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<feedburner:origLink>http://www.appinions.com/2013/05/angelina-jolie-breast-cancer-influence/</feedburner:origLink>
		<title>The Angelina Effect on Breast Cancer Influence</title>
		<link>http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/41224336/0/appinions/blog~The-Angelina-Effect-on-Breast-Cancer-Influence/</link>
		<comments>http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/41224336/0/appinions/blog~The-Angelina-Effect-on-Breast-Cancer-Influence/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 16 May 2013 16:34:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristin Morgan</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Contextual Influence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Influence Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[angelina jolie]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[breast cancer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[breast cancer awareness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[breast cancer influence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[breast cancer influencers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[celebrity influencers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[corporate social responsibility]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[csr]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://appinions.com/?p=7254</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[As you probably now by now, Angelina Jolie is in the news again. No, she hasn’t adopted another child or come out with a new blockbuster movie. She’s become the de facto new spokesperson for breast cancer awareness. Angelina has quickly risen to the top of the list for influencers on “Breast Cancer,” according to [...]]]>
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				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div style="clear:left"><p>As you probably now by now, Angelina Jolie is in the news again. No, she hasn’t adopted another child or come out with a new blockbuster movie. She’s become the de facto new spokesperson for breast cancer awareness.</p>
<p>Angelina has quickly risen to the top of the list for influencers on “Breast Cancer,” according to our scientific influence marketing platform.</p>
<p>Angelina’s admission on Tuesday, via an <a title="Angelina Jolie - Op-Ed on Breast Cancer" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~www.nytimes.com/2013/05/14/opinion/my-medical-choice.html" target="_blank">op-ed in the New York Times</a>, that she’s had a preventative double mastectomy in order to lower her odds of developing breast cancer, which she has a strong genetic predisposition for, has instantly changed the conversation on breast cancer.</p>
<h2>Breast Cancer Influence Measures</h2>
<p>On May 13, before Angelina’s op-ed appeared, the volume of opinions (we use <a title="Appinions influencer platform technology" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~appinions.com/our-technology/" target="_blank">opinions, not mentions, to measure influence</a>) was an average of 39 per day. On May 14, the day of the op-ed, the total opinions rose to 642. The net influence score (NIS), which is how we measure the overall influence of a topic, jumped from 123 on May 13 to 171 on May 14.  The huge jump in the number of opinions, plus the rise in NIS, indicates that not only did Angelina engage in the conversation about breast cancer, but others must have too.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~appinions.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/breast-cancer-influence-graph.png"><img class="aligncenter  wp-image-7259" title="Breast Cancer Influence Graph" alt="Breast Cancer Influence Graph" src="http://appinions.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/breast-cancer-influence-graph.png" width="624" height="209" /></a></p>
<p>And our data bears that out pretty easily.  In the days before the op-ed, the most influential people in the breast cancer conversation were Kathleen Hammett, a runner with Race for the Cure, and Megan Charles, a writer for The Inquisitr, who writes about health topics.</p>
<h2>Influencers in the Breast Cancer Conversation</h2>
<p>Since Tuesday, Angelina Jolie has become the most influential person in the breast cancer conversation. Also new to the list is Alice Park, a writer for Time who covered the news extensively this week and has written a cover article for Time which will launch on Thursday.</p>
<p>Three other top influencers now engaged in the conversation include: Sheryl Crow, another celebrity breast cancer survivor; Bonnie Fuller, Editor in Chief of HollywoodLife.com; and Maria Eugenia Alcon, Deputy Editor for NBC Latino, who wrote on Tuesday about breast cancer and Hispanic women.</p>
<p>We’ve seen <a title="E Online: Angelina Jolie Role Model" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~www.eonline.com/news/418942/angelina-jolie-how-she-s-emerged-as-hollywood-s-biggest-role-model" target="_blank">Angelina’s effect on humanitarian and social causes before</a>: her work with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is well-documented and has raised awareness for those missions overall, and she’s supported numerous other causes, primarily children- and health-related.</p>
<p>It’s illustrative to see how one highly visible, and already influential, person, without any link to a specific charity or brand, could so quickly become the face of a cause.  For brands engaging in <a title="Appinions - Corporate Social Responsibility programs" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~www.appinions.com/corporate-social-responsibility/" target="_blank">corporate social responsibility</a> (CSR) programs, understanding the effect a celebrity has on a cause could help frame future efforts.</p>
<p>The Time article announcing the Angelina cover begins, “<a title="Time Magazine - Angelina Jolie cover" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~healthland.time.com/2013/05/15/the-angelina-effect-times-new-cover-image-revealed/" target="_blank">Angelina Jolie has never lacked for influence</a>.” We can emphatically, and scientifically, agree.</p>
<p><em>image: <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~healthland.time.com/2013/05/15/the-angelina-effect-times-new-cover-image-revealed/" target="_blank">Time Magazine</a></em></p>
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<feedburner:origLink>http://www.appinions.com/2013/05/thought-leadership-executive-influence/</feedburner:origLink>
		<title>The Difference Between Thought Leadership and Executive Influence</title>
		<link>http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/41179770/0/appinions/blog~The-Difference-Between-Thought-Leadership-and-Executive-Influence/</link>
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		<pubDate>Wed, 15 May 2013 12:22:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Nyerr Parham</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Influence Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[executive influence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[executive thought leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[executive visibility]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[influence measurement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[thought leadership]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://appinions.com/?p=7237</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[You know your executives need to get their names out there, and to have a presence in your industry. But do you need them to develop thought leadership, or are you looking to help them build their executive influence? At first, it is easy to confuse the two; thought leadership is a component of executive [...]]]>
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				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div style="clear:left"><p>You know your executives need to get their names out there, and to have a presence in your industry. But do you need them to develop thought leadership, or are you looking to help them build their executive influence?</p>
<p>At first, it is easy to confuse the two; thought leadership is a component of executive influence, so you might see them used interchangeably. But executive influence is a broader concept, and is measurable, while thought leadership may be somewhat less tangible.</p>
