How to Win Over Influencers with an Irresistible Creator Offer

If you've ever been on the hunt for the right influencer for a brand you would relate to this familiar narrative —

Brands dive headfirst into influencer marketing, try to wave their cash shouting 'pick me up' only to get met with influencers promoting competitors, absurd price quotes, or even worse, plain silence.

You might send messages to a hundred influencers and only get a handful of promising conversations.

The common conclusion?

"Influencer marketing isn’t for us." 😭

Many of these challenges stem from not having a compelling "creator offer" — a proposal designed to capture and sustain an influencer's interest.

❌ And it's definitely not about spending $$$ in upfront fees or paying 30-40% sales commission.

In this blog, we'll dive deep into what a creator offer is & how you can create one for your brand. By the end, you'll have the step-by-step guide, some examples to learn from, and tools you'll need. The goal is to help you craft an offer that makes influencer marketing a profitable channel for your brand.

📦 What is a creator offer?

A "creator (or influencer) offer" is a proposal or package that brands present to influencers as part of influencer marketing strategies.

It details what the influencer will receive (like compensation, products, or other incentives) in exchange for promoting the brand. This offer is designed to establish a mutually beneficial partnership between the brand and the influencer.

A compelling creator offer has 3 elements:

1️⃣ Incentive for the creator:

This could be free products, commissions, or flat fees.

For most brands, especially those new to influencer marketing, the best approach is to offer one of these or a combination, like free products plus commissions.

Graza, the olive oil brand sent free products to food bloggers and influencers before their public launch to build hype.

When you use this approach, follow up with the influencer once the product is delivered to encourage a review or shoutout.

To streamline this, you can use tools like SARAL which have automated follow-up campaigns built-in once the product is delivered.

2️⃣ Discounts for their fans:

Most brands default to offering discounts to the creator's audience.

For instance, Loop Earplugs creates custom codes for influencers that their followers can use to get discounts.

But discounts aren't the only way to entice their audience to buy.

• If your product operates on slimmer margins, you can offer free shipping when purchased through an influencer's link (or a free shipping discount code)

• Exclusive bonuses or freebies could be provided only for those who buy via the influencer.

• If your product is customizable—like a shaker bottle where you can inscribe names—such personal touches can significantly boost perceived value. After all, a 10% discount on a $50 product might not be as attractive as having a personalized item.

You can create coupon codes for each creator you onboard directly inside SARAL:

3️⃣ Special perks for creators:

This is about how to make your offer stand out.

Successful brands like Athletic Greens, Sephora, and Lululemon have mastered this by always including a unique component in their ambassador programs.

Some ideas for special perks:

• Host gatherings: Organize a weekend retreat at an Airbnb where influencers can connect, share ideas, and get to know your brand better. It creates a sense of community and gives influencers a chance to know your team & brand better.

For example, lululemon hosts a multi-day retreat for its influencers every year when they onboard them.

• Personalize gifts: Send custom merchandise with the influencer's name or logo. For example, if you're a makeup brand, create a personalized makeup palette just for them. It shows you see them as an individual, not just another promotional channel.

Under its influencer marketing program, Glossier created a set of makeup bags with Olivia when they partnered with her. This was personalized with her name and was even available for people to buy.

• Engage through events: Host a product launch dinner and invite your top influencers. Give them a sneak peek of the product and ask for their feedback. It makes them feel involved in the brand's journey and more invested in promoting it.

Sephora's influencer marketing strategy has this technique. They invite influencers for regular events, & product launches.

And even hosts workshops with celebrities like JLo. You might not have access to them but anyone that your influencers will gain value from or admire like an expert in your industry will help.

• Set reward milestones: Let's say, an influencer brings $500 in sales, they can get a 10% bonus. For $1000, they get a 15% bonus. This provides a clear goal to aim for, motivating them to push a bit harder.

An example of this would be Obvi's influencer marketing approach. They offer rewards ranging from 10% to 25% for their influencers depending on how many orders they bring in.

✨ Real-life Example of Transforming a Creator Offer From Dud to Delightful

🤦 The initial offer & problem

A popular cookie brand had set up an affiliate program where they offered a 10% commission. There were no discounts for the audience or creator perks.

While many creators signed up, very few were actively promoting or talking about the cookies, making the program largely dormant.

