If you have an or plan in starting an online boutique, then you know that it can be tough to get your name out there if you don’t have a huge audience. That’s why influencer marketing is so important to growing an online boutique. You get access to a larger, engaged audience full of your potential customers.

So in this blog post, we’ll talk more about what influencer marketing is, why it’s more relevant than ever and how brands can partner with influencers, YouTubers, and bloggers to increase sales in 2024.

What Is Influencer Marketing?

Influencer marketing is a form of marketing that focuses on working with influential people to promote a brand or product.

These influencers can be anyone from big celebrities and social media personalities to bloggers, vloggers, content creators, and YouTubers.

The benefit of influencer marketing is that it allows you to tap into an engaged audience that is likely to be interested in what you’re selling.

It all starts with finding the right people to work with (and we’ll share some tips on how to find influencers later in this post).

Why Is Influence Important in 2024?

With the growth of social media, the role of influencers has continued to expand in the marketplace. In the past, celebrities and other big names were the only influencers that brands could work with. But now, anyone with a following can be an influencer.

This is important because it allows brands to reach out to not just larger audiences,   than ever before.

And it allows new boutiques like yours to be able to grow faster, without having to spend thousands every month on traditional digital advertising.

A person has influence when they can get someone who is connected to them to take a desired action. So that doesn’t mean the influencer needs to have a million followers.

In fact, engagement rates usually drop the bigger the influencer’s following is. So the level of engagement is always the more important consideration, not the size of the audience.

The Benefits of Influencer Marketing

There are a number of ways your boutique can benefit from using influencer marketing.

For one, it allows you to reach out to a larger audience than you would be able to on your own. And because influencers have an engaged following, you’re more likely to see conversions as a result of working with them.

Another benefit is that influencer marketing can help you build trust and credibility with your audience. When influencers endorse your product or service, their followers are more likely to trust what you’re selling.

Finally, influencer marketing is a great way to get creative with your marketing efforts. You can work with influencers to come up with unique content that will help promote your brand in a way that is authentic and engaging.

Finding The Right Influencer For Your Boutique

Now that you know the benefits of influencer marketing, it’s time to start finding influencers to work with.

And it always starts with being clear on who YOUR target customer is.

What are her interests? What type of style is she attracted to? Is the potential influencer someone that your customer already follows or would follow?

If you’re not sure who your target customer is, read this blog post.

There are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind when you’re looking for influencers:

1. Make sure they have an engaged audience that is interested in the particular style of clothing you sell (on the platform that your customer is most likely to use to make shopping decisions).
2. Make sure that their aesthetic aligns with your brand currently or maybe even helps to elevate the perception of your brand.
3. Take a look at their social media platforms and see if they’re active and engaging with their followers. Are they responding to comments? Are they posting regularly and getting good visibility? Are they already working with brands similar to yours?
4. Make sure they’re influencers that you would be proud to work with! You want to make sure they have similar values shared by you and your customers.

A simple tip is to make a list of influencers that you would like to work with. You can go big and make a list of the top 100 people that serve a similar audience.  Then reach out to at 5-10 different influencers every week via DM, email, or whatever way you can get in touch. Try your best to make the outreach personal to them, instead copying-and-pasting the same message.

Tips For Working With Influencers

Now that you’ve found some influencers you’d like to work with, it’s time to start thinking about how you can make the most of your partnership.

Here are a few key tips to keep in mind:

Make sure you’re clear about what you want from the partnership. Do you want them to promote a specific product? Or mention your brand in a post? Would you like them to create content for you that you’ll use on your website or in your ads? Clarity is always preferred and necessary to build a relationship for the long term.

Be sure to give plenty of lead time. Some influencers are juggling multiple projects and you don’t want yours to get lost in the fray.

Make it easy for them by providing some of the content that they can use in their posts (this could be images, videos, or the caption you want them to use).

Be willing to negotiate. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want. Maybe their price is a bit more than you can pay. But how can you make the deal a win-win? Think about the benefits on both sides.

Use a contract! You need to layout all the terms and expectations on both sides, including products, dates, prices, etc. Everyone should have a reference document.

Most importantly, be sure to foster the relationship! That can be in the form of a gift, a handwritten card, or anything else you know they’d appreciate. But find a way to thank them for their work and keep the door open for a future project.

Tracking Sales From An Influencer Partnership

You can work with influencers in a bunch of ways. But one great option is to help promote a new collection.

Now the influencer can sign up to be part of your boutique’s affiliate program where shoppers can click a specific link that you’ll track to see the sales that come from it.

Or you can give them a special code for their audience to use that will sweeten the deal.

Either way, don’t leave it up to chance! Make sure you have some way of attributing the sales. That way, you’ll know whether the partnership worked and if you should continue working with that particular influencer.

When done the right way, influencer marketing can help to increase sales in your online boutique, especially in 2024. Keep these tips from us here at Start Your Boutique, in mind and you’ll be on your way to success!