The Power of Social Proof

by Mangal Karnad | Jan 5, 2017 | Influencer Marketing, Marketing

Your product or service might be the best in the world, even then it is not necessary that people believe you when you talk about it. However if a satisfied customer refers you to 10 or 15 of his friends who are also business owners and if most of them buy your product, then it is a testimony to how great the product truly is!

An Influencer

Let me introduce you to H V Shiva Kumar, Proprietor of Geetha’s, an 18-year-old multi-brand inner-wear outlet on DVG road, Bangalore. He is an Opinion Leader among the retailers on DVG road – one of the older, traditional markets in Bangalore. Shiva Kumar is convinced that his usage of technology – Tally, is making him look like a ‘Guru’. According to him, Tally is taking him one step closer to his dream of being a profitable retailer who is looked up to by the brands he is working with.

His position as an authority – a ‘Guru’ gets confirmed when other retailers seek his advice.

His firm belief is that a businessman, that too a retailer has to grow with the help of technology in today’s highly competitive environment.

Why Shiva Kumar refers so many businesses to Tally?

To be clear, we asked Shiva Kumar the reason for referring so many businesses (to the software he uses) and he gave us the reason:

He was happy with the value Tally had given him and he was sure it can help his fellow retailers.
He was creating a community of Business (Tally) users who can support each other with the usage of the product.
By doing so the dependency on the Technology company will reduce and they will be self-sufficient (as a community).
His status as an expert in Business and Inventory management gets established among peers and also with the brands he represents.

We subsequently came across a retailer in HSR layout (Rangalakshmi & Sons) who was also introduced to Tally by Shiva Kumar, via a Connector* – in this case, a sales executive of an innerwear brand.

One of the beneficiaries, in this case, is also Chethan Kumar of Infolink Business Care, a sales & solution partner of the software company, who is servicing Geetha’s for many years. Says Chethan, “Once Mr. Shiva Kumar refers a customer, I only have to install the product, there is no need for lengthy demos or negotiation. I wish I had more customers like him”.

What Is Social Proof?

Social proof is a psychological phenomenon where people imitate the actions of others in an attempt to reflect correct behaviour for a given situation.

Simply explained social proof is the need of an individual to check out a restaurant on Zomato or go through the review on amazon before making a purchase decision. It is to see if someone else has already done what one considers doing.

Have you considered going for a show just by seeing a long line of people waiting to get into a theatre? Have you ever tried to plant your friends among the audience to simulate laughter at a Humorous speech contest? In that case, you will intuitively know what Social proof is!

Why would a business owner like Shiva Kumar go out of his way to refer a technology product to a fellow retailer? Why does the retailer buy without negotiating? The explanation is quite simple – if Shiva Kumar, an influencer and someone who’s seen as a progressive business owner, has to recommend a product risking his credibility, there must be some merit in what he says! And that is what convinces the retailer to buy…

The explanation is quite simple – if Shiva Kumar, an influencer and a progressive business owner, has to recommend a product risking his credibility. People tend to think that there must be some merit in what he says! And that is what convinces the retailer to buy…

A recommendation from an Influencer reduces the sales cycle! – Tweet that

Influencer marketing is a subject we understand very well. Call us or mail us today, for more information on how we can help.

* Connectors are people who have incredibly widespread “social networks.” They are often successful businessmen or politicians and play an integral role in the spread of ideas.

In this case, the person is a sales person, who due to his profession, is in touch with a large number of retailers. Read more about Connectors in Malcolm Gladwell’s Tipping Point.

Fashion icon Chiara Ferragni named the latest Global Brand Ambassador of Pantene

by Mangal Karnad | Jan 5, 2017 | Influencer Marketing, Marketing

Pantene has recruited top digital fashion icon and international trendsetter Chiara Ferragni as its new global brand ambassador.