<p>Here is what you need to know to understand what each term means and how to tell the difference between the thought leadership and executive influence.</p>
<h2>What is thought leadership?</h2>
<p>Michael Brenner, <a title="Forbes: What Is Thought Leadership" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~www.forbes.com/sites/sap/2013/01/30/what-is-thought-leadership-5-steps-to-get-it-right/" target="_blank">writing at Forbes</a>, defines thought leadership as “becoming an authority on relevant topics by delivering the answers to the biggest questions on the minds of your target audience.”</p>
<p>Great thought leaders have an ear for their audience&#8217;s questions and concerns and can eloquently speak to the most important of those topics. Their audience determines what their agenda will be, but each executive answers questions with their own unique point of view, enabling them to have an individual voice and, ideally, stand out amongst their peers.</p>
<p>Thought leadership is, unquestionably, important for your brand, as it provides your customers with a level of trust that the leaders of your company, and therefore your company, have the answers and solutions they seek. For your brand, thought leadership provides a way to become a part of your audience&#8217;s thought processes very early in the buying/decision-making cycle. Thought leadership also allows you to put personal faces to your business, and enables your business to become more social.</p>
<h2>What is executive influence?</h2>
<p>Executive influence encompasses thought leadership and then goes beyond it. Executive influence involves leveraging the talents of your executives to influence <b>other</b> individuals across your industry and within your marketplace to take actions which benefit your brand: talk about your company, your executives or your products or services; or amplify the content or messages your executive or your brand creates.</p>
<p>What does it take to engage other individuals? We think of it in three pillars:</p>
<h3>1. Thought Leadership</h3>
<p>If your executive is an expert on a topic and can create compelling content on that topic – in the form of written content, video or appearances at events, for example – those are the messages that influencers in your industry may discuss, dissect or amplify.</p>
<h3>2. Traditional Media</h3>
<p>Is your executive a go-to person for industry press when they have a question or they’re looking for a statement on something relevant to your brand?  When your executive’s opinions are made known through traditional media, their overall influence is raised, in part because most traditional media outlets are considered influential in their own right.</p>
<h3>3. Social Media</h3>
<p>Executives with their own social presences can use those networks to amplify their content (and other brand content) as well as engage and network with other influencers in their industry sphere. This social piece of influence is often underutilized (or not used at all) by executives; however, as it can have a considerable impact on an exec’s overall measure of influence, it may be worth considering if you’re looking to raise your their influence.</p>
<h2>Measuring executive influence</h2>
<p>At Appinions, we measure executive influence by understanding where an executive’s opinion has been published, and whether or not others took action on that opinion. To us, nothing is more powerful than action: social media followers are good to have, but engagement with an executive’s social media is far more important. Ditto for thought leadership – it’s one thing to publish something smart, but entirely another to know that that piece was quoted or amplified by other key voices in the conversation.</p>
<p>Executive influence has been known to increase employee loyalty and <a title="Edelman: Three Ways Executives Can Build Trust" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~www.edelman.com/post/three-ways-executives-can-build-trust/" target="_blank">customer trust</a>.  Greater executive influence can also lead to increased brand awareness, enabling customer movement along the purchasing journey, and sales.</p>
<p>Both thought leadership and executive influence could raise visibility of your executives and brand. But executive influence, if done well, can provide a deeper connection with customers and your marketplace and can become a measurable metric of success for your company.</p>
<p><em>image source: flickr (<a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~www.flickr.com/photos/usembassykyiv/8644049278/" target="_blank">usembassykyiv</a>)</em></p>
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<feedburner:origLink>http://www.appinions.com/2013/05/top-influence-marketing-news-so-you-want-to-be-an-influencer/</feedburner:origLink>
		<title>Top Influence Marketing News: So, You Want to Be an Influencer?</title>
		<link>http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/41006861/0/appinions/blog~Top-Influence-Marketing-News-So-You-Want-to-Be-an-Influencer/</link>
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		<pubDate>Fri, 10 May 2013 13:36:54 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Nyerr Parham</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Influence Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[appinions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Influence marketing news]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.appinions.com/?p=7219</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[You have a blog, a Twitter account and a Facebook page.  Maybe you have a lot of followers or maybe you don’t, but you still want to be considered an “influencer.”  And why not?  Influencers are getting a lot of attention for the role they play in the consumer purchase decision-making process and some of [...]]]>
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				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div style="clear:left"><p>You have a blog, a Twitter account and a Facebook page.  Maybe you have a lot of followers or maybe you don’t, but you still want to be considered an “influencer.”  And why not?  Influencers are getting a lot of attention for the role they play in the <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~appinions.com/whitepapers/marketing-through-trust-leveraging-influence-in-the-consumer-purchasing-process/" target="_blank">consumer purchase decision-making process</a> and some of them are working with really cool brands they love.</p>
<p>This week’s round up of top influence marketing news from around the web focuses on understanding what it means to be an influencer and what it takes to become one.</p>
<p>Here’s what we’re reading this week.  What’s in your reader? Leave us a note in the comments section at the end of this post.</p>
<p><strong>The State of Play for Influence Marketing in 2013 – Infographic
<br>
</strong>Before purposing yourself to become an influencer, take a peek at what the future looks like for marketers and influencers.  <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~twitter.com/samfiorella" target="_blank">Sam Fiorella</a> and <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~twitter.com/dannybrown" target="_blank">Danny Brown</a>, who literally wrote the book on Influence Marketing, published an infographic with some <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~influencemarketingbook.com/influence-marketing-infographic/" target="_blank">tasty morsels of knowledge</a>. For example, 50% of survey respondents indicated they will be allocating budgets for “influence marketing” strategies.</p>
<p>Read the full post here: <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~influencemarketingbook.com/influence-marketing-infographic/" target="_blank">The State of Play for Influence Marketing in 2013 &#8211; Infographic</a></p>
<p><strong>The Influence Hierarchy
<br>
</strong><a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~socialfresh.com/the-influence-hierarchy/" target="_blank">Jason Keath</a> tells us, “Influence marketing is cool.  It is fun.  It is sexy.”  Why yes, it is.  That’s why you want to be an influencer, right?  We particularly like this post because Jason explains all the basics and helps everyone understand the difference between being a Bieber and a Blogger.  He also uses a lot of visual aids, which makes Friday reading even that much more enjoyable.</p>
