So you are launching a new product and want to create some buzz around it. It would be even better if you could line up some pre-orders, wouldn’t it?

Maybe you have already created social media posts and website banners announcing your new products. And sure, they may catch the eyes of a few customers. But you know what’s going to really help you? Working with an influencer to boost your product launch!

Here are 8 ways in which you can do this!

8 Steps To Boost Your Product Launch With Influencer Marketing 

#1 Choose relevant influencers 

Finding the right influencers to work with is crucial. Look for influencers within your niche. This way, you will be able to hyper target the audience you want as the influencers’ followers are more likely to be interested in the niche. 

For example, say you are launching a new range of footwear. Find an influencer in the footwear niche. Bonus points if the influencer already likes/ is a customer of your brand as this means that you are working with someone who trusts your brand! 

Alternatively, if there are certain influencers that a majority of your target audience trusts, you can seek them out and extend an invitation for collaboration. 

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If you want a really targeted audience, go for micro or nano influencers. They have fewer followers, but they tend to have a very niche audience and high engagement rates. 

#2 Get the influencers involved in the creation process 

Getting the influencer involved in the creation process can be highly beneficial for you since they speak in the voice of your customer. They are more likely to know about new trends and fads and also about what customers want, so their input can help you increase customer satisfaction. 

Moreover, they will be more eager to promote the products if they have been involved in the creation process from the start. They could also share stories about the behind-the-scenes of the creation process, getting more people interested in the products. In fact, they can start creating hype even before the product is announced by posting snippets of the creation process! 

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Alternatively, you can also create products that fit the personal styles of influencers and then turn it into a new campaign! For example, starting a new clothing line based on the influencers’ signature styles. 

#3 Give influencers early access to your products 

By giving influencers early access to your products, you give them plenty of time to try it out and give you their feedback. This can be a good measure of how the public will view your product since influencers are customers who speak on the behalf of the public. 

An unboxing video along with the review would work wonders since their audience will be able to see how excited they are. Bonus points if the influencers post a video review of them using the products!

This also gives the influencers a chance to provide a sneak peek of your product on their pages along with a review and get their followers hyped up! This lets consumers know what the product does and where they can purchase it. You can also create a new and catchy hashtag for the launch. 

The ideal time to get the influencers to start generating buzz is around 1-2 weeks pre-launch. At the same time, make sure that they don’t give away all the product information. There needs to be some mystery and anticipation around the launch!

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#4 Get the influencers talking about your product through storytelling 

Another great way to create awareness around your product launch is by getting the influencers to share their personal stories about the products. These can be anything! Maybe your activewear made them feel really comfortable and allowed them to workout without getting all sweaty. Or maybe your coffee tasted divine and helped lift their mood. 

These personal stories can help their followers connect with the products, because people don’t just buy products, they buy good experiences. A great example of this is Daniel Wellington’s #DWMoments campaign where influencers and celebrities shared a personal moment they had while wearing the brand’s watch!

You can also repurpose their content and testimonials and post them on your website. Don’t forget to link to their original posts. Most consumers do their research before purchasing and they are more likely to trust the opinions of influencers over brands, so this gives a touch of authenticity and credibility to your products.

#5 Get the influencers to host a contest or giveaway 

The winner(s) will, of course, receive a free product. For this, the more creative you get, the better. 

One of the problems with giveaways is that many people tend to unfollow brands and influencers after the giveaway ends. To prevent this, you can host little challenges. 

For example, if you are a beauty brand who launched a new lipstick line, you could ask people to try a unique makeup look with your previous products for the contest. Since this takes a little bit of effort, only people who genuinely like your product are likely to participate. This way, you have a win-win situation in your hands. 

#6 Give individualized coupon codes to influencers 

The influencers can promote your products along with their specialized coupon codes. Anybody who purchases using that coupon code gets a discount or some free goodies, and the influencer gets a percentage of the total amount as commission. 

This gives consumers an incentive to purchase and gives influencers an incentive to promote your products! Another advantage is that this will also give you an opportunity to track how much traffic your website got through that particular influencer. 

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#7 Encourage influencers to hold Q and A sessions about your product 

This could be done through story stickers or a live session, either pre-launch, on the day of the launch, or post launch. If it is pre-launch, make sure the influencers don’t give away too much information and maintain some mystery around certain features. 

If your product is highly visual in nature, such as electronic devices, going live might be better since consumers would be able to see the features in real time. You can also co-host the live with the influencers and answer consumer questions. Give them the “inside scoop,” so to speak.

This gives consumers an opportunity to learn more about the features and benefits of the products so that they can make an informed decision about whether to purchase it or not. 

#8 Invite influencers to take part in the actual product launch event 

This could either be in-person (if they live locally) or through a live session. Get them to announce their participation a few days prior. This is bound to get many people interested. 

It is even better if they go live during the actual event and give their followers a glimpse into what is happening. 

Launching a new product can be scary, since there is a lot riding on its success. But with the help of influencer marketing, you can turn it into a success. 

Follow the 8 tips outlined above and boost your product launch with influencer marketing! But before you get started.. don’t forget to share this article!