Our Influencer Relations roundtable in London this week was attended by an exiting range of international clients and LEWIS staff. This created the opportunity for an international debate with global insights from Asia, US, Europe and UK. This was fascinating in itself, as the contrasts between markets and what this means for influencer relations campaigns varies.
The digital appetitive in the US vs. the boom in Asia’s print market (whereas it’s declining in many other parts of the world) is just one example. Paid blogging is popular in the US but still unthinkable in many other parts of the world. In the UK and in US we talk about the importance of integrated influencer relations – the idea to tell your story to a wider set of influencers beyond just media and bloggers. We heard about the need for a long-term mindset to achieve a greater impact – especially when dealing with government circles.
At the core of influencer relations lies the narrative: the debate and story that sits at the heart of a campaign. Without this, we can’t build, create and communicate. It’s as simple as that. Without it, we can’t achieve the critical importance of situational fluency and audience engagement to make the bigger impact in society and in business.
If you develop the right story you become a thought leader. The story is at the centre and the debate follows: like a bullseye in a dartboard triggering discussion in the shape of the outer circles. It’s this ripple effect that will evoke emotions, get the pulse racing, and draw the attention of new and exiting influencers.
For this to be realised you have to think outside your own four walls. Understand what the outside world needs and why you have the answer to their questions. You will soon see that very often, your product, service and creation isn’t actually the story in itself, but rather a critical component behind a much larger debate.
There were many interesting questions during the debate such as ‘How do I know who my influencers are?’ ‘How do I attract attention around something that is niche?’, ‘How do I connect with global audiences who have different needs and requirements?’
Many – if not all – of these questions come back to the importance of building the story. Hitting the bullseye to create ripple effects.
This takes time to create and implement, but time is not much on our side. We live in a era of change, characterised by an evolving media landscape, a continued explosion in digital where speed and imagery rules. Increased competition from start-ups and new thinkers puts further pressure on established firms, and a volatile economy continues to impact every one directly or indirectly.
The world is changing – and we need to change fast. We need to think now to impact today and tomorrow.