin in order to address the lack of diversity in beauty marketing.
So how does this apply to you? The more niche your audience is, the more likely you are able to grow an engaged audience. You will also remain competitive with brands even for sponsored content because you bring a refreshing point of view. Micro influencers are also more trusted for their opinion and some followers are wary about paid content. So FIND YOUR TRIBE, and continue speaking to them!
Attend brand events
The best way to connect directly with brands is to attend events. Events that are great for connecting with beauty brands include BeautyCon (US), IMATS (UK), SLAYFestival (Nigeria), Capetown Naturally (South Africa), Africa Makeup & Beauty Fair (Ghana), Beauty Kenya and more. Perform a Google search for events in your country or check out events your favorite beauty brands and influencers have attended. When you attend these events, make sure to bring your business card and have a short 30-second pitch to brands to sell yourself. Be confident and don’t forget to ask them for their contact information so you can follow up. Most importantly, BE CONFIDENT!
Next week, I will explore more ways to get on a beauty brands PR list. In the meantime, don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel for more tips!
