Have you ever considered asking an influencer to show off your products? After all, they’ve already got the attention of your ideal clients! Currently, in the UK, nearly 70% of marketers work alongside influencers – so how can they help your small business?

I’ve had a chat with Sandra, aka Home Sweet Holmedale, to get her thoughts on the subject.

Being an ‘influencer’ takes more time than people think, creating content, filming, organising meetings and making connections all takes time which when you watch a 2 min reel doesn’t always come across. Saying that, I love what I do and love how I have become an ‘Accidental Influencer’. I have some great collaborations lined up for 2023 which I am really excited about.
– Sandra

How to find the right influencer for your business

Being an influencer isn’t defined by having hundreds of thousands of followers, in fact, a nano-influencer would have between 1K and 10K followers, and a micro-influencer (like Sandra) would have between 10K and 50K. But a good influencer is about much more than just the number of followers. When you’re looking for an influencer, you need to look at how regularly they post, how much engagement they get, and how positive their comment section tends to be! You also need to look at who their audience really is – and if it’s your ideal client. For example, if you meet an influencer who describes themselves as “a Fashion Influencer”, do they usually wear the kind of clothes you’re selling?

Just get in touch and ask the question, if it fits, and you are happy to agree to their terms, they will work with you. I will only ever promote something I would be happy to go out and buy myself. So just send that message and make an enquiry. I am always happy to receive messages

– Sandra

How to work with an influencer

I’ll be honest with you, I haven’t yet had the opportunity to work with an influencer, so it wouldn’t be right for me to tell you about how it really works – luckily I asked Sandra!

What do businesses need to add to their to-do list to make it happen?

It depends on the business. Some small businesses literally want me to just share on my platform, some offer a discount code which my followers can use – this works well. If required, I can send any videos/content I create for them to use on their own socials. For bigger brands there are terms and conditions, the number of reels/stories and time restraints etc.

– Sandra

What costs are involved for the businesses?

This also depends on the business. A fee can be negotiated, or an item can be gifted as part of the deal.

– Sandra

Does it really make a difference?

Did you know that 60% of consumers in the UK have bought something recommended by an influencer they follow? We are all more likely to buy something if it’s been recommended to us by someone we know and trust. The truth is if you follow an influencer, over time you do get to know and trust them – so when they recommend something, you listen.

Lots of my followers have gone on to purchase items I have shared and the feedback from companies I have worked with has always been positive.

-Sandra

Is Sandra the right influencer for you?

Sandra has 15.5K followers, she posts most days, she has a good level of engagement, and her comment section is beautifully positive. If you’ve got under 10K followers, then her figures look good. The question though is whether her audience is your ideal client or not.

I love home décor; this is how my account started but I also love fashion and plant-based food & health. That covers a wide range of businesses, but I would say just send me a message, if it’s something that fits with my ethos then we can work together to make it happen. Before I became an influencer, I had mixed views about them – some were too ‘hard sell’ which put me off whilst others really inspired me, I hope I am the latter!

-Sandra

Featured Guest

Sandra Czachur is an amazing lady living in North Wales. You may have seen her on BBC Wales’ Home of the Year last year! Her Instagram is filled with beautiful home decor, fantastic clothes, inspiring food ideas and beautiful Welsh scenery. In person, she’s a joyful, peaceful, yet full-of-life woman – and that really shows in all her content.

Find her on Instagram: @homesweetholmedale

If you’d like to be a Featured Guest on this blog, please send me a message. I’m looking for people who have experience or thoughts on various Social Media subjects.