<p>Read the full post here: <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~socialfresh.com/the-influence-hierarchy/" target="_blank">The Influence Hierarchy</a></p>
<p><strong>The State of Influence Marketing and Scoring Platforms
<br>
</strong>One thing a potential influencer should understand is that there is a big difference between the various social scoring systems.  Some are more weighted towards a particular platform and most don’t take into account offline influence.  Except, of course, here at <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~appinions.com/2013/04/appinions-2-0-ignites-your-influence-marketing-programs/" target="_blank">Appinions</a> where we take all channels into consideration, as well as topical context.</p>
<p>As a potential influencer, it’s important to realize that brands and companies don’t take many of these platforms as gospel.  In fact, over 68% think it’s only a starting point, as Francisco Rosales shares in <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~socialmouths.com/blog/2013/05/02/influence-marketing/" target="_blank">this post at Social Mouths.</a></p>
<p>Read the full post here: <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~socialmouths.com/blog/2013/05/02/influence-marketing/" target="_blank">The State of Influence Marketing and Scoring Platforms </a></p>
<p><strong>Content isn’t King.  Trust is King.
<br>
</strong>Last, but not least, is this piece of advice that is practical for both brands and bloggers wanting to position themselves as influencers and the title of this post says it all, “Trust is King.”  Yes, content is important, very important, to build your readership, but if you don’t have trust, you’ll never have influence.  <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~www.seomoz.org/blog/content-isnt-king-trust-is-king" target="_blank">This post from SEOMoz</a> shares 10 pieces of wisdom on how to develop trust.</p>
<p>Read the full post here: <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~www.seomoz.org/blog/content-isnt-king-trust-is-king" target="_blank">Content isn’t Kind.  Trust is King.</a></p>
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<feedburner:origLink>http://www.appinions.com/2013/05/does-the-size-of-the-influence-audience-matter/</feedburner:origLink>
		<title>Does The Size of the Influence Audience Matter?</title>
		<link>http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/40887348/0/appinions/blog~Does-The-Size-of-the-Influence-Audience-Matter/</link>
		<comments>http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/40887348/0/appinions/blog~Does-The-Size-of-the-Influence-Audience-Matter/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 07 May 2013 12:00:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Nyerr Parham</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Influence Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[appinions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[engagement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[influencer engagement]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.appinions.com/?p=7183</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[It seems logical that success with influence marketing requires you to connect with the influencers who have the largest followings. The reality, however, is that bigger isn&#8217;t always better. If an influencer has followers in the right niche or boasts a high level of engagement, it may not matter if he or she has hundreds [...]]]>
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				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div style="clear:left"><p>It seems logical that success with influence marketing requires you to connect with the influencers who have the largest followings. The reality, however, is that <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~www.businessesgrow.com/2013/04/07/do-you-need-a-massive-audience-to-be-huge-in-social-media/" target="_blank">bigger isn&#8217;t always better<span style="text-decoration: underline;">.</span></a> If an influencer has followers in the right niche or boasts a high level of engagement, it may not matter if he or she has hundreds rather than thousands of followers. What will matter is who their audience is and how well connected they are to their audience. Here are some factors that make a difference when determining whether an influencer&#8217;s following is the “right” size.</p>
<p><strong>Local Versus Global</strong>
<br>
A smaller following may be big enough if you have a business that caters to a small, local audience. In such a case, an influencer with a few hundred followers in your local area may prove more beneficial than an influencer with a large following that is spread across the country and unlikely to be interested in your local offerings.</p>
<p><strong>Niche
<br>
</strong>An influencer with hundreds of thousands of followers is unlikely to prove an asset to your brand if those followers have little-to-no interest in what you have to offer. For example, if your brand caters to parents of preschoolers, but your influencer&#8217;s fans consist mostly of parents of teens, it’s a poor fit, even if the influencer has a huge audience. If, on the other hand, you sell a highly specialized product and your influencer&#8217;s followers all have a need for that product, that influencer may prove an asset, even if their following is small.</p>
<p><strong>Engagement
<br>
</strong>Of course, engagement matters as well. A huge number of followers doesn&#8217;t mean much if they aren&#8217;t well engaged. Remember, an influencer can&#8217;t get a <i>number</i> interested in your brand: it’s <i>people</i> you need to engage. As such, an influencer with a smaller number of well-engaged followers may help your brand more than an influencer with a large list of followers who initially connected with her but don&#8217;t actually trust her, pay attention to her posts or interact with her anymore.</p>
<p><strong>Worthiness Meter
<br>
</strong>Follower size<i> can</i> matter if your brand needs an influencer who is seen as an authority or a leader in a particular industry. In such a case, having more likes, fans, or followers (with commensurate engagement, of course) may give the impression of knowing more about the topic, being better connected with the industry, and therefore offering more value to the audience.</p>
<p>Each brand&#8217;s market is as unique as its goals, which means there is no one-size-fits-all for follower size. Instead, brands can maximize benefit by <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~appinions.com/2013/02/identifying-the-right-true-influencers-of-your-audience/" target="_blank">choosing the influence marketers </a>who best fit their market and their goals.</p>
<p>Image credit: <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~www.flickr.com/photos/sterlic/" target="_blank">Skakerman</a></p>
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		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments></item>
<item>
<feedburner:origLink>http://www.appinions.com/2013/05/from-touchpoints-to-trust-points/</feedburner:origLink>
		<title>From Touchpoints to Trust Points™</title>
		<link>http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/40672116/0/appinions/blog~From-Touchpoints-to-Trust-Points%e2%84%a2/</link>
		<comments>http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/40672116/0/appinions/blog~From-Touchpoints-to-Trust-Points%e2%84%a2/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 01 May 2013 14:27:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Larry Levy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Influence Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[buyer's journey]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Larry Levy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[touchpoints]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[trust points]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.appinions.com/?p=6794</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Marketing has changed. Over the past couple of decades, new forms of messaging, new message delivery vehicles, and indeed, new types of messages have infiltrated the buyer’s experience. From the mom shopping on her smartphone while waiting at the soccer game to the executive researching a major software purchase, the ways buyers gather information prior [...]]]>
