Influencer engagement works at every scale

You know you want to engage influencers to build brand awareness or share your message. But you’re worried you don’t have the budget or venue for a show-stopping blogger tour? 

When it’s not feasible to bring the influencers to you, there are creative and effective ways you can bring your farm or business to them. 

Not all influencer engagement activities are on the same scale. Smaller events can be an effective way to reach influencers and in some instances, may even be preferred. For example, a blogger happy hour offers an intimate setting to meet and engage with influencers. Invite influencers to a favorite local restaurant or pub. You can either make a formal presentation, or mingle and visit with them one-on-one.  

This happy hour setting proved to be a successful engagement venue for the Coalition for Sustainable Egg Supply. The coalition wanted to share insights into research about the types of hen housing used by egg farmers. The farm where the barns were located had biosecurity measures to prevent the hens from being exposed to disease, such as the avian influenza, which can be spread from wild birds to hens. For this reason, it was not practical to invite a large number of influencers to walk through the barns. 

But there was another way to invite influencers to the farm – through a video tour. At the happy hour, father and daughter of the farm family, along with one of the researchers, played the video and then answered questions from the influencers. 

Consider using video and platforms such as Facebook Live and Instagram to share a visual message with influencers. This option can be a budget-friendly alternative to a full-scale tour. 

Other advantages of small-scale engagements: 

• Reach influencers who would not be able to participate in an out-of-town tour. 
• Optimize connections. A few hundred influencers may be able to participate in a live video chat, much more than could be accommodated in a tour. 
• Expand geographic reach. The Coalition for Sustainable Egg Supply, for instance, held happy hour events in two separate cities. 
• Lay the foundation. Start building your network with small events to discover the influencers and programs that work best for you. Then when you’re ready for a tour or larger scale event, you’ll have a formula for success. 

Influencer engagement, when done right, is a powerful tool, no matter what size or scope you work with. We’re happy to help you identify the right approach to increase engagement among your most important influencers when you’re ready to start putting it to work.