Networking To Build A Brand

The Benefits of Influencer Partnerships for Small Brands Introduction For small brands with limited budgets, influencer partnerships provide a cost-effective alternative to traditional advertising. Micro-influencers help brands authentically connect with niche communities, boosting reach, engagement, and brand awareness without the high costs of celebrity endorsements. Key Concepts Focusing on micro-influencers (1,000 to 100,000 followers) allows brands to engage niche audiences and foster trust. Success hinges on aligning with influencers whose audiences match your brand, enhancing engagement and conversions through authentic interactions and diverse, repurposeable content. Challenges Small brands face challenges like budget constraints and the time-consuming process of finding aligned influencers. Measuring campaign effectiveness requires clear metrics, and maintaining authenticity is vital to balance promotions with genuine storytelling. Strategies for Influencer Partnerships -Start with Micro-Influencers: They offer engaged audiences at a lower cost. -Define Clear Campaign Goals: Set specific, measurable objectives to align with influencers. -Focus on Long-Term Collaborations: Building lasting relationships fosters authenticity. -Collaborate on Content Creation: Allow influencers creative freedom for authentic content. -Offer Exclusive Discounts: Unique offers can drive engagement and motivate followers. -Benefits of Influencer Partnerships These partnerships increase awareness and reach for small brands, attracting customers through trusted recommendations. Collaborating with micro-influencers leads to higher engagement rates and significant ROI, as influencers create high-quality content for brands to repurpose. Conclusion Partnering with micro-influencers is an effective strategy for small brands to reach new audiences, increase engagement, and build credibility. By selecting the right influencers, setting clear goals, and maintaining authenticity, brands can leverage this approach for sustainable growth. Next Steps -Connect with aligned influencers. -Set measurable campaign goals. -Create engagement strategies, such as exclusive discounts. -Communicate regularly for lasting partnerships. -Evaluate campaign metrics to optimize future efforts. #InfluencerMarketing #SmallBusinessGrowth #BrandPartnerships #SocialMediaInfluence #MarketingStrategy #CollaborativeMarketing #SmallBrandSuccess #InfluencerCollaboration #DigitalMarketing #BrandAwareness

𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲-𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝟮𝗕 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝗶𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀: They've released 20+ pages of research titled "Working with B2B Creators: Collaborate with Confidence". The findings confirm what we've been seeing in the field. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: LinkedIn has transformed from a professional networking site into THE trusted B2B creator ecosystem. The platform's investment in creator tools, combined with its unique position as the most trusted social platform for business content, has created perfect conditions for B2B influencer marketing to thrive. 𝟭) 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗜𝘀 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲: • 82% of B2B buyers say creator content influences their decisions • 91% rely on industry influencers throughout their purchase journey • 59% prefer LinkedIn as their platform for creator content • Thought Leader Ads deliver 252% higher CTR than conventional ads • Video uploads increased 45% YoY, driving 63% of buying decisions    𝟮) 𝗪𝗵𝗼'𝘀 𝗗𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: • Industry Experts: 55% • Analysts & Business Leaders: 43% each • Customers: 33% • Employees: 29%    𝟯) 𝟲-𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗧𝗼 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀: The report outlines a comprehensive approach to B2B creator strategy: 1. Identify marketing objectives for creator collaboration 2. Map target communities to influence 3. Activate internal thought leaders 4. Build relationships with external creators 5. Develop amplification and measurement frameworks 6. Execute and optimize 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗱: • Treat creators as strategic partners, not just media channels • Focus on subject matter expertise over follower counts • Leverage Thought Leader Ads to amplify authentic content • Build portfolios of creators serving different objectives • Measure beyond vanity metrics to actual business outcomes As I noted in the report: "𝘓𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘦𝘥𝘐𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘛𝘶𝘣𝘦 𝘪𝘯 2010. 𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘢 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘦. 𝘎𝘦𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘱𝘢𝘺 𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳." This isn't just another trend - it's a fundamental shift in how B2B buyers make decisions. They're seeking human connections and authentic expertise in an increasingly AI-driven world. The opportunities are enormous for those who master it now. [Link to full report below 👇] https://lnkd.in/gHUWV-7d

