Influencer Fundraising Collaborations

I want to share a perspective that might be unexpected: Influencer marketing may not always directly contribute to your sales. Here’s why Brands are treating the influencers like a human billboard. They hand over a script to creators to recite in front of the camera and expect the customers to love it. But it leads to the audience feeling disconnected not just from the influencer but also from the brand. A report stated that 72% of consumers unfollow influencers promoting products in an inauthentic way. I recently unfollowed an influencer whose sponsored content felt like a blatant advertisement, completely disconnected from their usual style and personality. A classic example is when Tata Tea launched “Fruski” in 2017 and did influencer marketing on Twitter(X) with different creators, one of which was comedian Biswa Kalyan Nath. He tweeted about the product but it was so plain and boring that it seemed to be scripted and didn’t sound like a comedian’s tweet at all. This led to a failure. The audience wants authenticity and value from the creators. But some brands forget this and force their product into the creator’s life and content. The right approach to influencer marketing is to identify creators where your product naturally fits into their content and lifestyle. An excellent example is how Noise leveraged Virat Kohli's love for Chhole Bhature and fitness to promote their brand in the #SunoDilKaShor campaign. At Vavo Digital | Influencer Marketing, our approach is to prioritize authenticity and value alignment. We integrate strategies that ensure the messaging resonates with the creator's audience and drives real impact. This includes: - promoting genuine conversations around the product or service. - conducting thorough research to match brands with suitable influencers - encouraging influencers to incorporate products seamlessly into their content By focusing on authentic collaborations, we aim to create a win-win situation for both brands and influencers, building trust and long-lasting relationships with their respective audiences. What’s a recent influencer’s branded content that you loved or hated? #influencermarketing #marketingcampaign #marketing

After doing influencer marketing for over 2 years, I have figured out something interesting. We have managed to revive campaigns that were falling apart and deliver exponential ROI. And after achieving the impossible, I've learned that success is not guaranteed even if you are working with the biggest names. This is because the campaigns that got us the best results came from the smallest creators or nano-influencers. Here’s what I’ve discovered about them: → If their content is valuable, then nano influencers can genuinely influence the most! For instance, a fitness influencer sharing their genuine transformation story using a brand’s product resonates more than a celebrity endorsement.   → They know their audience personally and their followers trust their word because they recently started following them. → Their niche expertise has a higher impact. Nano-influencers often focus on specific interests like vegan cooking, sustainable fashion or tech gadgets. This specialization allows brands to target hyper-specific demographics with laser precision. → Unlike celebrity influencers, nano-influencers don’t demand a lot of money. Many are happy to collaborate in exchange for products or small payments, which is a win-win for startups and smaller businesses. If you’ve worked with nano-influencers or have questions about integrating them into your campaigns, let’s discuss them in the comments. What is the one nano-influencer that you recently started following? #influencermarketing

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

Why Your B2B & B2C Marketing Strategy Needs LinkedIn Influencers in 2024 LinkedIn is the world's largest professional network, with more than 1 billion members in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. Compared to other social media platforms flooded with sponsored content, LinkedIn offers a unique opportunity for brands to reach a professional audience (Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, etc.) without as much competition. Here's why both B2B and B2C brands should work with LinkedIn Influencers in 2024: For B2B: 1. Reach decision-makers directly: Build trust and authority with C-suite execs and industry influencers. 2. Credibility that converts: Partner with a respected thought leader in your field to build trust and authority for your brand. Their endorsement becomes your golden ticket to meaningful conversations and lasting partnerships. 3. Content that educates, engages, and converts: Collaborate with an influencer to create valuable content tailored to your audience's pain points and aspirations. 4. Measurable ROI: Track link clicks, website visits, and even leads generated directly from influencer posts. See the tangible impact of your investment and optimize your strategy for maximum ROI. For B2C: 1. Tap into the professional side of your audience: B2C buyers are also professionals navigating careers, seeking financial goals, and making smart decisions. LinkedIn offers a unique opportunity to connect with them on a personal and professional level, building brand loyalty and mindshare. 2. Authentic voices cut through the noise: Forget forced celebrity endorsements and staged social media campaigns. Partner with a relatable LinkedIn influencer who your audience trusts and identifies with. Their genuine recommendations carry far more weight in a world saturated with advertising. 3. Targeted content that speaks to their aspirations: Your average consumer isn't just buying a product; they're buying a story, a feeling, a connection. Work with an influencer to create content that resonates with their career goals, personal values, and lifestyle aspirations. 4. Community building beyond likes and shares: LinkedIn fosters genuine engagement, not fleeting trends. Partner with an influencer to host lives, Q&A sessions, or industry discussions. Build a dedicated community around your brand and watch leads and sales organically grow. Inspiration: 1. Dove: Partnered with LinkedIn creators to celebrate #BlackHairIsProfessional, addressing hair discrimination in the workplace with authentic stories and expert insights. 2. Hootsuite: Collaborated with social media managers and directors to share career advice and promote their social media career report through text-focused posts and engaging visuals. Some of my favorite LinkedIn influencers : 1. Brandon Smithwrick 🧠 2. Shelley Zalis 3. Andrew Yeung 4. Jade Bonacolta 5. Ben Meer 6. Stephanie Nuesi 7. Dominick Namis 8. Zuri Godfrey 9. Georgina Whalen (She, Her, Hers) 10. Timothy Armoo

