Why an Influencer Event is a Good Investment

Why should you consider an influencer event? Social Media Influencers have a significant amount of followers they “influence” to promote products, places, and platforms. These influencers have worked hard to create expansive, yet audiences that are invested and engaged. Often, the influencers are talented at connecting with their audience and creating action from the content they produce, whether it be buying a product, visiting a location, or using a service.

Over 1.79 billion people use Facebook daily and 500 million people use Instagram daily. 74% of high-income earners are Facebook users and 80% of Instagram followers use the platform to decide whether to buy a product or service. 

Influencers Promote Products, Places, and Platforms

The SST Team held a weekend “Influencer Event” for the Town of Front Royal to promote and support small businesses that were impacted by COVID 19. SST invited influencers who promoted products in the categories of food, wine and spirits, travel and leisure, adventure, lifestyle, and photography with a total reach of more than 137,000 people.

Preparation and Planning  

Hosting a successful influencer event takes preparation and planning to evaluate influencers and their target audience, craft and send invitations, develop an engaging and well-balanced itinerary, create eye-catching and helpful “Influencer Guides” as well as product, location, and destination marketing materials. And that’s all way before the event starts! 

Spot-On Marketing Materials are a Must

SST created marketing materials for the influencers including an “Influencer Guide” with a detailed itinerary, suggested attire, weekend deliverables, locations, destinations, lodging information, interesting facts about the Town of Front Royal, ways to contact the team, and COVID-19 safety information that was delivered to the influencers before the event. 

The SST Team also created marketing materials for the Town of Front Royal businesses including coupons with specials to entice influencers into their shops, and postcards advertising Return Trip Packages. 

Content for Days!

The SST Team planned, coordinated, and hosted three days of events at 19 different Front Royal businesses, location, and destinations taking the Influencers on a variety of adventures from canoe rides to mead tasting. 

Within two weeks of the event, the 10 influencers produced:

  • 183 Instagram stories
  • 40 Instagram posts
  • 200 Instagram Highlights
  • 3 blogs
  • 2 articles one in a lifestyle publication, Alexandria Living, and one comprehensive article in the Northern Virginia Daily.
  • 144 new followers were added to Discover Front Royal’s Instagram the first week alone.
  • 2 Instagram Highlights were actually filled to capacity! Nearly unheard of!

Capturing and Saving Highlights is Vital 

Capturing and saving highlights and posts from the event to save and then share on your organization’s social media platforms as well as sending an exit survey to Influencers are other ways to compound your investment.

From the SST exit survey, one Front Royal influencer commented, 

Very well done, I didn’t feel like I was being led around too quickly, which happens often. I had time to take photos and actually look around so that I could enjoy on my own. Also, there wasn’t too much downtime or gaps between activities. Well done, and a fun time.

Another influencer commented,

Loved that the town was so receptive and welcoming to us too.”

Positive Vibes

With the help of all the great businesses and organizations in the town, we were able to make a memorable and successful experience for the influencers who visited. Susan Tshirhart, Co-Chair of the Warren County Front Royal Appalachian Community Committee said,

The posts and blogs were all positive and the itinerary for the weekend was certainly well planned and designed for fun as everyone seemed to have a good time. I personally enjoyed talking with the locals, tourists and a few of the influencers that stopped by my tent about the Quest Shenandoah program.”

Modest Investment, Great Return

The Town’s modest investment of $5,000 can be equated to $30,425 advertising dollars NOT spent. The posts, highlights, stories and videos are continuing to circulate far beyond the three days of the event. An Influencer Event can be done well and for minimal investment, the pay off is extreme, and the content, believe it or not, can be long lasting.

Building Connections and Increasing Awareness  

One influencer said,

I think the key to increasing awareness about a business (or town) is really about building connections and your team did a great job of facilitating those conversations and experiences. ”

Let us help you build a successful future for your organization. Please call our office at 757-536-9937 or reach out to Strategic Solutions by Tricia, LLC via Facebook, or at www.ssbytricia.com.