A major element for building a brand's reputation is fostering a strong relationship between the company, the agency, and the media. To build these strong connections, it’s important to: - Facilitate media access to the company’s leadership. - Ensure dedicated spokespeople are ready to respond promptly to media inquiries. Streamline the process for drafting and approving quotes to help journalists meet tight deadlines—a win-win situation for everyone. - Whenever possible, arrange in-person meetings with journalists and media representatives to establish stronger connections. - Share exclusive news, interviews, and relevant insights with media outlets. Media outlets appreciate feeling special and receiving announcements tailored to their audiences. - Keep in mind that the media isn't interested in hearing your sales pitch. They want to know about your industry insights and how you, as a thought leader, can comment on key news events. The media serves as the gateway to building a brand's reputation, so keeping the gatekeepers happy and engaged is crucial.   #communication #publicrelations #media #news #brandreputation

Seasoned professionals often struggle with personal branding because traditional advice focuses on building visibility rather than leveraging existing authority and expertise. The most effective branding strategies for experienced professionals emphasize thought leadership and industry wisdom rather than personal promotion or trend-following. Key platforms and approaches that work: Professional publishing through platforms like Medium allows you to share insights and frameworks developed through decades of experience. Speaking opportunities and podcast appearances position you as an industry authority and provide content that can be repurposed across multiple channels. Board-ready profile development opens doors to governance opportunities while demonstrating executive-level thinking. Alumni network activation leverages existing relationships built throughout your career trajectory. Industry association leadership roles provide visibility within your professional community while contributing meaningful value. Mentorship program participation allows you to monetize your experience while building relationships with emerging leaders. The goal isn't to compete with younger professionals on energy or trend awareness - it's to demonstrate the strategic thinking and problem-solving capability that only comes through extensive experience. Your decades of experience represent unique intellectual property. The challenge is packaging and presenting that knowledge effectively. What platforms have you found most effective for showcasing professional expertise? Sign up to my newsletter for more corporate insights and truths here: https://vist.ly/3yuu7 #deepalivyas #eliterecruiter #recruiter #recruitment #jobsearch #corporate #personalbranding #executivebranding #thoughtleadership #careerstrategist

𝐌𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐝𝐈𝐧 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐥. 𝐅𝐞𝐰 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤. 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐠𝐚𝐩. Recently, while working with a client from the real estate industry, I noticed something interesting. He had been posting consistently about homes, listings, services, and offers. But despite being active, he was not seeing meaningful growth, strong inbound opportunities, or quality conversations. And honestly, this is not only a real estate problem. I see this across many industries. Many professionals believe visibility comes from promoting their services repeatedly. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐮𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚��𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫. So instead of focusing heavily on self-promotion, we shifted the strategy toward expertise positioning. Less: “Here’s my service.” More: “Here’s what I’m observing in the market.” “Here’s what most people misunderstand.” “Here’s what experience has taught me.” We also changed how he interacted on LinkedIn. Instead of only posting and leaving, 𝐈 𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐞, 𝐚𝐝𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐬, and engage like a professional building credibility instead of someone chasing visibility. Within days, the difference became visible. He attracted a premium inbound client. His profile reach improved, follower growth increased, and the quality of conversations in his comment section changed completely. People were no longer reacting only to promotions. They started engaging with his perspective. That shift matters more than many professionals realize. The market is becoming less responsive to repetitive promotion and more responsive to professionals who consistently demonstrate expertise. Because LinkedIn is increasingly rewarding professional identity signals, not just posting activity. And professional identity is built through repeated expertise, thoughtful interaction, and consistent positioning over time. Audiences don’t follow experts because they promote themselves constantly. They follow experts because their thinking reduces uncertainty. 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲. On LinkedIn, self-promotion may create temporary attention. But genuine expertise creates long-term trust. When someone visits your profile today, do they see a salesperson or an expert whose perspective reduces uncertainty? LinkedIn News India LinkedIn News #PersonalBranding #Leadership #LinkedInNewsIndia