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				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div style="clear:left"><p><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Marketing has changed. Over the past couple of decades, new forms of messaging, new message delivery vehicles, and indeed, new types of messages have infiltrated the buyer’s experience. From the mom shopping on her smartphone while waiting at the soccer game to the executive researching a major software purchase, the ways buyers gather information prior to a purchase have grown exponentially.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">In pre-internet days, the buyer’s process was fairly straightforward: stimulus, shelf, experience. A stimulus sparked a buyer’s interest in a product, they went to the store or called a salesperson to buy it, and then they experienced the product. There were very few places where a brand could intersect with the buyer: an advertisement, which may have been the stimulus; the packaging and display, which spurred the purchase; and, possibly, after the sale in customer service – though if it came to that, it was inevitably because something had gone wrong.</span></p>
<p><strong>A New Purchasing Journey
<br>
</strong><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Today’s purchasing journey, whether for a consumer product or complex business purchase, has infinitely more touchpoints where a brand and buyer might intersect.</span></p>
<p><a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~www.appinions.com/2013/05/from-touchpoints-to-trust-points/buyers-journey-through-touchpoints-2/" rel="attachment wp-att-6800"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-6800" title="Buyer's Journey through Touchpoints" src="http://www.appinions.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Buyers-Journey-through-Touchpoints1.jpg" alt="Buyer's Journey through Touchpoints" width="617" height="384" /></a><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Buyers get information about a brand, product or service through an ever-increasing number of sources: as many as 10.4 sources in 2011, vs. 5.3 only a year earlier, </span><a style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~www.zeromomentoftruth.com/" target="_blank">according to Google research</a><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">. These sources are comprised of both brand and non-brand touchpoints, including advertisements, product reviews, recommendations from friends, family and colleagues, mentions in mainstream media, and brand social media.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">While company-driven marketing can have a <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~www.mckinsey.com/insights/marketing_sales/the_consumer_decision_journey#" target="_blank">significant impact on the consideration of a purchase</a>, brand marketing loses effectiveness in the evaluation and closure stages of the purchase journey. The most trusted touchpoints are socially-driven: recommendations and other consumers’ opinions are more highly trusted than any brand, or even editorial, content.</span></p>
<p><a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~www.appinions.com/2013/05/from-touchpoints-to-trust-points/trusted-consumer-touchpoints-3/" rel="attachment wp-att-6803"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-6803" title="trusted-consumer-touchpoints" src="http://www.appinions.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/trusted-consumer-touchpoints2-e1367349978642.png" alt="" width="600" height="296" /></a></p>
<p><strong>A New Buyer&#8217;s Journey
<br>
</strong><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">So how can a company increase the likelihood that a buyer will find and develop trust within a touchpoint?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">We suggest making them Trust Points™ instead.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">We believe Influence Marketing can significantly upend the buyer’s journey, again, by giving brands the ability to create more, and more trusted, points of contact between a buyer and brand information. These points, which we call <strong>trust points™</strong>, are the moments when buyers encounter an influencer’s opinion or endorsement of a brand, product or service.  A trust point™ can enable the buyer to leapfrog over one or more of those 10+ touchpoints and accelerate the purchase process. Buzzfeed recently found that content reaching its target through sharing from a credible third party created a lift in consideration of 200-400% over similar content delivered directly from the brand. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">These influencer moments, these <strong>trust points™</strong>, happen when an influencer: </span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Mentions a product or service in an interview in mainstream or online media</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Writes about a product or service on their blog</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Uses a product and is captured doing so in a public photograph or video</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Mentions a product or service in their social media channels</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Appears on behalf of a brand at an event, tradeshow or conference</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Writes a review</span></li>
</ul>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~www.appinions.com/2013/05/from-touchpoints-to-trust-points/buyers-journey-through-trust-points/" rel="attachment wp-att-6798"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-6798" title="Buyer's Journey through Trust Points" src="http://www.appinions.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Buyers-Journey-through-Trust-Points.jpg" alt="Buyer's Journey through Trust Points" width="508" height="373" /></a></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Each time an influencer engages in one of these activities, they expose their friends, followers and fans to a trusted point-of-view on a product or service they appreciate.</span></p>
<p><strong>A Shorter Journey
<br>
</strong><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">It’s easy to see why influence marketing is so powerful, and becoming increasingly more important. Influence marketing gives brands the ability to identify and create relationships with influencers; those influencers will provide the validation that we identify as trust points™ to help a buyer through their journey.   According to McKinsey, word of mouth recommendations are the only factor that is key in all of the critical phases of purchase, from awareness through shopping and purchase. And in fact, word of mouth is the primary factor behind 20-50% of all purchases across categories. </span></p>
<p><strong>Trust blocks
<br>
</strong><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Whenever a buyer experiences too many choices,  an uncertain future due to an economic crisis, or simply a long, complex purchase process, the result is often stagnation, delay, and an elongated purchase process that may never reach its conclusion. For most buyers, a lack of trust in the brand, product or company slows you down.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">The kinds of products and services where trust points™ are needed most are:</span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">New products/services because new is inherently risky</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">High ticket or luxury items where the risk of capital or social embarrassment is substantial</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Business-to-business purchases, which are usually complex, and also fraught with politics</span></li>
</ul>
<p><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Influencer-driven trust points™ resolve these obstacles and put the buyer back on the path to purchase.</span></p>
<p><strong>Back to a 3 step journey?
