In an age where social media has proven itself to be one of the most powerful means to sell anything, yes, anything, one can never overstate the role of influencers. Go to any social media platform, especially LinkedIn, you will find everyone following influencers.
Contents
But what it is that influencers do? Just write an inspirational piece or two? Make a couple of solid statements?
Absolutely not! They do much more than that. They can make one of the best mentors in your career.
Not every entrepreneur is born with rich parents and a capital worth millions and billions. And no CEO got there just like that.
Contacts are what people in business and the corporate have always needed. You do need people who are more successful than you to set examples for you, and to lead you to success.
Today, this is what influencers are all about. And for that matter, the word “influencers” is much better that saying “influential people”. Conveys a deeper sense, to me at least.
Before I can get down to the heart of the matter, and tell you how you must choose, connect to, and get them to be your mentor, I would really appreciate that you read on why you must do so.
You Become More Credible
The right kind of influencer means the right kind of people’s impression about you. A credible influencer means a credible you. A good, more than half the number of the people in a survey agreed that they consider them “Opinion gurus”. So, if this one person believes in you, you become absolutely credible.
They Bring You a World of Networks
Whether or not they are mentoring you yet, even by following them you do find a world of networks that work well for your brand, even for you yourself as a brand. With a person, who is followed by so many people, you get noticed and, in way, expand and popularize your identity. Your influencer’s opinion about you and your brand can become a mass opinion. But a person does not become an influencer overnight. It requires patience and learning, and if you are serious about skilling up an influencer, then https://development-academy.co.uk/influencing-skills-training/ may just help your cause greatly.
You Get the Insight that You May not Have Otherwise
The good thing about influencers – they give you the insight and the latest trends of your trade. More than that, they set so many of these trends themselves, so there is a lot you can learn from them.
There is Always the Possibility of Becoming a Protege
Why most influencers do not become mentors is because we do not try. Why anyone becomes an influencers is not merely for popularity, but for being an inspiration for those who wish to make it big. So, if you try, you can get a mentor who can help you immensely.
That being said, the question is, how do you choose one and connect to him/her?
The truth is that we live in a world of illusion and total underestimation of the self. One thing I always keep in mind is that I may not be as successful or as powerful as the person I am about to approach, but he/she would not be talking out to people if they weren’t interested.
Also read:
Guide to Increasing Traffic to Your Website Through Instagram Marketing
Propel Your Business towards High Growth by Utilizing The Powers of Instagram
Believe me, it is just a matter of initiation. If you do that right, chances are, you may succeed.
Here is how you must reach out to experts and get them to mentor you:
Emailing is the Way to Go
An email is the very first step to engage your influencers. Will they read it? Yes, they will, if it has what they wish to read.
Mark it as the rule of the thumb – there is nothing as appreciable and winning as honesty. A mail, if not honest, will go unread and reach the heap of the rest of its siblings that hold no value to a person who is terribly busy.
All that they would actually love to read if there is actually someone who read their work, or used the tips that they gave.
They may be glad to know if the advice they gave is actually helping someone.
Imagine what a pain it would be if you keep receiving mails that have hold absolutely no value. If you can imagine that, you can imagine the plight of a person who gets thousands of such emails.
So, keep your emails short; be crisp and to the point in appreciation; add some value by offering to do something in return, and I am sure you would not be shown a cold shoulder.
And of course…try to automate as much as possible. There are plenty of SaaS companies out there to help you with email automation and using Excel and dynamic fields in the email templates.
But here are a few pointers:
- Don’t be too generic, as if you were leaving a comment on a social media post. It may never fetch anything more than a “Thank You”.
- Do not forget to introduce yourself and to briefly tell about what you do.
- Only then go on to narrate how they have been instrumental in adding any value to your work or your character.
- Neither go bragging about yourself, nor fall prey to the habit of giving dishonest compliments. These people have enough of such people around who don’t lack in paying lip service.
- You Ought to Be Helpful before You can Ask for Help
Okay, everyone knows that following any influential personality can reap benefits only for the follower. But have you ever thought what the former can get out of it?
This is not a perspective many of us keep. Thinking that an influencer does not like to be offered help can be quite myopic. It is human to feel nice when people appreciate and offer to do things for you, no matter how big you are.
When you talk to the people you admire, you must appreciate the qualities in them , or a certain work or effort of their that might have helped or inspired you even if indirectly. And what you must offer in return is your help.
Yes, you can offer help, no matter how small. You can refer a great book you know, or some great information that might help them or their business. Offer a service that can promote them. You can also ask them if you can do an interview with them.
But do not go about asking if there’s anything that you can do for them. They may just respond with a “thanks” and “much appreciated” kind of reply. Be handy and you shall be reverted to in good measure.
Believe it or not, but emotions are all pervasive. The very gesture of gratitude and offering help can be your first step to a lasting relationship.
Another good thing you can do for yourself is leave a testimonial for them. Influencers want testimonials. Again, honest appreciation as well of sharing opinion works in the favor of both. A public accolade is likely to result in public acknowledgment.
Ask for Help Only You have Forged a Relationship
Once you are in communication; once that relationship building is going good; (and it may take a bit of time, a few months) then it may be time to gauge if you are at a level where you can head for a one-to-one conversation for asking him/her to take you under their wing.
And if you are that level when you are actually sure that they will reply (no matter whether in affirmative or negative),you must communicate that–
There is certain problem that you are facing,or that you draw inspiration from them and you’d very much appreciate if they could lend some time to help out of their busy schedules.
Given the previous rounds of emails or messages that you have had with them by now, you would have a fair idea of what the odds of getting any kind of response are. Depending on the very same communication, the influencer may be kind enough to get involved in your situation as a mentor.
Remember, most times we are denied help because we do not ask for it. When I was headed on my way to entrepreneurship, the social media wasn’t as handy as it is now, and you could only chance upon a mentor.
I have even had some of my personal mentors suggest that I use personal development apps which can actually teach you how to connect with mentors!
And it wasn’t long after that I was able to find an awesome gig doing online marketing for a company selling vaping supplies (my mentor actually helped me land this gig using his own connections). It was a great gig because vaping is a very popular trend right now, I know gourmeteliquid.co.uk does some amazing e-liquids in a range of flavours, you can even buy your own DIY kit! No wonder its such a great market to get into.
Today, the avenues of connecting are immense, and I bet you must explore them.
Let me know who you actually end up getting as a mentor in the comments section below! 