March is almost over, and for many of us, January’s new year’s resolutions have long fallen off the to-do list – but this time of the year is really when businesses jump into action. Perhaps it’s the good weather inspiring a positive attitude but these days, we’re never short of a conference, workshop or seminar to attend! With so much happening, brands are trying their best to stand out from the crowd when promoting their product or event.

Recently, we have seen real innovation in brands’ marketing strategies, collaborating with influencers, or popular personalities in their industry. To give you some inspiration for the coming month, we have put together a few ways working with influencers can put a spring in your brand’s step.

Invite them to speak

Inviting influential persons to speak at your events is a sure-fire way to attract and engage audiences. For example, one of our clients, the Ireland Chapter of PMI, will have Jim McGuinness as keynote speaker at their National Conference. Jim will give a talk on strategy and high-performance teams. It is always a good idea to provide speakers with the conference hashtag prior to the event, or perhaps include their Twitter handle in the conference schedule.

Send them a gift

Sending a product to an influencer can help to create a buzz around your product or service. Recently, we worked with a new luxury Irish cream liqueur brand, Cremór, identifying key influencers and media who may be interested in trying the product. Lili Forberg and Easy Food Magazine, among others, shared some lovely images with their many followers on Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter.

Share products you love… together

An alternative way brands are utilising their marketing budget is to pair with an influencer to have them share something from their own online platforms. There are many ways to achieve this, for example, creating a guest blog, sharing videos, and imagery on their social media pages, or hosting a competition to give away your product or service. The possibilities are endless and the return can be huge – for a relatively minimal spend.

Work with them as your brand ambassador

Last month, we saw Marissa Carter, the queen of tanning, join forces with Vero Moda as their brand
ambassador.  Similarly, Kearys invited Simon Zebo, of Munster Rugby fame, to come test drive a new car. As well as adding personality to a brand, audiences value these influencers’ opinions.

Post by Susie Horgan

Susie founded Springboard in 2011, and has developed the business into a leading, director-led communications agency. She has worked for over 20 years in senior marketing and public relations roles.