The more that companies fill social media news feeds with advertisements and product offers,
the more consumers crave authenticity and rely on word-of-mouth reviews from their peers and
loved ones. But how do businesses stand out from all of the noise and fulfill the authenticity that
consumers crave? Well, the answer to this question is Influencer Marketing. What is Influencer
Marketing, you ask? Check out our other blog, Influencer Marketing 101, to discover how it can
help your business.
As an agency that offers Influencer Marketing, we can talk all day long about the success we've
witnessed and the results we've gained with social media influencers. But today, we want to
share the expertise and "behind-the-scenes" perspective from a highly successful and
professional influencer. We've collaborated on many different projects and campaigns, and we
are thrilled to get Breshell's input and share her experience with you today!
Q: Hey, Breshell! Tell us a bit about your background. How did you get into Influencer
Marketing?
A: My introduction to the influencer world was a little untraditional. Growing up, my parents had
a vision of what my career path would be: lawyer, doctor or accountant. During my senior year
at The University of Oklahoma studying medicine, I realized that I had a different vision for my
future. I decided to take a chance and focus on digital marketing. While working at a t-shirt shop
and managing social media, the question of "is social media only for friends and family, or is it a
place for business too?" crossed my mind. I then began reaching out to local businesses,
conducting research and eventually creating my blog.
After growing my personal brand and moving back to Dallas/Ft. Worth after graduation, I was
interviewed by KVGI radio station in Frisco about how local businesses can use social media to
benefit their business. The segment broke all of the past records, and I then began to work with
the station as a regular having my own show, "The Good News." During my time at KVGI, there
was a large increase in listeners, social media engagement and ultimately, this is what launched
my career as Frisco's #1 Influencer.
Q: We love your content! How long have you been an influencer, and what do you love
most about it?
A: I have been a local social media influencer going on five years! It's the dream job I didn't
know I wanted. I have built my following on fashion, cooking/lifestyle and the best local
restaurants. I strive to be the individual that everyone trusts and not just a person online. People
want to feel a connection to the influencer! Connecting with the community and knowing my
followers personally is what makes being an influencer so rewarding.
Q: What did you find to be your biggest challenge when first breaking into influencer
marketing?
A: Wow, that's a tough question! I would have to say the judgment from the people around me
and the haters online. This is something that anyone who makes the jump from the private to
public lifestyle has to deal with. It was hard starting my career in college and hearing people say
things like, "I think I am better than everyone else," which isn't true at all.
Q: With the influencer market being so competitive, how do you set yourself apart from
other local influencers?
A: Everyone is always talking about what to do in Dallas and Ft. Worth but not Frisco. I saw an
opportunity to promote local businesses and lifestyles in Frisco and far North Dallas. When I
started, there weren't any major attractions in Frisco, so it was a big risk that I knew I was ready
to take on! Now, Frisco is becoming a tourist destination thanks to The Star in Frisco and many
large businesses making the move to Frisco.
Q: We noticed you have 30.2K followers. Wow! Tell us a little bit about how you grew
your following.
A: The best way I can put it is if you were to walk into a room of people, how would you make
friends? Would you stand in the corner and not talk to anyone? No, you're going to be social
and personable! Being an influencer, you can't live your life on an isolated island. Interacting
with your following is KEY. Liking, commenting and following is a full-time job!
Q: We love that supporting local is a big passion of yours. What's your favorite way to
get involved in your community?
A: My favorite way to get involved is to host community events. Something that I have noticed is
that Frisco doesn't have many places to meet up with people who have similar interests. I am
actually in the process of creating a website and eventually, an app! Finding Frisco will connect
the Frisco community to local businesses and other citizens looking to build connections and
relationships. Businesses, influencers and groups will be able to share their own content about
specials or upcoming events to a large audience all at once.
Q: What does a day in the life of an "influencer" look like for you?
A: For me, there are two types of days. One day is all office work, such as paperwork, billing,
contracts, etc. My favorite types of days are what I refer to as "outward days." This is where I
am face-to-face with businesses or out in the community, exploring and building relationships!
Being an influencer isn't just about promoting stores or restaurants. It's also about finding truly
unique places that people might not know about.
Q: How would you describe the difference between a micro-influencer and a celebrity or
macro influencer? Do you prefer one over the other? Which one is more successful in
your experience?
A: With micro-influencers, you feel like you are connected with your followers. They see you as
relatable and reachable. When you start to get into the macro influencer world, a lot of the
content is about their expensive bag or doing activities that are just not relatable to the rest of
the world. From my experience, micro-influencers tend to have better results since they are of a
niche market. For example, the brand that I have built focuses on the Frisco lifestyle. Even
though growing my following is important, the demographic just isn't always there. It's okay not
to have a million followers!
Q: Can you talk to us about how you choose which partnerships and products you work
with?
A: Anything I work with has to meet a couple of requirements: it has to be a business in Frisco
(or surrounding city) or a personal product that I would actually use in my everyday life. For
example, my husband and I are expecting our first baby, so there will probably be more
products and content surrounding this.
Q: What's your favorite influencer campaign you worked on and why?
A: Hands down my favorite campaign to work on was for the Saguaro hotel in Scottsdale,
Arizona! I partnered with them to create the "Ultimate Bachella." While there, we shot photos to
promote a bachelorette weekend. What was so awesome about this campaign was that the
photos were picked up by other magazines and media platforms. In return, it brought the hotel
more traffic, and my brand was exposed to more followers and awareness.
Q: Is influencer marketing for everyone? And how do you measure if it is successful?
A: Absolutely, YES, it's for everyone! There are three ways to measure if an influencer
campaign is successful: One way is if you gather new and unique content. Many brands
struggle with diversifying the images that are used. A second way is all about brand
awareness-- people are curious. They will click on a brand if it is something that they do not
know what it is. The last way is through conversion or sales. This is tricky because, as a brand,
you cannot expect an influencer to bring someone through the conversion funnel. It is best to do
a partnership with an influencer, even though it might be more expensive. In my experience, it
takes about three months to bring the conversions you are searching for. It's important to
remember that social media is not the end all be all just because you are active on social media
or have partnered with an influencer.
Q: What does your future of influencer marketing look like in your eyes?
A: It is going to become more niche and relationship-based. Right now, it is a battle of "bigger is
better," "I need more followers" and "it doesn't matter what I'm posting." Instead, people want
companionship and more similarities with influencers.
Over the last few years, it's no surprise that influencer marketing has grown exponentially and is
on track to be worth a $9.7B industry by the end of 2020. As the influencer marketing industry
becomes robust, brands and agencies marketing tactics must keep up. Social media has
provided new channels for advertisers to tell their brand stories in an authentic and distinctive
voice. As Breshell mentioned, an influencer is genuine and builds a following based on their
recommendations. When brands are looking for social media influencers, it's essential to do
your research on all the influencers out there, build a persona for your brand so you know who
you are looking for and find an influencer that matches well with your business. The last few
years have proven that influencer marketing is invaluable for building customer trust and establish brand identity. It's
never too late to get started, so get out, get digital and find your influencers!
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