Want to connect with influencers in your niche?
Most bloggers do this. But many of them do it wrong.
Building relationships with influencers is something you definitely want to get right. Done well, it’s one of the best ways to grow your audience and your brand. And hopefully you’ll make some new friends too.
But if you target influencers incorrectly, you won’t get the results you want. In fact, they can actually harm your blog and your brand.
Before I get into specific tips for contacting influencers, let’s be clear about what not to do.
The wrong way to approach influencers
Getting to know influencers is never about using a “system” or “formula” to make connections.
There are tools available that allow you to set up a sequence of emails to influencers that are then automatically triggered based on whether the influencer opens your emails or not. And of course, they all promise to save you time or get great results.
If your own blog is reasonably large, you may have been the recipient of some of these yourself. I get about ten of them every day and some influencers I’ve spoken to are said to get more than 100 a day.
Do not use these tools. They often cost a lot, and influencers at all levels have seen the standard emails from these tools time and time again (often with their name misspelled or omitted).
There is no prize for guessing what happens to these emails. They are usually ignored and deleted. And I’m sure you can understand why.
The sad thing is that most people who use these expensive tools to send their emails have good intentions. These are good people. But they may be damaging their brand.
So let me share some tips for reaching out to influencers that will give you much better results.
Tip #1: Don’t be upset if they don’t respond
Even if you do everything right, some influencers still don’t respond. As you can imagine, they receive a lot of contacts and have a lot of interactions every day. They may have hundreds of thousands (or even millions) of social media connections, which means they can’t respond to everyone.
Don’t let this put you off. Do it anyway and try to build a relationship. Just make sure you have realistic expectations and don’t be upset if someone doesn’t get back to you. (Never attack them or call them out on social media for not responding. That’s a quick way to kill any chance of a relationship.)
Tip #2: Don’t be a stalker
Everything I share in this post is about being useful: helping influencers achieve what they want She want, and looking for a win-win situation. So be enthusiastic and approach us, but don’t cross the boundaries.
This is especially important when it comes to offline interaction. For example, sending someone a gift could be a nice, welcoming gesture. But don’t choose anything expensive, too personal, or potentially offensive.
A movie star I follow mentioned that they were starting a blog, so I sent them a copy of my book. They really appreciated me noticing that they started a blog when most other people didn’t.
Tip #3: Be someone worth knowing
When you reach out to someone, there’s a good chance they’ll be wondering who it is You are before they answer. You could look at your blog or take a look at your social media accounts.
You want your online presence to be authentic and credible. If possible, showcase your expertise. But even if you don’t have any specialist knowledge or a lot of followers or readers yet, there’s still a lot you can do.
For example, do you constantly complain on Twitter? Or are you talking about topics that might interest influencers in your niche? Even if you don’t have many followers yet, tweet as if you do. The same goes for your blog or website. Make sure it looks reasonably professional and complete.
Tip #4: Find out Where The best thing to do is to contact them
Some influencers will tell you the best way to get in touch with them on their contact page. But for others, you may need to do a little more research.
For example, they may have many social media accounts but only actively use one or two. I have a lot of social media accounts, but some I don’t use often (e.g. Instagram). I interact more on Facebook and it’s a good place to connect with me.
But that’s just me. Other influencers might be far more active on Instagram or Twitter. So it’s worth taking a look at their accounts and seeing where they tend to respond.
Tip #5: Help create engagement with your content
Most online influencers want engagement to result in some sort of conversion, such as a reader purchasing a product from them. Most of them are also actively creating content.
You can help them get the engagement they want. For example, if they write blog posts or publish videos, you can comment on them. Don’t just say “Nice post.” Be constructive and add something to what they did. If they asked a specific question, answer it.
Tip #6: Help build their community
In addition to leaving comments for the blogger, also respond to other people’s comments. This applies not only to your blog, but also to the social networks you use.
For example, in a Facebook group, you can welcome new members who have posted for the first time to introduce themselves. If it’s a Twitter chat, you might try asking questions and replying to other chat participants. (The people you connect with through comments can also become friends or helpful contacts for you.)
But be careful not to go too far. You don’t want people to think you’re trying to take over the community. If you have the time and desire to help a lot, contact the influencer and ask if you can volunteer to help them. You could offer to welcome new members of a Facebook group or help prepare questions for a Twitter chat.
Tip #7: Help them grow their audience
Even if your own audience is quite small, you can still help influencers. You could share their blog posts, retweet their tweets (if they’re relevant to your audience), and even link to their posts from your blog.
You can also ask them if they are interested in being interviewed on your blog. If they don’t have time, you could do a case study on them instead.
Another great way to help is when you guest post on a larger blog, link to the influencer from that post. A few years ago, a blogger I had never heard of wrote an article for a major business publication that brought me a ton of traffic. It definitely put her on my radar.
Don’t ignore the offline world either. If you are giving a talk or presentation, you can mention the influencer. People might well tweet them to let them know.
You could even reach out to the mainstream media. When I was just starting Digital Photography School, a reader who liked the blog emailed the New York Times, who then asked me for an interview.
Tip #8: Help them sell more products
If the influencer has something to sell (and most will), look for ways to help them sell more of it. This could mean becoming an affiliate, reviewing their product (or service), or recommending it on social media.
A great way to go even further is to send them a testimonial. This is really valuable for them as they can use it on their sales page. (If they have a podcast, send them an audio testimonial. And if they use videos, create a video testimonial for them.)
Tip #9: Help them create content
Most influencers create some type of content. And you can help them. Maybe you have an idea for a blog post you could write. Maybe even think of a title and some key points that could be covered. Or you could send them a list of questions they would like to write about.
If they have a podcast, they might welcome recorded questions or comments. If you’re good at design, you could create a graphic they could share to promote one of their posts. There are many options. So think about what they might find useful and how you can help.
Another option is to help with research. Tell them about a new study or some data they might find useful. They can also help with editing. Write them a polite, private email if you spot a content error, a spelling mistake, a broken link, or anything similar. (But never call her out on it in public.)
Tip #10: Look for specific times when you can help
There are times when influencers want something specific and time-sensitive, perhaps in the next week or next month. For example, are they launching a new book, product or service? Do you support a charitable project? Are they exploring a new social media network where they want to gain more traction (e.g. by creating a YouTube account)?
When influencers start new things or promote something specific, they are busier than usual. But don’t let that stop you from reaching out to them, as they are often open to being approached if you can help them achieve the outcome they are looking for.
Tip #11: Interact with them on a human level
Influencers are normal people (honestly). Just like you, they have good days and bad days. They also have their own questions and problems. If they ask for help with a specific question or problem, see if you can help, even if just by sending them a word of encouragement.
When they’re hanging out or blowing off steam on Twitter, sharing a lighthearted joke, a well-timed pun, or a funny GIF or meme can go a long way toward connecting on a personal level.
Tip #12: Build those relationships before you need them
I get a lot of requests out of the blue from people I’ve never heard of before. While I’m open to responding to them and even collaborating with them, the reality is that I’m much more likely to want to connect with and help someone I think I already know.
That’s not a good idea start your relationship by asking for a favor. Be honest about your desire to help and engage with the influencer and don’t get too caught up in where things should go. Many times I have approached people with a certain idea and the interaction resulted in something completely different.
Make your approach authentic and personal. And if an influencer doesn’t respond, don’t take it personally. You can follow up politely or simply reach out to someone else who may have more time to build a connection.
I’d love to hear your own tips for getting to know influencers in your niche.
What have you tried that worked? What do you plan to do next or do differently?
Share your thoughts in the comments below.