We’ve generated ~6M impressions for our clients at Creatorbuzz. Our most successful influencer campaigns leverage these 5 tactics 👇 1️⃣ Video-first We’re still seeing great engagement from text and image-based content, however, our clients who are leveraging video content are seeing higher impressions and engagement. Influencers who can make great video content will win in 2025. 2️⃣ Real World Application Lots of B2B Marketers think Influencer Marketing only works if the influencers are customers of their products. While that helps, this is not the case. The Influencers just need to have a real world application for the product. The product needs to be able to solve an actual problem the influencer experiences or has experienced in their day job. The audience can see right through it if not. 3️⃣ High Value Resource If your CTA is a demo page, you might need to re-evaluate your influencer strategy. In B2B, sales cycles can be 3-6 months long (sometimes even longer). And demos are usually only requested AFTER the buyer has already done 80% of their research. So by having your influencers share a demo page, this will lead to a poor conversion rate. Instead, have your influencers share a high value resource to help buyers through the funnel. For example, have them share a resource report, some sort of template, or free certification. Anything that provides immediate value. 4️⃣ Full Funnel Content Some campaigns are strictly for brand awareness, while others are more performance based. Duh. However, I’ve noticed our best campaigns have full-funnel content. I recommend using a mix of different types of influencers to achieve this. Select some influencers who make general content in the “Marketing” space that will guarantee you impressions. Then select a few SMEs within each category that will provide more specific content within a niche of Marketing, like MOPs for example. The SMEs may not have as large of a reach, but it will help you target a specific community with tactical advice. 5️⃣ 3 Month Campaign Minimum All of our clients start on a 3-4 month campaign minimum. Why? A few reasons. (1) For the influencers, they’re not interested in signing one off brand deals anymore. (2) In B2B, given the length of sales cycles, it may take a few months to start seeing an impact- especially, if the company has an awareness problem. (3) This 3 month campaign will be a great testing period to see what’s working and what’s not. After the 3 months are up, companies can now extend longer term agreements to the creators who are the best fit. B2B companies will have “Always On” influencer campaigns just like they would for Advertising. These are just some of the tactics our best clients are leveraging for their Influencer campaigns. What else would you add to the list? Interested in launching a B2B Influencer Campaign for your business? Send me a DM 🤝

There’s a difference between customer advocacy and collecting logos. Too many early stage SaaS companies still think the game is: ☑ Get a big name logo ☑ Put it on your homepage ☑ Job done (Dare I even say one of our competitors' site has quite a few logos that aren't their customers, some are even ours 🤷 ) ...and I think buyers are wising up to this... Same goes for influencers. If they’re not using the product or if they’re not mentioning you without being paid to, you’re not building brand. You’re renting inauthentic attention. At trumpet 🎺 we’ve started leaning heavily into real advocacy. The kind that isn’t bought, briefed or branded. What it looks like: → Users looping in colleagues offering great case studies → Our Slack channels getting DMs oh how users are getting results and telling us excitedly → Prospects mentioning us before we’ve even reached out → Champions posting about us unprompted on LinkedIn → Customers recording walkthroughs for their wider team → Referrals landing in our inbox with a one-line intro That’s the gold. It doesn’t just drive pipeline. It compounds. If you want to actually use advocacy beyond a throwaway customer quote on your site, here’s what we’ve found works: 🔁 Give them a reason to share. Make the product so damn useful (or delightful) they want to talk about it. Most advocacy is a reflection of product quality, not just marketing effort. 🧠 Involve them early. Co-create features, roadmap check-ins, share sneak previews. People advocate for what they help shape. 📦 Re-Package the advocacy. Turn casual quotes into killer social proof. That Slack comment? It can become a slide. That LinkedIn post? It can become an ad. But only if it’s genuine. 🙋 Celebrate the humans, not the logos. Spotlight your champions. Not the company they work for, but the person who took a bet on you. They’re the ones who’ll take you into their next company. We're not perfect at this yet - but it’s the main kind of “marketing” that doesn't need large budgets and that everyone can do. Logos are easy. Advocacy is earned.

