You know your organization’s message and voice the best – and we know you have a lot of great things to say. However, there are times, such as during end-of-year fundraising, when uplifting new and different voices can make yours even stronger.
They’re called “influencers” for a reason!
Whether they’re selling a product or an idea, influencers are particularly skilled at motivating their audiences to act. Don’t underestimate the power of passing the mic to individuals with trusted voices to make your case. Not only can it build credibility among your existing audience, but it can also put you in front of new audiences, expand your reach, and introduce different, creative ways to inspire action.
From partnering with like-minded influencers to tapping into organizational stakeholders with the expertise to speak on your behalf, fresh and authentic voices can make a big impact.
Keep in mind:
- Influencers have put in the work to build an audience that trusts them. They have loyal followers who look forward to their content and engage with it! Not to mention, people tend to follow influencers they relate to on a personal level, meaning influencers can connect with audiences in ways that are inherently challenging as an organization. When an influencer who believes in your work makes your case for giving, they’re pretty likely to motivate their followers to act.
- Influencers attract specific audience types, which is perfect for delivering more targeted messaging. Nano and micro influencers (<50K followers) are particularly great at driving engagement within specific communities. On the other hand, larger, more established influencers are great for delivering broader reach and awareness for your organization.
- Successful influencers have built their followings on a foundation of creative expression, experimentation, and knowing what works. Influencers are the engine behind swift-moving content trends, and you can trust them to know how to connect with and motivate their audience. They can unlock new, impactful ways of telling your story.
If you haven’t yet, the end-of-year giving season is the perfect time to give influencers a shot. The greater volume of effort and resources this time of year creates space for experimentation and testing. It’s the perfect opportunity to discover whether an influencer could move the needle on your case for giving.
And while not professional content creators, don’t overlook the power of individuals connected to your organization—from its leadership to volunteers to other prominent stakeholders—to help deliver your message and motivate their networks to give. Their expertise and emotional investment in the work fuels their credibility – don’t be afraid to pass the mic to them too!
With the help of an agency, working with influencers is more than manageable.
The work of identifying, recruiting, and fostering influencer relationships takes time and finesse. Tapping an agency like HelpGood, which already has the experience and expertise, saves organizations valuable time and expense while helping optimize impact. We provide the following key services when leveraging influencers on clients’ behalf.
- Discovery: An agency can help identify influencers that reflect your audience, mission and values. Access to tools and creator marketplaces like TikTok One presents a wide array of possibilities that we can strategically explore.
- Outreach: Seasoned content producers know how to approach influencers authentically, showing that they deeply understand the influencer and what they bring to the table.
- Briefing: If an influencer is interested, an agency will brief them on the ask, providing all the necessary info for them to see what value you can bring to one another.
- Contracting: Agencies handle all the legal stuff so you don’t have to.
- Ongoing collaboration: The process doesn’t end once you agree on the content. An agency will help repost, boost, and collab on the influencer’s content throughout the campaign, maximizing the reach and impact of your message.
A strong agency partner can help you develop influencer relationships that pay dividends.
Working with trusted influencers was a winning tactic for our client Acacia Center for Justice to recruit immigration lawyers as well as raise their profile and gain new supporters. We engaged influential attorney Reb Masel to create a 1-hour podcast, standalone social videos, and reactive content that resulted in 130K letters to Congress and $80K donations nearly overnight.
We’ve engaged with and managed influencers of all sizes to the benefit of a range of clients, and would love to do the same for you! Drop us a line and let’s explore ways to pass the mic this giving season and beyond.
