“Forrester included social media influencers as part of their buying network concept, but honestly, Drew, I don’t know where to start,” shared a B2B CMO at a $400mil tech company. I sipped my margarita, offered a Cheshire cat smile, and thought this must be what it’s like for Cooper Flagg when he spies an unguarded basket. Do you dazzle with a highlight-reel jam or simply take the layup?
I took the layup, offering a few insights with the promise of more when we spoke later. Had I taken the other approach, the highlight reel would have started with one concept:
Assess Your Currency
By currency, I don’t just mean cash money. Yes, you can cut B2B influencers a check, and if it’s big enough, many will do your bidding. Others won’t. Regardless, this transactional approach will limit your upside. Contracts will be executed to the letter. Brand love will not be engendered. Instead, tap into other currencies. Think of your influencer program as a multi-dimensional value exchange.
Access is Currency
Every company has other forms of influencer currency. Access is an incredibly valuable asset you can exchange. When I worked with Pega as an influencer, they provided access to their founder, Alan Treffler, typically reserved for analysts and journalists. Back in 2017, I was thrilled to have this brilliant exec on my podcast.
Recognition is Currency
About 10 years ago, IBM invited 15 of us to participate in their brilliantly labeled “Futurists” program. We all said “yes.” Who doesn’t want to be called a Futurist? We got front-row seats at their big conferences with signs saying, “Reserved for Futurists.” We also gained access to IBM executives and pre-launch product briefings. These briefings were similar to the ones they gave to "real" reporters, further boosting our egos.
Social Support is Currency
Before the Futurist program, IBM had a less formal influencer program in which I participated. Once again, they provided access to high-ranking execs. I turned one of these interviews into a story that ran on
FastCompany.com with the audacious (+ now ridiculous) headline “Why IBM Could Be Bigger Than Facebook in Social Media.” IBM loved the story so much that they encouraged their entire employee base to share it on social media. They did. That story was among the top 10 stories on
FastCompany.com for two months. My editor + IBM loved it.
Connecting Influencers is Currency
The best part of the IBM Futurist program was not the name. It was the fact that IBM brought us together to learn from each other. For a couple of years, Gartner did the same thing. Led by ever-insightful Brent Adamson, I met several marketing + sales luminaries with whom I still compare notes + amplify stories.
Eight months ago, LinkedIn started a B2B global marketing influencer group. I’m happy to be part of it and appreciate the inside info they share with the 30 of us. The real highlight? We set up a group chat on LinkedIn that is an insight-packed slam dunk.
Written by Drew Neisser
