Impressions - April 2019 - 30

15%, so they score 150 likes on each post, according to AdWeek.
Those with 1,000-9,999 followers have engagement rates of about
7.4%. Influencers with more than 100,000 followers earn 2.4% engagement, or 2,400 likes per post - but are much more expensive.
Micro-influencers are more cost-effective, often charging an average price of $62, according to the 2017 State of the Creator Economy
study. Thus, brands often see a better ROI compared to using top-tier
influencers. An Experticity study shows that 82% of consumers are
more likely to act upon micro-influencer recommendations as well,
compared to 73% of recommendations from the average person.
Targeting the correct influencers is critical because they need to
match your brand's values, Peterson says. Tools like Pixlee, MAVRCK
and Influence.co can help you identify and approach influencers who
cater to your audience.
"Work on identifying one to two influencers a month who you
can share your products with," he says.
There are multiple ways to work with micro-influencers. Besides
sending decorated products, "supply a few ideas and some visual or
written content that not only fits their style and tone of voice, but

also will help them tell your story in an engaging way," Supe says.
You also can ask them to post photos about your product with
a few lines of copy. "Ask them to create a blog or a review of your
product, or a how-to video on how to use it," says Connie Chi,
founder and CEO of New York-based The Chi Group.
Whether you work with a micro-influencer on a paid or
partnership-based relationship, don't forget to discuss how the
influencer will represent your brand. Consider also seeking
hyper-local influencers, Peterson says. "Look for influential people
heavily involved in local schools, sports and events that could use
your decorated goods," he says.
Your ultimate goal in these four marketing approaches should
be to engage your audience and turn them into happy, repeat customers who'll turn into brand warriors who passionately promote
your company. 
Nicole Rollender is chief storyteller at New Jersey-based Strand Writing
Services. For more information or to comment on this article, connect with
her at strandwritingservices.com.

Up Close and Personal
Two successful decorators weigh in on how to make a big impact on prospects and snag the sale
with smart marketing.
You can follow a simple plan to get started:
1. Feature your best work on your social sites. Utica, New York-based A&P Master Images posts
images of the best work they've decorated for clients. "We're basically promoting our own work
and promoting our customers to others online - and sometimes they gain new business from it,"
says CEO Howard Potter. "Then, our customers usually order from us again, sooner rather than
later."
2. Gift a surprise extra. When Potter's team finishes an order, his team emails digital fliers or
coupons for a discount on a future order. "We give out pens, highlighters, 'sticky notes' and
travel mugs with our logo on them on a regular basis," he says. "The key is top-of-the-mind
awareness and being personable 24/7."
3. Know before you call. It's always a good best practice to take the old-fashioned approach of
"tapping into your CRM and taking literal minutes to know a customer before you call," says
Erich Campbell, program manager of BriTon Leap's commercial division. "You're their friend in
the business; they don't need to know [that] technology helps you remember the yearly events
for which they send you repeat orders."

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Impressions - April 2019

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