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Francis Isberto
Francis Isberto

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How small time Startups can make BIG on Micro-Influencers

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You have a great idea. Then you built it. Afterwards, you pitched it to the Investors for funding.
Your project is up. You're all set. And now comes the suspense... will this project earn money?
Time to roll the dice and see what happens.

The sad truth is 90% of Startups fail. One major factor is that Founders focus only on "Building" and not on "Acquiring" customers.
The normal scenario is this...
1.) Founder gets an idea
2.) Builds the project
3.) Tries to sell it
4.) Nobody buys into it
5.) Founder then runs out of funds
6.) Startup dies

It's really sad but that's the plain truth of it.
For a Startup to be a successful project, it doesn't only need to be an amazing idea... but a Startup should expose themselves out in the open.
It needs to Bring Awareness throughout the online network. Without it, it will definitely falter and die (no matter how great the projects is).

We need to market it. Not only does marketing build brand awareness but it can also increase sales, grow businesses, and engage customers.
The heart of your Startup success lies in Marketing. In fact even established businesses like Microsoft, Amazon, Red Bull, and Coca-Cola still continue their marketing program just to maintain a Long-Lasting Relationship with their audience.
It's crucial for them because it signifies that their Brand Still Cares.

For new Startups, one of the best option to go to is "Influencer Marketing".
Why? Because consumers of today trust Influencers more than brands (Startup companies).
New brands are not tested yet while these Influencers have been out there for quite some time now. It's a voice that they trust. Consumers always trust a voice of Authority.
It has become a new trend in Marketing. Influencer marketing is the fastest growing and most Cost-Effective Channel.
Influencers typically have loyal audiences who value their opinion when it comes to making purchasing decisions. And when Consumers are more engaged, it could probably lead to more sales.

But for Startups who are just starting, it is advisable that they should go for "Micro-Influencers" for their brand.
Considering that Big Time Influencers now charge more for their participation and presence. An Influencer with over 100,00 followers now charges as much as $1,000 just for a single post.
But even if you can afford Big Time Influencers, it is still not commendable since there is less engagement on their end.
According to some study, Instagram users with fewer than 1,000 followers get an average of 15.1% Engagement Rate, while those with over 100,000 followers or more only get 2.4% – that’s six times less engagement.

For years, Influencer Marketing has been about finding people with the biggest audience size to reach the most amount of people.
Now, it's the other way around. Companies are looking for "Micro-Influencers" who have a small following but are Fully Engaged to each one of them, therefore, having a better command with the consumers.

Think of Influencer Marketing like throwing pebbles in a pond.
If you throw a big pebble (Huge Influencer – Big Paycheck) you create a huge splash and one ripple. But if you throw lots of little pebbles (Micro-Influencers) you Create Several Splashes and ripples, some that overlap but the ripple effect covers a bigger area.
We’re also in time where people are becoming more noncommital to Big Influencers.
Big Influencers are compensated generously to promote a product but main intent is to advertise & get paid. Micro-Influencers feels more organic to consumers, making them more likely to engage.

If you want to get your Micro-Influencer for your Startup, then I advise you to go to Influence.co
It is a platform for influencers and brands to collaborate and connect. It has a large search engine that you can use to search for the categories that fit your brand and your specific location.
It is like the "LinkedIn for Influencers" out there. All they need to do is Sign-up, show-off their amazing work, and use that portfolio to find their next opportunity.
While brands and startup companies, on the other hand, can search freely to a network of more than 50,000 influencers.

Here is some listing of the Big Influencers from their database...

1.) Owen The Great Dane
=> Has 35,000 thousand Followers
=> With an average 1,300 Likes per post and 23 Comments per post
=> Earning by collaborating with Pet brands and also working hand in hand with clothing brand as well
LINKS:
Influence.co
Instagram

2.) Helen Owen
=> Has 1.5 Million Followers
=> Her posts fee start at $7,000
=> Helen's pretty face and sexy body is the key to capture most brand's attention
LINKS:
Influence.co
Instagram


Now, all small time Startups need to do is look for an Influencer like the ones above but with a smaller following. They don't only charge you much less but they are more engage to their fans thus making the fans more convince to buy in to your Startup.
Just make sure that your Micro-Influencer suits perfectly well in your Startup company.
Talk to your Micro-Influencer. Tell them your goals and course of action. Then let them do the talking and convincing.
This time, your only task is to collect the money from all of the customers that your "Hidden Gem" collected for you.
Your "Hidden Gem" (a.k.a. Micro-Influencer), who is giving BIG results on your end, will undeniably make your Startup a perfect Well-Oiled Money-Making Machine.

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