⚡ Revamped creator offer

• Higher commission: We suggested an increase to a 15% commission, specifically on the "Trifecta Bundle" – a pack of their three top-selling cookies.

The brand had a higher profit margin on this bundle, which meant they could afford to give influencers a bigger cut without hurting their bottom line.

• Discount for followers: Followers of the influencer get an exclusive 20% discount on the Trifecta Bundle. This gives an incentive for the influencer's audience to make a purchase.

• Special perks for influencers: Each influencer received the upcoming "cookie of the month" a full week before its general release. It gave influencers a sense of exclusivity. As they posted about these cookies every month, it built excitement and anticipation among their followers

If you're thinking…

"Sending gifts to multiple creators that too every month? That sounds like a ton of work! How will I manage this and track every package?"

SARAL can help. It's the all-in-one influencer marketing tool that has solved this problem.

You can link up your store and send out freebies to creators all in one go.

Check out this example below — using SARAL to ship to 3 creators at once! No more tedious one-by-one order creation.

Not only that, it will automatically follow up with creators once they receive the products.

🏌️ Result

This new and improved offer was a hit. The brand successfully brought on board 35 influencers in just a month.

Let's look at another creator offer example. This time it's for a protein shake, a product that has relied on influencer marketing for a long time.

✨ Real-life Example of Transforming a Creator Offer From Routine to Remarkable

🤷 Situation before the offer overhaul

This protein brand initially leaned heavily on a traditional affiliate program.

But considering the unique nature of their product, they had a strong edge. Once fitness enthusiasts find a protein brand they like, they tend to stick with it, minimizing the urge to switch. Recognizing this behavior, it became clear that the brand had room to innovate its offer strategy.

⚡ Revamped creator offer

• Flat fee instead of commission: Given the nature of their product - a frequently repurchased item for fitness enthusiasts - we advised a shift from a commission model to a flat fee. We implemented a $100 payout for each purchase made through an influencer's link.

• Gift for followers instead of a discount: Instead of offering a typical discount, we proposed that the brand send a personalized shaker to the influencer's followers who made a purchase. This strategy ensured the brand's presence in consumers' kitchens, encouraging them to repurchase the same brand.

• Monthly perk for influencers: Recognizing that fitness influencers regularly consume and buy supplements, we proposed a monthly incentive: a free supplement of their choice. This not only catered to the influencers' needs but also kept the brand at the forefront of their minds, prompting more frequent and genuine promotions.

🏌️ Result

With a more enticing offer tailored to both influencers and their audiences, the brand saw increased engagement and a noticeable uptick in sales. Influencers felt genuinely valued and were more motivated to authentically promote the product.

💵 A common question: what percentage of commission to offer?

As you start shaping your influencer offer using insights from this blog, one key challenge will be figuring out the right commission percentage. You might feel tempted to mirror your competitors or simply settle on a round number like 10% or 15%. But, making a hasty decision could dent your profits.

Instead, approach this crucial decision with numbers.

Understand your margins, evaluate your goals, and determine a commission rate that makes financial sense for your business.

Influencer marketing should enhance your profitability, not strain it like those expensive ad campaigns.

Here's a handy template to help you work through these numbers.

You can get this Google sheet template here. To use it, Go to File > Make a Copy.

And, if you're keen to deep dive into the nitty-gritty of using it, our comprehensive guide on calculating influencer commission rates will walk you through each step.

Final thoughts

Influencer marketing is not just about shouting the loudest or flashing the most cash. It's about building authentic relationships and having the right tools to foster those relationships is just as vital.

Because even with the perfect offer, managing all the nitty-gritty details can feel overwhelming. Your time is better spent connecting with influencers, getting to know them, and building a long-term genuine partnership with them.

That's where SARAL can help.

SARAL is an all-in-one influencer marketing platform specifically built for DTC brands that want to grow their revenue, profitably.

Transform your influencer marketing with SARAL – Start your free 7-day trial today.

Here's what you can do with SARAL:

• Discover unlimited untapped influencers that are perfect for your brand, without spending hours searching.

• Send compelling offers effortlessly, avoiding the tedious process of manually DMing each influencer.

• Easily onboard influencers and keep in touch with them via automated messages.

…and much more.

If you're curious about making the whole influencer marketing more... well, "Saral" (easy), then maybe it's time to give SARAL a try. Claim your free trial here.

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