10 Tips to Get On a Brand’s Radar

Do you have interest in working with brand’s? As bloggers and influencers, cultivating positive partnerships with top brands is becoming a very profitable endeavor – for them and you!

Martha Stewart told a room full of us bloggers that today’s brands generate the largest percentage of their sales through WOM (word of mouth), but the #2 way is through bloggers and social media influencers!

Why Top Brands Are Paying More Attention to Bloggers

-Bloggers and social media influencers drive IMMEDIATE sales and exposure for a brand.
-They have built-in audiences who love, follow and trust them already.
-When an influencer endorses a product, it becomes a ‘must-have’ commodity.

We no longer have to walk up to a stranger in a mall and ask her what brand of jeans she is wearing. Today, we can follow her on Instagram (or her blog) to see what brand she is wearing, with a link to where she bought them, and a simple click to buy immediately.

Do you see why brands are paying more attention to bloggers?! It’s a win/win situation. And why I’m sharing 10 tips to get on a brand’s radar!

10 Tips To Get On A Brand’s Radar

1. Make a list of brands that you want to work with, THAT ALSO match your audience. Should I be promoting Gillette Men’s Aftershave, when my audience is primarily all women? No.

2. If there’s a brand you want to work with, feature them in a post and tag them to get their attention in tandem with a DM (direct message) or email. This is a great way for you to show interest in a particular brand, and it allows them to see the quality of content that you can produce for them!

3. Another great way to get on a brand’s radar is by posting their brand on your Instagram and using the proper tags and hashtags. Brands will see your posts and thus you’ve caught their attention. Some brands might even regram your photo (and tag you) which can drastically build your following. Others might reach out to you to use your photo on their website or in their marketing materials.

4. Follow the brand(s) and comment on their photos/posts. This lets them know that you are keeping up with their latest collection, hashtag campaign, etc.

5. Make it easy for brands to work with you. Have your email listed on your blog, social media profiles and/or a contact form on your website that goes straight to your email.  AND be timely with your response. I know life can be crazy but responding within 24 hours demonstrates a level of professionalism.

6. Be proactive and reach out to the brand. Email brands an overview of who you are with links to your blog and social media platforms. Let them know you’d like to do a feature, pitch them a fun idea or two, and ask if there is anything specific they’d like mentioned. Next week’s blog post we’ll talk about Media Kits for brands and knowing your worth! So hold off until you read this post!

7. Use local hashtags. If a brand is looking for bloggers in a certain area, the first thing they’ll do is search social media bios. By using hashtags like #Phoenixbloggers (since I’m a blogger, living in greater Phoenix), I make it really easy for brands looking in the Phoenix area to find me!

8. Don’t overtag. Tagging too many brands in one picture can be overwhelming and can turn a brand off, especially if they can hardly see their product in your picture. A good rule of thumb is between 3 and 6.

9. Engagement goes a long way. Numbers are important, but they’re not everything. Your voice, brand and reader engagement goes a long way! If you have a small following, but your audience is engaged and the brand loves your voice + brand, they’re still going to want to work with you.

10. Focus on quality. Make sure all of the work you share is of quality. Most brands will look back at your work to see how you’ve represented your brand, the type of photographs you share, past collaborations, etc. Trust me, they will watch (stalk) you!

I know I said 10 tips to get on a brand’s radar, but…

Lastly, be mindful of the partnerships you enter into. I call this “stay in your lane”, which means remember to stay true to your own brand. THIS IS ESSENTIAL. I get about 3 partnerships presented to me a week, most I respectfully decline. Personally, I only enter into relationships that I 100% believe in. I would never want to hurt my brand or give my readers the impression that I’m not genuine.

I can tell when someone has accepted a partnership simply because they’re being paid. It just doesn’t work – for you or the brand! It’s like we tell our teenage daughter: “If you’re hanging out with the wrong guy and the right guy comes along, the right guy will think ‘if she likes that type of guy, then I’m clearly not the right guy for her.’ We’ve all seen this on the Bachelor, haven’t we ladies! Haha

Next week, I’ll be talking about ‘Knowing Your Worth when working with Brands + Media kits‘, so stay tuned!

 

Cover image found here.

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