My hypothesis on B2B Influencer marketing. It's a partnership, not a transaction. Here are step-by-step instructions on how to do it. 1. Product Demo The partnership won't work if they don't understand the product. Give me a product demo to make sure they like it. • Have your product specialist on hand • Be prepared to ask questions about their content • Send a product demo beforehand so you can dive into questions I have been on some calls where people don't understand my POV, which makes me not interested in working with the brand. When you show you care, the creator will care. 2. Product Integration For the partnership to work, the influencer needs to be able to use the product to some degree. In all of our partnerships within AMP, I use the product and can go pretty deep with it. • Have them play in the product for a few weeks • Map out a content play that maps with their skillset • Breakdown the story arcs that would matter to their audience 3. Plan Production B2B Influencer marketing is a production, not a post. That means that I focus on multiple channels to elevate the brand rather than just a LinkedIn post. • Tactical product walkthroughs • Newsletter shoutout • Virtual events Match the influencer with their strengths. 4. Execute I send all my posts and videos to the brand before I post. • Quality check the post for any errors • Make sure it matches the brand voice • Include all the calls to action and links Doing all this work and forgetting the small details would be terrible. 5. Review After you execute the campaign, it's time to review what worked and what didn't. • Remove what didn't work • Double down on what worked • Straight planning out long-term how you will work together This is how I have handled all my deals, and it led to renewals almost every single time. ------- Find this useful? Repost to help others ♻️.

A lot of DTC founders would assume that getting Kylie Jenner to endorse your product is a golden ticket to rocketship growth. But studying Matthew Hassett's (founder & CEO of Loftie) journey through FERMÀT reveals something far more fascinating: maximizing viral moments requires systematic conversion infrastructure. While celebrity endorsements can naturally ignite incredible growth, Loftie proved that turning these moments into sustainable revenue requires the ability to rapidly create and test targeted shopping experiences. Their transformation through AI-driven FERMÀT funnels validates everything I've been seeing in modern DTC. Here's how they leveraged our platform: 1. Building Narrative-Driven Journeys → Completely eliminated generic product pages (generic PDPs = a common mistake) → Created dedicated funnels with perfect message match from ad to checkout → Every value proposition strategically aligned for maximum impact 2. Strategic Social Proof Integration → Built dedicated Kylie Jenner shopping experiences that actually convert → Headline and banner messaging "Kylie's favorite alarm clock" and "Kylie's 2024 holiday pick" → Layered in Vogue, NYT, WSJ coverage at key decision points 3. Science-Backed Experiences → Developed deep funnels around sleep science and circadian rhythms → One funnel ("Why Sleep Experts Swear by This Sunrise Lamp") drove 19% AOV lift → Proved celebrity proof + education creates exponential impact The transformation happened in just 6 weeks: • 66% CVR improvement • 26% ROAS lift • 25% CAC reduction This challenges how many founders do celebrity endorsements. It's not about plastering the endorsement everywhere - it's about building systematic conversion paths that maximize every click. This is exactly why I'm so bullish on post-click optimization. I've seen time and time again that when founders combine viral moments with seamless funnel design with FERMÀT, the results are exponential. Curious to hear from other people – how you thinking about maximizing viral moments?

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

What’s stopping your influencer marketing from actually working? My opinion: It’s not the influencer. It’s the way you use them. Too many brands treat influencer marketing like a once-off ad buy. But the truth? Influencers aren’t just amplifiers … they’re collaborators. Here’s how you can revamp your approach: 1️⃣ Start with the data. Use insights to find influencers whose audiences align with your goals. 2️⃣ Make it a long-term relationship. Consistent partnerships create trust, not quick, forgettable promotions. You need multiple touchpoints to win. 3️⃣ Mutual control on narrative. Influencers know their audience better than you ever will but you have your own proven data. Collaborate on how best to portray your message to their audience. When you respect the creator's expertise, the ROI speaks for itself. How are you planning to level up your influencer strategy this year?