Hello, and welcome to the first of many blogs that are less focused on plants and instead talk about how and why we do different things within our business. Whether you are reading this as a customer, a small business owner, or one of our creators, I am very excited to share about what has allowed us to continue to grow and thrive over the past few years. 

So without any more preamble, let me start on the first topic I want to cover which has been one of the biggest drivers of our success: Influencer Marketing!

I think so often when we think of “Influencers” we automatically think of curated photos, white sandy beaches, luxurious lifestyles, millions of followers, and some dreamy life that is out of reach. When in reality, most often what we see from influencers is such a small, carefully selected part of their lives as they are the ones in control of what you get to see from them. 

Since this has become a major part of our media environment, often what we find now is that the so-called “influence” provided from these people online doesn’t even exist. We have come to realize now that so often influencers are not being honest about products and services they promote. These tend to be influencers that send a media kit with their rates before knowing what products or services you would offer and have them talk about. We stay away from these deals as we know there is no real long-term value there for us or the creator. With all of that being said, in no way am I trying to take away from these influencers as I also realize that the journey to create credible influence is not easy.

So how do we connect with the right people to help us grow our business while also helping them grow their business of being a creator? The over complication of this very simple idea is my biggest frustration with Influencer Marketing and the answer is far easier than you may think. 

The truth is, you have to find people who have used and love your product and align with the values of your business. It really is that simple! Follower counts, aesthetically pleasing feeds (no matter how nice!), or how many deals they have done previously ultimately doesn’t matter. What DOES matter is that they are real with their communities, that they are authentic with the products they promote and that they want to use the product regardless of if they get paid or not. That being said, we definitely compensate our influencers as we know they create a huge amount of value for us!

Why does Influencer Marketing work so well as a small business? This answer is also a simple one and comes down to one key factor, TRUST. When starting out as a small business, especially when your product is new or different from the rest of the industry it is hard to gain the trust of your potential community and customers. In our early days of Plant Vitamins we spent thousands of dollars on ads, and basically gave people our product just so they would try it. This left us with no traction and no forward momentum, but as soon as we had a trusted creator vouch for us and talk about our products, we were off to the races. 

What seemed like overnight, Plant Vitamins started to thrive (haha get it?). We did more sales in a day than we had done in the past 6 months all because the creator trusted us, and her community trusted her! So if you are struggling with the concept of Influencer marketing just go back to the basics, find the right people who you trust and that align with your business and personal values, and if they don’t just keep looking! There are so many talented creators out there and just because they are a good fit for a different business or product doesn’t mean they will be the right fit for every business.

So as a business owner, remember to connect with the right people and never let the “flashiness” of marketing distract you from the authentic connections that are waiting to be made.

As a customer of Plant Vitamins, know that the people you see posting about our products use them and love them before we ever agree to pay them, and that we would never work with someone who doesn’t align with who we are as a company.

And as a Plant Vitamins Partner, know that you are incredibly valued here and that we are so proud to have been able to work with you and look forward to creating more with you in the future. 

If you have any questions or comments please leave them below or reach out to zach@plantvitamins.ca as I would love to answer any questions you may have!

Sincerely,

Zach Regehr