<br>
</strong><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">The way we see it, there are really only three steps in the purchase process that matter:</span></p>
<ol style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">
<li><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">I’ve heard of you but don’t trust you (because I haven’t encountered a trust point™)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">I trust you  (because someone I trust said you were good )</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">I bought you and know you are good/not good, and am now an advocate/detractor</span></li>
</ol>
<p><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Note that the power inherent in each of the three phases is geometrically more potent than in the stage before it. The stakes get high quickly, so it is essential to provide a positive experience all the way through.</span></p>
<p><strong>Good news/bad news
<br>
</strong><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">The good news about influencers is that most of their commentary about brands is positive. The bad news is that when it is negative, the results can be devastating. Influencers are too powerful today to be left to their own devices. Appinions provides all the data and analysis you need to create trust points™and proactively manage your brand and corporate reputation.</span></p>
<p><em><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Image credit: The Legacy Project, Cornell University</span></em></p>
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		<title>Top Influence Marketing News: What’s Your Number, Baby?</title>
		<link>http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/40505835/0/appinions/blog~Top-Influence-Marketing-News-What%e2%80%99s-Your-Number-Baby/</link>
		<comments>http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/40505835/0/appinions/blog~Top-Influence-Marketing-News-What%e2%80%99s-Your-Number-Baby/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 26 Apr 2013 13:40:13 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Nyerr Parham</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Influence Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Influence marketing news]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[influencer marketing news]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[social influence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[social media influence]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.appinions.com/?p=6772</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Last week, Hadyn Shaughnessy, a contributor at Forbes, published a list of the “Top 50 Social Media Power Influencers” and, my-oh-my, has this caused quite a stir in the blogosphere. Nobody’s questioning the fact that some of the names on this list are really great people; they are questioning the criteria used.   One individual who [...]]]>
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				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div style="clear:left"><p><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Last week, Hadyn Shaughnessy, a contributor at Forbes, published a list of the <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~www.forbes.com/sites/haydnshaughnessy/2013/04/17/who-are-the-top-50-social-media-power-influencers-2013/" target="_blank">“Top 50 Social Media Power Influencers”</a> and, my-oh-my, has this caused quite a stir in the blogosphere.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Nobody’s questioning the fact that some of the names on this list are really great people; they are questioning the criteria used.   One individual who commented on the Forbes list says, “What is the standard/ criteria to define exactly what their level of influence they are providing to the mass majority of the industry they represent? Who? What? are they influencing? on what particular topic? When did it occur? Why? What results did they achieve to make them influential? How did this particular influence penetrate the market? What are the actual produced quantitative and qualitative results that can be identified and proven??”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">We don’t blame them, either.  In fact, we’re glad to see that the conversation continues to evolve to a more elevated understanding of social influence.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">So here’s what we’re reading this week: you’ll catch the theme pretty quickly.</span></p>
<p><strong>25 Social Media Influencers Forbes Ignored, and Why
<br>
</strong><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Mark Schaefer has a history with this annual Forbes list.  Last year, he openly criticized Mr. Shaughnessy’s methodology, despite the fact that Mr. Schaefer, himself, was </span><em style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">on</em><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> the list.  While our good friend didn’t make the 2013 list, </span><a style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~www.businessesgrow.com/2013/04/23/25-social-media-influencers-forbes-ignored-and-why/" target="_blank">he still openly questions</a><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> how it was pulled together.  He tells us, “So the Forbes List of Top Social Media Influencers is 1) created by an individual, not a publishing company; 2) based on Twitter, not “social media;” and 3) admittedly not a measure of personal influence.”
<br>
</span><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Read More: </span><a style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~www.businessesgrow.com/2013/04/23/25-social-media-influencers-forbes-ignored-and-why/" target="_blank">25 Social Media Influencers Forbes Ignored, and Why</a></p>
<p><strong>Social Media Influence is Much More than this Forbes List Shows
<br>
</strong><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">“The power to sway,” is how Jure Klepic defines influence.  And he’s not wrong.   The question is “How do you measure the power to sway?”  It certainly has more to do than the number of times a person’s update is retweeted.  What’s really interesting </span><a style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~www.huffingtonpost.com/jure-klepic/social-media-influence-forbes_b_3110092.html" target="_blank">in this piece</a><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> is how Jure points out that list itself negates the criteria used to compile it.
<br>
</span><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Read More: </span><a style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~www.huffingtonpost.com/jure-klepic/social-media-influence-forbes_b_3110092.html" target="_blank">Social Media Influence is Much More than this Forbes List Shows</a></p>
<p><strong>Does Influence Marketing Have a Future?
<br>
</strong><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Danny Brown makes it very clear, “Popularity is not influence.”  He further illustrates that influence is not only multi-layered but that Twitter is just one part of the social media ecosystem.  Because of this, any “top” list methodology that only looks at Twitter followers and retweets is immediately flawed.  Not only is it important to look at person’s entire social footprint, we have to put everything into context too.
