{"id":229127,"date":"2024-06-06T20:07:13","date_gmt":"2024-06-06T20:07:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/2024\/06\/06\/how-to-approach-influencers-in-your-niche-twelve-crucial-tips\/"},"modified":"2025-06-25T17:17:44","modified_gmt":"2025-06-25T17:17:44","slug":"how-to-approach-influencers-in-your-niche-twelve-crucial-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/2024\/06\/06\/how-to-approach-influencers-in-your-niche-twelve-crucial-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Approach Influencers in Your Niche: Twelve Crucial Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\"How\"How<\/p>\n

Do you want to connect with influencers in your niche?<\/p>\n

Most bloggers do. But many of them go about it the wrong way.<\/p>\n

Forming relationships with influencers is something you really want to get right.<\/span>\u00a0Done well, it\u2019s one of the best ways to grow your audience and brand. And hopefully you\u2019ll end up with some new friends too.<\/p>\n

But if you approach influencers the wrong way, you won\u2019t get the results you want. In fact, you may even harm your blog and your brand.<\/p>\n

Before I dig into specific tips for connecting with influencers, let\u2019s get clear about what not<\/span>\u00a0to do.<\/p>\n

The Wrong Way to Approach Influencers<\/span><\/h2>\n

Getting to know influencers is never<\/span>\u00a0about using a \u2018system\u2019 or \u2018formula\u2019 to make connections.<\/p>\n

Tools are available that let you set up a sequence of emails to influencers, which are then triggered automatically depending on whether or not the influencer opens your emails. And of course they all promise to save you time or give you great results.<\/p>\n

If your own blog is reasonably large, you may well have been on the receiving end of some of these yourself. I get ten or so of these every day, and some influencers I\u2019ve talked to get more than 100 a day.<\/span><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t use these tools.<\/span>\u00a0They often cost a lot, and influencers at all levels will have seen the boilerplate emails from these tools time and time again (often with their name misspelt or omitted).<\/p>\n

No prizes for guessing what happens to these emails. They\u2019re usually ignored and deleted. And I\u2019m sure you can understand why.<\/p>\n

The sad thing is, most people who use these expensive tools to send their emails have good intentions. They\u2019re good people. But they\u2019re potentially hurting their brand.<\/p>\n

So let me share some tips for reaching out to influencer that will give you much better results.<\/p>\n

Tip #1: Don\u2019t Get Upset if They Don\u2019t Respond<\/span><\/h2>\n

Even if you do everything right, some influencers still won\u2019t respond<\/span>. As you can imagine, they get a lot of approaches and have a lot of interactions each day. They may have hundreds of thousands (or even million) of social media connections, which means they can\u2019t respond to everyone.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t let that put you off. Make the approach anyway and try to build a relationship. Just make sure you have realistic expectations, and don\u2019t be upset if someone doesn\u2019t get back to you. (Never attack them or call them out on social media for not replying. That\u2019s a fast way to kill any chance of a relationship.)<\/p>\n

\"How\"How<\/p>\n

Tip #2: Don\u2019t be a Stalker<\/span><\/h2>\n

Everything I\u2019m sharing in this post is about being useful: helping influencers achieve what they<\/span>\u00a0want, and looking for a win-win situation. So be enthusiastic and reach out, but don\u2019t overstep boundaries.<\/span><\/p>\n

This is particularly important when it comes to offline interaction. For instance, sending someone a gift might be a lovely, welcome gesture. But don\u2019t choose something expensive, too personal or potentially offensive.<\/p>\n

A movie star I follow mentioned they were starting a blog, so I sent them a copy of my book. They really appreciated that I noticed they were starting a blog when most other people hadn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

Tip #3: Be Someone Worth Knowing<\/span><\/h2>\n

When you reach out to someone, chances are they\u2019ll dig into who you<\/span>\u00a0are before they respond. They might check out your blog, or glance at your social media accounts.<\/p>\n

You want your online presence to show you\u2019re genuine and credible.<\/span>\u00a0Showcase your expertise if possible. But even if you don\u2019t have any expertise or many followers or readers yet, there\u2019s still a lot you can do.<\/p>\n

For instance, do you complain all the time on Twitter? Or do you talk about topics that influencers in your niche will be interested in? Even if you don\u2019t have many followers yet, tweet as if you do. The same goes for your blog or website. Make sure it looks reasonably professional and complete.<\/p>\n

Tip #4: Find Out <\/span>Where<\/span>\u00a0Best to Contact Them<\/span><\/h2>\n

Some influencers will tell you the best way to get in touch with them on their contact page. But with others you may need to do a bit more digging.<\/span><\/p>\n

For instance, they might have lots of social media accounts, but only one or two they actively use. I have a lot of social media accounts, but there are some I don\u2019t use a lot (such as Instagram). I interact more on Facebook, and so that\u2019s a good place to strike up a connection with me.<\/p>\n

But that\u2019s just me. Other influencers might be farmore active on Instagram or Twitter. So it\u2019s well worth looking at their accounts and seeing where they tend to be responsive.<\/p>\n

Tip #5: Help Create Engagement with Their Content<\/span><\/h2>\n

Most online influencers want engagement leading to some kind of conversion, such as a reader buying a product from them. Most of them are also actively creating content.<\/p>\n