Ola Electric launched the Bharat 4680 cell battery and a rare-earth-free motor. The goal? Convince urban EV enthusiasts that India can innovate globally, sustainably, and affordably. Pre-orders were the metric, trust was the currency. 1️⃣ OWN THE MOMENT → Bold tech first → Live ‘Sankalp’ event showcasing the battery & motor, no fluff, no distractions. → Press coverage and real-time social reactions amplified credibility instantly. 2️⃣ BORROWED ATTENTION → Sustainability conversation → Micro-influencers and creators in climate tech explained why rare-earth-free matters. → By aligning with global sustainability narratives, Ola turned attention into anticipation. 3️⃣ PROOF IN PUBLIC → Show, don’t just tell → Engineering walkthroughs and live test videos created visible signals of innovation. → Case in point: ET readers flooded comments with questions about specs and availability. 4️⃣ IRL FRICTION → Touch the tech → Invite early adopters to mini-test labs to feel the battery and motor firsthand. → Physical interaction made the innovation tangible, turning curiosity into advocacy. 5️⃣ SEED THE STORY → Make it retellable → Every update, teardown video, and engineer interview was crafted to be shareable. → Users became storytellers, spreading Ola’s message without a single ad spend. Signals of success appeared within 48 hours: waitlists doubling, social engagement spiking, mentions trending across EV forums. Competitors were scrambling to respond, not because of marketing spend, but because the product’s story resonated so clearly. India had just demonstrated that homegrown innovation could compete on a global stage. This wasn’t about showing off a car, it was about showing that the battery, the motor, and the story behind them could carry belief, desire, and trust without an ad dollar. If tomorrow, every media outlet went silent, would the story still spread? That’s the power of product-led narrative paired with precise attention capture. #LinkedInInsider #LinkedInNewsIndia #ContentMarketing #MarketingTips #ProductMarketing

I’ve worked 340+ hours in the influencer marketing space, understanding & finding creators ranging from $100-$2,500/post. (Not a single one was easy, honestly.) Influencer marketing on LinkedIn is a great market to tap into, especially for SaaS brands, and here’s why: 1/ Your major target audiences are here. 2/ You can find quality creators. 3/ You can find a high-paying audience. 4/ You can collaborate on barter too. 5/ You can ask people to showcase products. A quick guide: ↴ 1. Use the LinkedIn search bar (example: Ads + sales) for people in sales and ads. 2. Go to their profile and find their best posts (use some tools/extension for this) 3. Create a list of their viral posts (find out the reason behind the virality) 4. Ask them if can write something similar (to increase the chances of virality on paid posts) 5. Chase quality and resonance over description (helps to keep the authenticity of posts alive) This looks like a simple one but it takes time and effort. Results? - over 1 million views from one post - multiple signups for the product - genuine affiliate sign-ups through creators That’s the power of adding LinkedIn influencer marketing to your GTM. P.S. Been working with some of the coolest brands in the email marketing space. - What are your opinions on influencer marketing?

The other day I wrote about how brands need to rethink their media relations programs. Here's where I'd start, and what I've learned. Find the voices that influence the influencers. Last week at the IMM travel media conference in London, one of the world's leading travel editors mentioned that they look to trade media for their story ideas. Trade media is a perfect example of what I'm talking about here: niche, trusted, deeply read by exactly the right people. Before you go wide, understand who the core few are that shape how the influential think. Those are the relationships worth building first. Do your homework. But really do it. That means subscribing, following, reading, engaging — and doing it over time. There are no shortcuts here. You cannot decide someone is worth approaching without actually living in their world for a while. It might take months. That's ok. Find the genuine intersection. There has to be a real reason for your brand and this person to be in conversation. Not a stretch. If something in your gut says it won't work, trust that. One or two real relationships is worth more than twenty weak ties. Spar with them. Test your thinking. Debate and build on their ideas. Learn from their community. This is what separates a transactional relationship from a real one and it's what makes it possible for them to create something valuable for their readers. Treat them the way you'd treat anyone you're genuinely trying to build a relationship with. Make it worth their time in a way that respects who they are. Not a press release. Not an unsolicited send out. An experience, unique access, a conversation, a room they'd appreciate being in, something specific and considered that lets them encounter your brand on their own terms and form their own view. Play a long game. The goal is a relationship that goes in both directions. The brands that win are the ones that show up consistently, generously, and without an agenda attached to every interaction. Stop thinking about this as media relations. Use the same muscles you use when you're forming a genuine friendship: ask questions, get to know someone, build rapport, do nice things for them, be thoughtful. The brands that get this right aren't running a comms plan playbook. They're just being human.