<br>
</span><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Read More: </span><a style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;" href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~influencemarketingbook.com/does-influence-marketing-have-a-future/" target="_blank">Does Influence Marketing Have a Future?</a></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Okay, maybe that was a bit of overkill on the subject, but we really couldn&#8217;t resist; the difference between an ”influencer list” and determining true influence is too important.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Have a great weekend – we’ll see you again with more influence marketing news in two weeks.</span></p>
<p><em>Image: <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~http:/www.flickr.com/photos/pinksherbet/" target="_blank">Pink Sherbet Photography</a></em></p>
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<feedburner:origLink>http://www.appinions.com/2013/04/influence-marketing-not-customers-as-shills/</feedburner:origLink>
		<title>Influence Marketing: Not Customers as Shills</title>
		<link>http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/40472973/0/appinions/blog~Influence-Marketing-Not-Customers-as-Shills/</link>
		<comments>http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/40472973/0/appinions/blog~Influence-Marketing-Not-Customers-as-Shills/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 25 Apr 2013 13:35:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Nyerr Parham</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Influence Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[appinions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[influencer engagement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[influencer marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[marketing through trust]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.appinions.com/?p=6759</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Some people mistake influence marketing for the process of getting customers to shill for brands. To the uniformed, it may seem that influence marketing is all about convincing customers to, perhaps in an unsavory way, cajole other consumers into buying from you. Of course, brands do have the goal of selling more, but such blatant [...]]]>
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				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div style="clear:left"><p>Some people mistake influence marketing for the process of getting customers to shill for brands.</p>
<p>To the uniformed, it may seem that influence marketing is all about convincing customers to, perhaps in an unsavory way, cajole other consumers into buying from you. Of course, brands do have the goal of selling more, but such blatant promotion and empty connection is most definitely <strong>not</strong> what influence marketing is all about.</p>
<p><strong>Influence is About Connections</strong></p>
<p>Instead of asking your customers to sling your wares, influence marketing involves making logical connections to people who have the right audience, and providing something of value that those influencers can feel good about sharing with their followers. It involves developing relationships and using those relationships to better inform and engage your target market. And influence marketing can help you do something so much more important than simply telling your prospects to buy: it helps you to learn what they want and need from your brand.</p>
<p><strong>Influence is About Being Social</strong></p>
<p>A lot of influence marketing today takes place in social media, with influencers using their blogs and social channels to connect with their communities. Your customers – who should be the audience of your influencers – use social media in ways that benefit and interest them, such as staying close to their friends and family members, following news stories, searching for jobs, or talking about their kids, hobbies or travels. <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~spinsucks.com/social-media/brands-customers-arent-your-social-media-mouthpieces/">They use social media for the things they value</a>.</p>
<p>When a customer discovers your brand, or gets further engaged with your brand, via an influencer they trust, it’s often because they consider their connection to that influencer as a social connection or recommendation. That’s a very powerful thing for you and your brand.</p>
<p><strong>Influence is About Conversations</strong></p>
<p>Influence marketing can encourage the kind of conversations that help you build, launch, or improve your product or service. Your interactions with influencers stimulate conversations that provide valuable insight into how to make your products and services more beneficial for your target audience, and even discover how to make your marketing efforts more effective.</p>
<p><strong>Influence is, Most Importantly, About Trust</strong></p>
<p>Influential touchpoints for consumers and businesses are shifting away from company-driven marketing to consumer-driven marketing. <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~appinions.com/whitepapers/marketing-through-trust-leveraging-influence-in-the-consumer-purchasing-process/" target="_blank">By increasing the number of brand trust points</a>™ you have with your consumers, you can increase the likelihood that they will engage with you and buy from you.</p>
<p>Influencers can create or be part of multiple trust points on your behalf. But trust is not bestowed on influencers by their audience, it’s earned. If influencers don’t stay true to their personalities, areas of expertise, and expectations they&#8217;ve developed with their followers, they risk losing their audience altogether. So when they work with your brand, it’s going to be only when they feel there’s a true benefit for their community, and that it will maintain their community’s trust.</p>
<p>When you use influence marketing for your brand, you aren&#8217;t asking customers to pick up their megaphones and shout to other customers, all for your profit. Influence marketing is both more subtle and more complicated than that. Make sure your influence efforts include carefully choosing influencers – people with the ear of your market – and enlisting their help to <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~www.huffingtonpost.com/sam-fiorella/influence-marketing-vs-sales_b_2494853.html" target="_blank">amplify your brand&#8217;s message and influence buying decisions</a> in a trustworthy way.</p>
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<feedburner:origLink>http://www.appinions.com/2013/04/appinions-2-0-ignites-your-influence-marketing-programs/</feedburner:origLink>
		<title>Appinions 2.0 Ignites Your Influence Marketing Programs</title>
		<link>http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/40400167/0/appinions/blog~Appinions-Ignites-Your-Influence-Marketing-Programs/</link>
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		<pubDate>Tue, 23 Apr 2013 13:27:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Nyerr Parham</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Corporate News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Influence Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Disambiguation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[influencer identification]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[influencer marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[influencer marketing leader]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.appinions.com/?p=6727</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[We’re so excited to announce Appinions 2.0, available immediately for all Appinions clients. This new release combines two powerful changes that will make creating and managing influencer marketing programs more efficient and effective. Sophisticated Sorting We&#8217;ve launched a new suite of topic filters that provides you with unparalleled flexibility to slice through mounds of influencer data, [...]]]>
