“Talent management is the systematic process of creating and sustaining individual competencies that will help the business deliver strategy” - Dave Ulrich.

Today, it has been proven by audiences and consumers around the world that one of the biggest and most innovative ways to market their product is through influencer marketing.

That said, it is inevitable to see all sorts of sponsored influencer content dominating our social media feeds each day. However, while the massive number of these posts are readily apparent, the time, effort, and resources that go into making one are not. Behind each sponsored content posted is an influencer who has put quite a lot of effort to ensure they get the coveted engagement that they want in the form of comments and posts.

Indeed, making audiences double-tap and engage with their posts does not always come easy and straightforward. Influencing is a career hinged on building a significant following and getting that same following to engage with you. As a result, it involves long and endless hours of keeping up with the latest trends, curating engaging content, finding brands and influencers to collaborate with, and handling business inquiries. These concerted efforts are made in an endeavor to grow their following. If you have produced any influencer content on social media before, you know that it takes a lot out of your day just to get it all done. Undoubtedly, the work of a social media influencer can be pretty overwhelming, so much so that it is a challenge to get everything done while still maintaining that work-life balance that everyone dreams about. All that considered, you may have considered finding yourself influencer management for your talents.

If you have given hiring an influencer manager any considerable thought, read our guide to finding one below.

WHAT IS INFLUENCER MANAGEMENT?

Now that you have come to the conclusion that you need an influencer manager, you find yourself asking: What does an influencer manager do, and how can they help you?

Competent and reliable influencer management provides you with a good team that works hard to ensure the success of all of your influencer marketing campaigns and strategies. Briefly said, they are already experts in the industry and are well-versed in the landscape of influencer marketing. As a result, they have already mastered the campaign process and are able to advise you on your next move better. They put on a lot of hats and do a lot of responsibilities to help you with your campaign—from looking for appropriate brands to collaborate with to ideation and strategy execution. Indeed, influencer managers are pivotal, if not helpful, to the success of your campaign, and they do wonders in boosting the brand image of both the influencer and the brands they work with.

HOW CAN INFLUENCER MANAGEMENT HELP YOU GROW YOUR PLATFORM?

Being a successful influencer involves a curated process of creating click-worthy content on top of meticulous planning. Unfortunately, juggling every single aspect of influencing can be quite challenging—so much so that the most prominent social media personalities have a team of experts behind them to help them attain the popularity they have now.

Influencer managers have extensive connections and are well-versed in approaching various brands in the industry. Partnering with them means you form part of that highly coveted circle. It is also worth noting that your manager’s business contacts will help you acquire more partnerships and collaborations in the future. That said, influencer management means someone is actively on the lookout for your next projects. In this way, you can be sure that your career does not grow stale or stagnant. Also, influencer managers can guide and advise you on the latest trends and help you plan relevant content. As a result, you can do what you do best and create excellent content.

BENEFITS OF HAVING AN INFLUENCER MANAGER

In several aspects of your influencing career, having a manager means you can be more efficient and productive. Some of the key benefits that are included with influencer management are the following:

1.) Help in planning your content strategy

Influencer managers are already well-versed with influencing and current trends. That said, they can help you plan a compelling content strategy that will enable you to grow your platform. While you may have great ideas of your own, having a team behind you ensures that your content stays fresh and relevant to your audience.

2.) Manage your content calendar

Having a team behind you results in more ideas for content to release. With a team to manage your content calendar, you can stay organized and on top of any brand deals.

3.) Have someone pitch your work to brands

Influencer managers bring more promotions and endorsements to your career. They do this by pitching your work to brands and securing partnerships for you. While you may choose to do this yourself, it is worth noting that influencer managers already have an established network of connections where they can refer you as necessary.

4.) Negotiate contracts and terms

An influencer manager ensures that you receive the best value for your work. That said, they need to be experts in negotiating the terms of your contract.

5.) Create accurate reports

Influencer managers are tasked with observing the outcome of all your work. This is how you evaluate yourself and how well your campaign has been doing. They do this by organizing the necessary data to create accurate reports, which will be pivotal when planning future content, campaigns, and brand strategies.

6.) Respond to inquiries

Influencer managers take care of all the mundane tasks in influencing you. This includes responding to all inquiries and managing communications on your behalf. Also, you will have a dedicated team behind you to aid you in the decision-making process of all your career-related ventures.

HOW DO I FIND THE RIGHT INFLUENCER MANAGER?

As an influencer, it is not enough to simply have a team to manage your influencing career. To truly be successful, you need to have someone who can help you reach your full potential. If you are currently looking for an influencer manager to help you manage your career better. Below are some of the things you can do:

a.) Check your emails

Influencer managers are always on the lookout for new talent, and at times, they do not reach out by dropping you a DM on your social media page. Instead, they will go for the traditional route of contacting you through cold-call emails as they see this as a good starting point. Be sure to be thorough in selecting which ones you will be replying to, however. There are plenty of these that will be low-quality, and in some cases, they can be untrustworthy. However, you should not dismiss them altogether, as you might just be surprised to find a hidden gem among them.

It may take a bit of time to sift through the emails, but it is worth the effort. Be sure to do your part and research before sending out a reply. Also, make sure that they can provide you with the services that you need. Check their budget as well, and ask yourself if it is something you can work with.

b.) Find a freelance manager on LinkedIn

LinkedIn is teeming with freelance managers—all you need to do is look for them. What makes LinkedIn great is that you can see their entire work experience and background. Many of them may include a portfolio of their work and experience with previous influencers. In this way, you can easily decide who you wish to work with.

Unlike agencies, however, freelancers are a bit more flexible and offer services outside of the usual. The downside of freelancers, however, is the lack of accountability. After all, these individuals are not affiliated with any agency or company. So, if something goes wrong, it may be a little difficult to hold them accountable. That said, proceed at your own risk.

3.) Post an open position listing

Sometimes, all you need to do is have influencer managers come to you. Do this by posting a wanted position listing on your social media or any similar job sites. Just be sure to make everything clear on your posting, which means you need to delineate the terms, goals, working relationship, needs, and payment clearing on the listing.

4.) Use hashtags to get discovered

Using hashtags may require a bit more time than the rest of the ways you can find an influencer manager. However, just like brands, managers are also tapping on hashtags to look for talent and creators. For them, clicking on hashtags is the easiest way to discover accounts that align with their services.

If you wish to attract the right people, this may be the best way to do it. Keep in mind that this method is a long-term game, so you might not get the results you want right away. However, it is a way for potential managers to get to know you and see if you are someone they can help. Admittedly, you have less control over the process, but the ones that do contact you are more likely to be suitable managers for the type of content you produce.

BOTTOM LINE

Running influencer marketing campaigns can be quite challenging if it is a one-man team game. To do it successfully, you need a myriad of skills complemented with the right experience. And if you wish to run a successful influencing career, your business needs to have a dedicated resource to run campaigns, such as influencer managers. In this way, you can be sure that your campaigns can take off and deliver results that can positively impact your career.