Does turmeric need any marketing? Especially in India?
Well, at a recent event that I attended, turmeric was a hot topic. Everyone I met had a turmeric story to tell. Madame Turmeric was the hero, wait…the heroine! From the stories that were floating around the table, Madame Turmeric had saved most of the guests from myriad childhood ailments.
Rub turmeric on your shoulder to chase away that nagging ache.
Add turmeric to milk and chase your throat infection away!
The stories were many and varied. Not to be left behind, I added my own turmeric story to the mix. I regaled new friends and old with the story of how my father fleeced me off my scholarship money (a handsome sum of Rs 2500) to plant a small hillock full of turmeric. He promised me untold riches when he harvested the turmeric. But, my luck was such that the price of turmeric fell so much that it didn’t even cover the cost of harvesting it!
Well, to cut a long story short, I never expected that turmeric would be the main topic of discussion at a formal party in Bangalore. But that’s exactly what happened. On reflection, I realised that it was all thanks to a bit of influencer marketing (of the in-person kind) by one of my long-time friends.
Every time he makes the trip from Australia, he has a new diet or a new therapy that he’s tried out and wants to share with the rest of us. A few years ago it was intermittent fasting and this time it was all about this new magic drug he’d discovered – turmeric. I realised that his interest and advocacy of turmeric made everyone in his sphere of influence want to engage in a bit of their own marketing. This created a ripple effect with a wholly unintentional buzz about our very own yellow spice. This is influencer marketing at its most rudimentary.
With the barrage of content that hits us on a daily basis, it’s not surprising that we tend to trust micro-influencers who we connect with, rather than celebrities. This trend is reflected in the growth of the influencer marketing industry which is projected to expand to USD 16.4 Billion in 2022. Not surprising when you consider that most teenagers trust influencers more than traditional celebrities and 86% of women make their purchase decisions due to influencer posts.
If you are thinking of influencer marketing for your brand, just remember that authenticity and relevance is more important than reach. Here are some key pointers to keep in mind when going shopping for your influencer.
A match made in heaven
Find an influencer who can become an extension of your brand and aligns with what your brand stands for. Don’t be too fussed about the number of followers. If your influencer can reach the target market of your brand, you’ve hit the jackpot.
Know your path
It’s important to have clear goals before launching an influencer marketing campaign. Metrics like website traffic, engagement rates and sales are good ways to measure your goals. This will help you measure the success of your campaign and determine whether it was worth the investment. It’s also important to communicate your goals with the influencer so that you are aligned in terms of messaging as well as goals.
Be as clear as water
If your influencers do not know what you want, how will they be able to help you achieve your goals? Be transparent with your influencers about what you expect from them. Make sure that you have a clear agreement in place before starting a campaign. Provide influencers with the information and resources they need to create high-quality content that will help you achieve your goals.
Keep your ear to the ground
Being nimble and sensitive to the winds of change around you is an essential trait for a marketer. Continuously evaluate and update your influencer strategy to stay relevant and effective in the ever-changing digital landscape.
Weed out the fakes
Last but not least, beware of fake influencers. Influencers can purchase followers to make their following larger than it actually is. Make sure that the influencer you choose has a following that grows organically. You can check this manually or with a tool.
Sperry’s success story
The secret to a successful influencer campaign is its authenticity. If the influencer and the brand are already aligned, it comes through in the campaign. A good example for this is the 2016 Sperry campaign. The boat shoe brand identified 100 fans of the brand in Instagram who were already sharing content and invited them to develop content for its official Instagram account. That’s 100 authentic micro-influencers! What more could you ask for?