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				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div style="clear:left"><p>We’re so excited to announce Appinions 2.0, available immediately for all Appinions clients. This new release combines two powerful changes that will make creating and managing influencer marketing programs more efficient and effective.</p>
<p><strong>Sophisticated Sorting</strong></p>
<p>We&#8217;ve launched a new suite of topic filters that provides you with unparalleled flexibility to slice through mounds of influencer data, based on criteria that fit your objectives. These sorting options will speed up your ability to gather insights and find the right people by making the following information more accessible:</p>
<ul>
<li>Influencer Attributes – Name, gender, location, authors (great for media and bloggers!), opinion volume and influence score</li>
<li>Opinion Attributes – Opinion keyword search, network types, and specific publishers</li>
<li>Topic Trend Analysis – Common terms discussed by influencers within the topic</li>
</ul>
<p>The ability to quickly filter and segment influencers will enable stronger <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~appinions.com/whitepapers/create-successful-influence-marketing-programs/" target="_blank">influence marketing programs</a>, which can be tracked and measured through our existing Programs functionality.</p>
<p><strong>Profile Mapping</strong></p>
<p>Our engineers have been hard at work, deploying significant linguistic capabilities to enhance our profile mapping algorithms and allow for robust keyword search in our new filters. What makes this function tick, and what makes the sophistication of this type of sorting so unique to Appinions, lies in the power of <strong>disambiguation</strong>.</p>
<p>Disambiguation allows Appinions to distinguish and match influencers with the same name to their correct personas across all networks. Thus we can assure that personas from Twitter, Google+, individual blogs, etc. are mapped back to the correct individual. (Read more on the <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~www.appinions.com/2012/10/disambiguation-influence-measurement/" target="_blank">importance of disambiguation for influence measurement</a> from our Chief Technology Officer, David Pierce).</p>
<p>If you’re already an Appinions client, please contact your client services team member and they’ll be happy to provide a walk-through of our new features.</p>
<p>To learn more about how Appinions can ignite your influence marketing programs, please <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~appinions.com/get-started/" target="_blank">contact us today to request a demo</a>.</p>
<p><em>Image: Appinions 2.0 Platform preview (topic: Electronic Medical Records)</em></p>
<p><a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~www.appinions.com/2013/04/appinions-2-0-ignites-your-influence-marketing-programs/appinions_2-0_influence_marketing_platform_release-2/" rel="attachment wp-att-6737"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-6737" title="Appinions_2.0_Influence_Marketing_Platform_Release" src="http://www.appinions.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Appinions_2.0_Influence_Marketing_Platform_Release1.png" alt="" width="1006" height="767" /></a></p>
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		<title>Harnessing The Power of Like {guest blog post}</title>
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		<pubDate>Wed, 17 Apr 2013 14:33:34 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Stephanie Schwab</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Influence Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[brand advocacy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[influencer engagement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[influencer marketing]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[This is a guest post from Stephanie Schwab, principal of Crackerjack Marketing and an Appinions partner. Follow Stephanie on Twitter @stephanies. I’m at the Marketing To Women conference in Chicago this week, and was lucky to hear Bob Garfield, the host of NPR’s On The Media, and Doug Levy talk about their new book, “Can’t [...]]]>
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				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div style="clear:left"><p><em>This is a guest post from Stephanie Schwab, principal of <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~www.crackerjackmarketing.com/" target="_blank">Crackerjack Marketing</a> and an Appinions partner. Follow Stephanie on Twitter <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~www.twitter.com/stephanies" target="_blank">@stephanies</a>.</em></p>
<p>I’m at the <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~www.m2w.biz/" target="_blank">Marketing To Women conference</a> in Chicago this week, and was lucky to hear Bob Garfield, the host of NPR’s On The Media, and Doug Levy talk about their new book, “<a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~www.amazon.com/Cant-Buy-Like-Authentic-Connections/dp/1591845777/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0" target="_blank">Can’t Buy Me Like</a>.”</p>
<p>These guys are smart – and I’m sure the book is smart too (I just got my signed copy and can’t wait to dig in). They had a lot to say about energizing your customers and I came away really inspired.</p>
<p>I also thought a few of the points Bob and Doug made (amongst many great ideas and insights) were relevant for influence marketing and connecting with influencers.</p>
<p><strong>We’re in the Relationship Era</strong></p>
<p>The premise of <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Can’t Buy Me Like</span> is that we’ve entered the Relationship Era, where authentic customer relationships are far more important than blanketing the airwaves with advertising.  It’s about building sustainable customer relationships, which often stems out of a shared purpose.  They describe Brand Sustainability in four quadrants (guess which one you want to be in?), as follows.</p>
<p><a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~www.appinions.com/2013/04/harnessing-the-power-of-like-guest-blog-post/brand-sustainability/" rel="attachment wp-att-6717"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-6717" title="Brand Sustainability" src="http://www.appinions.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Brand-Sustainability.png" alt="" width="865" height="792" /></a><em>Image source: <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~www.relationshipera.com/brand-sustainability-2/)" target="_blank">Relationshipera.com</a></em></p>
<p>I see a lot of parallels between this model of trying to build Sustainable Relationships and the Appinions influencer model of <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~appinions.com/whitepapers/influencer-continuum/" target="_blank">building Super Advocates</a>.  Trust, an emotional connection, and loyalty are the attributes of a brand Super Advocate, much like that in a Sustainable Relationship.  And the great thing about influence marketing is that Super Advocates may help you create Sustainable Relationships with customers, as their trust in your brand will get passed along to the people they influence.</p>
<p><strong>Don’t direct a campaign at your audience – share it with your community</strong></p>
<p>This caution is perfect for both consumer and influence marketing. Influence marketing is not about marketing <span style="text-decoration: underline;">to</span> influencers – it’s about working <span style="text-decoration: underline;">with</span> influencers to mutually build a brand that you both love.  So rather than create the next “campaign,” consider these more integrated tactics for engaging influencers in your brand:</p>
