How to Use Brand Reps for Your Online Shop
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure for more information.
Have you thought about building a team of brand reps for your small shop?
When it comes to growing your online presence, one popular marketing strategy is partnering with brand representatives. Whether you’re starting your social account from zero or you have been stuck with a measly amount of growth, this marketing method can turn out to be one of the best decisions you make for your online shop… or the WORST. Here’s our tips on how to do it right so your bottom line doesn’t bottom out.
So, what are Brand Reps?
In short, they are social media influencers who promote your business for you. You send them your products for free or with a discount. Additionally, you might include a discount code for them to share with their followers to gain even more exposure. In return, Brand Reps then share images wearing/using your products, mention your business in their stories, and/or promote your shop news in dedicated groups. This is a mutual partnership where both parties benefit and neither is taken advantage of.
How To Find Influencers for Your Brand?
Finding Brand Reps doesn’t have to be complicated or take a lot of time. First decide on how long you want each Rep term to be. Generally run for 90 days however, some brands like to have a few permanent Reps. It’s a good idea to switch it up so you can reach new audiences. Follow these approaches and you’re sure to land partners that love your brand.
- Post on your feed and story that you are looking for Brand Reps
- Follow influencers in your niche via the explore page and utilizing hashtags
- Follow the influencer’s followers
- Engage with your audience, no matter how small
- Direct Messages to people you think fit your target market
Be Crystal Clear About What You Want
Setting expectations and how you are going to manage them is the first step for the Brand Reps strategy. From the beginning, make sure they understand what you’re asking for with your guidelines… just make sure the requirements aren’t too unreasonable. If you make your partners jump through hoops to reap the rewards, they will start to wonder if it’s even worth their time, and that leads to you losing money!
Keep it simple and easy to follow, here’s some examples:
A specific number of high quality, on brand photos (describe your aesthetic and styling) one time? – per week? – batch of?
Test product and a video review
Promote new releases/collections – to followers? – in FB groups? – how often?
What is your turnaround time after they receive the product?
Pro Tip Bonus: write up an agreement template for each Brand Representative and include your expectations and a fair timeframe for the role.
Follow Up and Communications
Congratulations, you’ve won over your influencers and a partnership has begun! Now what? Once you’ve got your Brand Reps working to promote your label for you, don’t forget to show them lots of love. Staying engaged with a Brand Rep is a solid way to keep them dedicated to the role and bring your online shop to the next level. Create a contact avenue for the sole purpose of supporting your reps.
Here’s a few great examples:
- Support or Contact email address
- Brand Ambassador Instagram DM group
- VIP Community/Club FB group
Create Teams
Not getting the consistency you’d hoped for? One smart strategy with marketing through Brand Rep is to break them up into “teams”. Divide the role into 2 separate groups to function differently and to make it easier on the rep to follow through with your expectations.
Promo Team
These reps focus only on spreading your shop’s news, valuable content, and sales in promotion friendly FB groups or through their own social media accounts. In exchange they receive a custom discount code to use themselves as well as for their followers.
Photo Team
These reps follow your guidelines for professional quality styled images and of your products. They also take photos of the products being used/worn in realist lifestyle settings. Photo reps simply send you the images to use for your marketing. In return, they can either receive the items for free or get a special discount code like the Promo Team.
Utilizing the Brand Reps marketing strategy for your e-commerce business doesn’t have to turn into a nightmare as long as you keep in mind our tips.
One word of caution: when all your orders start coming in, don’t forget to stock up on extra packaging and shipping supplies! There is nothing more stressful than having your orders skyrocket and nothing to ship them in.
Now get to finding those dreamy Brand Representatives to boost your sales and brand awareness… you got this!
