How to make the most out of an influencer event

If you’ve got your influencer marketing strategy in place then a well thought out event is the next natural step. Why? It can strengthen your online presence, increase engagement and help you reach new audiences. It is also a great way to build long-term relationships with key influencers and create some buzz around your brand whether that’s a new collection, a collaboration or an anniversary. Here we share a few of our top tips so that you can plan like a pro and activate the perfect event for your brand.

Choose the right influencers

With the right people in the room, 15-20 influencers can reach an audience of thousands. Have a look at the influencers’ content - what topics are they engaged with? What calibre of brands do they work with? Where are they based? What audience are they speaking to?

It can be tempting to pick the biggest names or influencers you follow yourself, but it is much more important to find the influencers that have responded well to your brand previously and that you already have a relationship with. Plus, don’t be too hung up on their follower count. A smaller following equals meaningful engagement (micro-influencers know their audience better than anyone) and they are usually perceived as more authentic than larger-scale influencers.

Plus 1’s welcome

Influencers tend to hang out in groups and are more likely attend if someone they know are going so offering them to bring along a plus 1 is a nice gesture. This will not only help create a relaxed atmosphere, but it will also encourage authentic coverage and capitalise on engagement. Influencers get invited to a lot of events and if they can catch up with their friends whilst attending one - win-win!

Keep it personal

When inviting the influencers, make sure to add a personalised message and make them feel special to have been included. If you’ve had a dialogue with the influencer previously reference that.

Are there any details you can request ahead of the event to make the influencer feel part of something exclusive? If you’re planning to gift the influencers a piece from your collection request sizes, colour choices or similar. This will ensure that you’re giving them something that you know they will appreciate and wear, and it will also increase the chances of the influencers attending your event.

Capture that content 

An event provides the perfect opportunity to create a plethora of social content, however, there are a few things you can do to maximise on this. Interactive, ‘Instagrammable’ moments are key to making sure the influencers talk about your brand to their followers. It doesn’t have to be something extravagant, a few effective details ranging from a snappy hashtag to an eye-catching display or backdrop can make a big impact and create a memorable experience. You basically want to create a ready-made stream of content so that you can enjoy increased exposure and visibility. Having your brand clear and visible will help keep the brand front-of-mind for the influencers throughout the event.

Hosting a brand-appropriate activity is another element to get influencers to interact and post about about your event, but it’s also a great way to give the influencers a reason to stay longer. Make sure that the activity is relevant to your product/brand and that it’s something that appeals to the influencers attending.

Follow-up

Don’t forget to send the influencers a nice and personalised email the day after and thank them for coming. This will show that you genuinely care and are keen to continue to build your relationship with the influencers beyond the event. For the influencers that you have a relationship with or have worked with previously and that weren’t able to make it, is there anything you can offer them? i.e a piece from your new collection or similar. Small, nice gestures like these make a long-lasting and positive impact.

Planning your first or your next event? Whether it’s an intimate dinner or a product launch, we work with you every step of the way to pull off a tailored event that delivers results.