<ul>
<li>Use influencers to generate feedback on your product or explore new ways to use your service</li>
<li>Ask influencers to become a part of your marketing team, creating content or events to attract their audiences as well as others</li>
<li>Bring influencers in to your organization to meet your teams and share their insights into your brand</li>
<li>Ask influencers for their insight into how to market your brand to their audiences</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>You can buy expensive advertising, but you cannot buy Like</strong></p>
<p>Sustainable Relationships, and yes, Super Advocates, can’t be bought. You cannot purchase the passion, trust and shared purpose that those kinds of relationships require. No amount of network advertising will make Super Advocates appear at your doorstep – to develop them requires real work.</p>
<p>Take the first step:  determine your influence marketing goals and create programs around your goals. They’ll likely be long-term, deeply engaged, and very creative programs.  This work isn’t easy and it’s not for everyone. But for the brands that can do it, the rewards are great.</p>
<p>Just think: you may never need to spend another penny on advertising again.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		<title>Top Influence Marketing News: Looking for Love in all the Wrong Places</title>
		<link>http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/40009380/0/appinions/blog~Top-Influence-Marketing-News-Looking-for-Love-in-all-the-Wrong-Places/</link>
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		<pubDate>Fri, 12 Apr 2013 12:45:19 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Nyerr Parham</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Influence Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[appinions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[influencer engagement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[influencer marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[top news]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[It’s hard to get married without being in a committed relationship first.  Even before that, it’s a good idea to go on a few dates first.  What if you’re a single guy or gal looking for love?  You have a few options; you could try the bar scene, get set up on a blind date [...]]]>
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				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div style="clear:left"><p>It’s hard to get married without being in a committed relationship first.  Even before that, it’s a good idea to go on a few dates first.  What if you’re a single guy or gal looking for love?  You have a few options; you could try the bar scene, get set up on a blind date or go on a reality TV show.  It’s probably not a good idea, though, to try to score a date on a couples-only cruise.  And why would you?</p>
<p>Influencer marketing works much the same way.  After finding that special someone who catches your eye, there’s a slow courtship process that crescendos to the day you pop the question.</p>
<p>Here’s what we’re reading this week; it’s all about looking for love in the wrong places, one-night stands and why your customers hate you (ouch!).</p>
<h3>Biz Embracing Social Media but Customers Not Tuned In</h3>
<p>According <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~www.crn.com.au/News/338959,biz-embracing-social-media-but-customers-not-tuned-in.aspx" target="_blank">to this post by CRN</a>, a whopping two-thirds of businesses are using social media, but less than one-third of customers think of it as a means to resolve customer service issues.  Why?  Most people think a brand’s social media presence lacks the personal touch.  We believe that influencer marketing can solve this problem by letting the voice of people your customers trust represent your brand.</p>
<p><strong>Read more:</strong> <strong><a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~www.crn.com.au/News/338959,biz-embracing-social-media-but-customers-not-tuned-in.aspx" target="_blank">Biz Embracing Social Media but Customers Not Tuned In</a></strong></p>
<h3>Facebook Survey: What Users Hate About Brands</h3>
<p>Amy Birch, <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~socialmediatoday.com/amy-birch/1342266/brands-facebook-users-likes-dislikes" target="_blank">at Social Media today</a>, reports that a whopping 73% of Facebook users will unlike a brand page for a variety of reasons.  Breaking up might not be hard to do for customers, but it sure hurts the brand!  Some people won’t click the “like” button, even if they think your brand is great, simply because they might be embarrassed to make it public.  Again, another great case for using influencer marketing to reach that audience.  The same users that might be embarrassed to like a diet or weight loss product page would be more receptive to engaging with a real person.</p>
<p><strong>Read more:</strong> Facebook Survey:<strong> </strong><strong><a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~socialmediatoday.com/amy-birch/1342266/brands-facebook-users-likes-dislikes" target="_blank">What Users Hate About Brands</a></strong></p>
<h3>Gen-Z, Mobile &amp; Instagram</h3>
<p>These two posts caught our attention this week.  One talks about <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~www.marketingprofs.com/charts/2013/10462/gen-z-trusts-mobile-social-content-more-than-other-generations" target="_blank">Gen-Z trusting mobile &amp; social content</a> and having grown up in a two-way conversation with brands.  The other builds on this theory by showcasing the success of brands using <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~www.viralblog.com/mobile-and-apps/mobile-influencer-marketing-becoming-success-on-instagram/" target="_blank">influencer marketing on Instagram</a> and engaging users to participate as well.</p>
<p><strong>Read More: </strong><a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~www.marketingprofs.com/charts/2013/10462/gen-z-trusts-mobile-social-content-more-than-other-generations" target="_blank"><strong>Gen-Z Trusts Mobile, Social Content More than Other Generations Do</strong><strong>, </strong><strong>Mobile Influencer Marketing Becoming Success on Instagram</strong></a></p>
<h3>Influencer Marketing: One-Night Stand or Long-Term Relationships</h3>
<p>Neal Schaffer pops the big question in <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~windmillnetworking.com/2013/03/28/influencer-marketing-one-night-stand-or-long-term-relationship/" target="_blank">his recent post</a> by asking, “If social media is about creating long-term relationships of value, why do so many companies target influencers for one campaign and move on?”  He draws on his own recent experience reflecting on the differences when he received perks and when he was genuinely engaged.  This post pretty much had us at “Hello.”</p>
<p><strong>Read More:</strong> <strong><a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~windmillnetworking.com/2013/03/28/influencer-marketing-one-night-stand-or-long-term-relationship/" target="_blank">Influencer Marketing: One-Night Stand or Long-Term Relationships</a></strong></p>
<p>If you’re interested in developing relationships with influencers, be sure to check out our eBook, <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~appinions.com/whitepapers/influencer-continuum/" target="_blank">The Influencer Continuum™: From Influencer to Super Advocate</a> and our recent post, <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~appinions.com/2013/04/connecting-with-influencers-making-it-personal/" target="_blank">Connecting with Influencers: Making it Personal.</a></p>
<p>Image credit: <a href="http://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/t/0/0/appinions/blog/~www.flickr.com/photos/ramananv/" target="_blank">Krosstok</a></p>
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