You can help them get the engagement they\u2019re after.<\/span>\u00a0For instance, if they write blog posts or publish videos, you could comment on those. Don\u2019t just say \u201cNice post\u201d. Be constructive and add something to what they\u2019ve done. If they\u2019ve asked a specific question, answer it.<\/p>\n

Tip #6: Help Build Their Community<\/span><\/h2>\n

As well as leaving comments for to the blogger, reply to other people\u2019s comments. This applies not only to their blog, but also to the social networks they use.<\/p>\n

For instance, in a Facebook group you might welcome new members who\u2019ve posted for the first time to introduce themselves. If it\u2019s a Twitter chat, you might make an effort to ask questions and respond to other people who are chatting. (The people you connect with through comments<\/a><\/span>\u00a0may also become friends or helpful contacts for you.)<\/p>\n

But be careful you don\u2019t go too far.<\/span>\u00a0You don\u2019t want people thinking you\u2019re trying to take over the community. If you have the time and inclination to help out a lot, contact the influencer and ask if you can help them as a volunteer. You could offer to welcome new members of a Facebook group, or help prepare questions for a Twitter chat.<\/p>\n

\"How\"How<\/p>\n

Tip #7: Help Them Grow Their Audience<\/span><\/h2>\n

Even if your own audience is quite small, you can still help out influencers. You could share their blog posts, retweet their tweets (if they\u2019re relevant to your audience), and even link to their posts from your blog.<\/p>\n

You could also ask if they\u2019re interested in being interviewed on your blog. If they don\u2019t have the time, you might consider running a case study on them instead.<\/p>\n

Another great way to help is when you guest post on a larger blog, link to the influencer from that post.<\/span>\u00a0A few years ago now, a blogger I\u2019d never heard of before wrote an article for a large business publication that sent me a huge amount of traffic. It definitely got them on my radar.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t discount the offline world either. If you\u2019re giving a talk or presentation, you could mention the influencer. People may well tweet them to let them know.<\/p>\n

You could even approach the mainstream media. Back when I\u2019d just started Digital Photography School, a reader who liked the blog emailed the New York Times, who then asked to interview me.<\/p>\n

Tip #8: Help Them Sell More Products<\/span><\/h2>\n

If the influencer has something for sale (and most will), look for ways to help them sell more of it. That might mean becoming an affiliate, reviewing their product (or service), or recommending it on social media.<\/p>\n

A great way to go further is to send them a testimonial. <\/span>This is really valuable to them, as they can use it on their sales page. (If they have a podcast, send them a audio testimonial. And if they use video, create a video testimonial for them.)<\/p>\n

Tip #9: Help Them Create Content<\/span><\/h2>\n

Most influencers are creating some sort of content. And you can help them with that. Perhaps you have an idea for a blog post they could write. You might even come up with a title and some key points they could cover. Or you could send them a list of questions you\u2019d love to see them write about.<\/p>\n

If they have a podcast, perhaps they welcome recorded questions or comments. If you\u2019re good at design, you could create a graphic they could share to promote one of their posts. There are lots of options, so think about what they might find useful and how you could help.<\/span><\/p>\n

Another possibility here is to help with research. Let them know about a new study or some data they might find useful. You can also help with editing. Drop them a polite, private email if you spot an error in their content, a spelling mistake, a broken link or similar. (But never call them out on these in public.)<\/p>\n

Tip #10: Look for Specific Times When You Can Help<\/span><\/h2>\n

There are times when influencers will want something concrete and time sensitive, perhaps in the next week or month. For instance, are they launching a new book, product or service? Are they supporting a not-for-profit project? Are they exploring a new social media network where they want to get more traction (e.g launching a YouTube account)?<\/p>\n

When influencers are starting new things or promoting something specific, they\u2019re busier than usual.<\/span>\u00a0But don\u2019t let that put you off contacting them, because they\u2019re often open to being approached if you can help them achieve the outcome they\u2019re going for.<\/p>\n

\"How\"How<\/p>\n

Tip #11: Engage With Them on a Human Level<\/span><\/h2>\n

Influencers are ordinary people (honest). Just like you, they have good days and bad days. They also have questions and problems of their own. If they\u2019re asking for help with a particular question or problem see if you can help, even if it\u2019s just by sending them a word of encouragement.<\/span><\/p>\n

If they\u2019re hanging out on Twitter or blowing off steam, sharing some light-hearted banter, a well-timed pun or a funny GIF or meme can go a long way to connect on a personal level.<\/p>\n

Tip #12: Build These Relationships Before You Need Them<\/span><\/h2>\n

I get a lot of requests out of the blue from people I\u2019ve never heard of before. While I\u2019m open to responding and even working with them regardless, the reality is I\u2019m much more likely to want to connect with and help someone I feel I already know.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not a good idea to <\/span>start<\/span>\u00a0your relationship by asking for a favour.<\/span>\u00a0Be genuine about wanting to help and connect with the influencer, and don\u2019t get too hung up on where you expect things to go. Many times I\u2019ve approached people with one thing in mind, and something else entirely has come out of the interaction.<\/p>\n

Make your approach genuine and personal. And if an influencer doesn\u2019t respond, don\u2019t take it personally. You can politely follow up, or just move on to someone else who might have more time to form a connection.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

I\u2019d love to hear your own tips for getting to know influencers in your niche.<\/p>\n

What have you tried that\u2019s worked? What are you planning to do next, or do differently?<\/p>\n

Share your thoughts in the comments below.<\/p>\n

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