Nik Sharma might be the 🐐 of influencer marketing. Here are 18 of my favorite lessons from Nik on the power of influencer marketing + the right way to approach it as a brand: 1. By partnering with influencers, brands are able to integrate their products into a relevant community with a high conversion rate at a relatively low cost. 2. Fans expect influencers to promote products they care about. 3. Most influencers only want to work with brands that they believe in and promote products on their social channels that they would use. 4. More than 41% of consumers get more interested in a brand when they partner with a celebrity or influencer they love. 5. Traditional brands follow this template: Select the influencers. Give them free products + discount code. Pay them for a sponsored post. This approach is purely transactional and sets up the influencer marketing campaign for failure. 6. The goal of influencer marketing shouldn't be to pay them for sponsored content. Instead, you should develop a meaningful relationship that is beneficial for both parties. 7. Successful influencer partnerships are based on trust—not reach. 8. If brands are so focused on their return on investment, they can overlook the value social media influencers provide. 9. The best influencer marketing campaigns are multi-faceted. 10. Successful influencer marketing campaigns build brand loyalty, decrease customer acquisition costs, and enable marketers to track influencer-driven impact on a performance level. 11. By forging a relationship with the influencers you’re working with, they’re more likely to post about your brand without you even having to ask. This content is more native than the old-fashioned branded content with #ad front-in-center in the copy. 12. You need to find influencers with audiences that is closely aligned with your target market. 13. Find influencers who believe in your product. If they don’t, the content they create won’t resonate. 14. Offer to provide your product to the influencer to test before they have to commit. 15. When you work with an influencer that truly believes in your brand and appreciates your product, the content that they create is gold. 16. Don’t solely focus on the number of followers they have or their content, but rather, pick influencers that have a high engagement rate and have values, goals, and ethics that align with your brand. 17. Brands that treat influencers as partners as opposed to paid marketing channels will see the value in their campaigns. To take this approach, brands need to work collaboratively and focus on long-term gains rather than short-term revenue. 18. By selecting the right influencers, crafting your pitch, and maximizing your success, you’ll get more out of the partnership than a one-time increase in sales. You’ll get an entirely new audience to work with and an ambassador that’s sharing your product in effective, engaging ways. #influencermarketing #niksharma #marketing

Mastering the Art of Networking on LinkedIn: Here's how you can harness the power of LinkedIn to expand your professional network: 1. Optimize Your Profile for Maximum Impact: - Profile Picture: Choose a professional headshot with a clear, friendly expression. - Headline: Craft a compelling headline that encapsulates your professional identity and aspirations. - Summary: Write a detailed summary highlighting your expertise, achievements, and career goals. Use keywords relevant to your industry for better visibility. - Experience and Skills: Regularly update your experience section and list key skills to attract the right connections. 2. Engage Authentically and Regularly: - Content Engagement: Actively engage with your feed by liking, commenting, and sharing posts. Thoughtful comments can spark meaningful conversations and enhance your visibility. - Posting Frequency: Aim to post at least once a week. Share industry insights, personal achievements, or articles that add value to your network. 3. Create and Share Valuable Content: - Articles and Posts: Share your expertise through articles or insightful posts. Use storytelling to make your content relatable and engaging - Multimedia: Incorporate images, videos, or infographics to make your content visually appealing and more likely to be shared 4. Personalize Your Connection Requests: - Custom Messages: Always include a personalized message when sending connection requests. Mention a shared experience, mutual connection, or specific interest in their work - Follow-Up: If someone accepts your request, send a follow-up message thanking them and suggesting a way to collaborate or engage further 5. Leverage LinkedIn Groups and Communities: - Active Participation: Join groups related to your industry or interests and actively participate in discussions. This can help you establish credibility and connect with like-minded professionals - Starting Discussions: Initiate conversations by posting questions or sharing insights. This can increase your visibility and attract new connections 6. Utilize LinkedIn's Advanced Features: - 'Find Nearby' Feature: Use this feature at conferences or networking events to connect with professionals in your vicinity - LinkedIn Learning: Enhance your skills and showcase your commitment to professional development by completing courses on LinkedIn Learning 7. Foster Meaningful Relationships: - Virtual Coffee Chats: Regularly schedule brief virtual meetings with your connections to discuss industry trends, share advice, or explore collaboration opportunities - Recommendations and Endorsements: Request recommendations from colleagues or clients and offer to reciprocate. Endorse the skills of your connections to strengthen your relationships 8. Consistency is Key: - Regular Updates: Keep your profile updated with any new skills, experiences, or accomplishments - Engagement: Consistently engage with your network to maintain visibility and relevance #linkedin #networking