Chiara’s partnership with Pantene marks her exciting venture into the world of beauty and she has written about it on her blog TheBlondSalad

Chiara says of the partnership: “I’m obsessed with my hair! I’ve always felt that when I have beautiful hair, I look and feel more beautiful – and stronger. When I was a teenager, I was fascinated by Pantene’s gorgeous ads and when I started travelling frequently I trusted it to look after my hair. So I’m thrilled to be Pantene’s latest ambassador because healthy hair helps me look and feel stronger and more beautiful.”

While she’s made her name in fashion, the Italian-born, LA based entrepreneur believes that hair elevates her overall look, stating: “It’s so much more than an accessory – hair inspires my look and completes it. The fact it can be so transformative gives me confidence – and now I can actually transform the health of my hair to keep it looking beautiful.”

Not only is Chiara’s the founder of the iconic fashion blog TheBlondSalad, she has a massive following of 5.4 million on Instagram and 266 thousand followers on Twitter (@ChiaraFerragni). She is an ideal influencer for a fashion brand with her presence and followers on multiple platforms. She definitely meets all 3 R’s essential for Influencers: Relevance, Reach & Resonance.

You can follow Chiara on Instagram at http://www.instagram.com/chiaraferragni and her blog http://www.theblondesalad.com

SOURCE :PR Newswire / Pantene

6 ways to harness your Employee as an Influencer

by Mangal Karnad | Dec 21, 2016 | Influencer Marketing

6 ways to harness an Employee – a micro Influencer

When a company looks for Influencers they should also look inwards at the employees – an important stakeholder. Most often they could be overlooked as there is no clear understanding of how to leverage the people who work for the company as influencers. This is an accessible, authentic and trustworthy resource pool of micro-influencers.

Listed below are 6 ways to leverage this untapped reservoir of potential micro influencers and brand advocates.

Employee Referrals to aid sales

Employees can refer or recommend the company Product or Service to their friends and family. As per a recent Nielsen report, the most credible form of ‘advertising’ comes from the people we know and trust. 83% of the respondents from 60 countries, said that they trust the recommendations of friends and family.

Employee referrals for recruitment

Many companies place an incentive for referring a friend (for candidature). Most start-ups and SME use this as the primary source for recruitments. Hiring a placement agency is an expense they can do without. Employee referrals are believed to be the best method for recruitments. It is also believed that both the referrer and the referred tend to work longer and are more engaged.

Showcasing happy and engaged employees on social media is another method of attracting prospective employees.

Own the customer relationship

Engaged employees provide better service or support to customers. The exemplary dedication and courage displayed by the TajMahal Palace (Tata) employees during the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai is a great example. Of the 600 employees who were on the premises during the attack, not a single one abandoned the hotel till the guests who were in their custody were safe. While this kind of dedication is not common, customer relationship can thrive with better-engaged employees.

Spread the word

I distinctly remember the time when companies had rigid policies to keep their employees off social media. Instead of trying to prevent them from using social media at work, now more and more companies are encouraging their employees to actively participate in the company’s social media marketing. You can have an enthused army of social media ambassadors of your company which could lead to recruitments or even sales. It would help if the company has a policy that is easy to understand and follow. Employees can also be provided access to content which can be shared freely.

Endorsement by own use

Many companies encourage the use of their products among their employees by either providing employee discounts or free samples. This could be extended to gifting branded everyday use items like Mugs, Flasks, Backpacks, T-Shirts and Hoodies. Most of the employees like getting these Knick-Knacks and their constant usage creates awareness among their social circles.

Valuable resources like Speakers & Trainers

Among the employees, there might be a hidden treasure trove of product, sales & marketing experts. There might be budding artists, sports enthusiasts & published authors. The company can run a survey and identify such key people and then audit them to assess the expertise or influence on various social platforms. Once these people have been identified they can be sensitised to the norms and also to the fact that they will be positioned as influencers. It helps if these select employees are provided support to create content or speak in events. Their expertise can also be utilised to train channel partners or customers on the usage of the product.

Employees are one of the biggest marketing assets that a company can have. Involving them in the marketing efforts as influencers not only benefits the company, it will also boost the morale of the employee.