Who are the best ambassadors for your business and what makes it unique? Your own people, of course.
In a competitive landscape, the talent and authenticity of your employees makes your company stand out. They are the most compelling ‘Influencers’ you can find to distinguish your brand.
Utilizing video storytelling and the power of social media can propel the key attributes of your company. It can enable you to reinforce the choices of longtime customers and attract new customers to your business.
Best of all—it’s a cost-effective way to boost impact. Here are some compelling examples:
When JC Penney launched its new Belle & Sky apparel line, it chose the creative designers behind the brand to explain why shoppers should gravitate to cold-shoulder tops and dark floral fashion:
(JCPenny Design Director Video)
Letting these designers become the influencers enabled an in-depth look at the design process. It added a human face to what were ‘anonymous’ styles. Fashion blogger Brie Bemis Rearick joined the piece as an ‘interviewer,’ adding additional credibility with the target millennial shopper segment.
Sean Ryan, former director of Social Media at JCPenney told us: “I was looking for test opportunities to create brand building content that resonated with Millennials, doing so in a scrappy and quick-turn way. They did not disappoint. They were incredibly easy to work with, providing a cost-effective, turnkey solution to help tell the story of the Belle + Sky brand. The campaign outperformed all expectations and the design team loved working with the team on the project. Based on the ease of partnership, cost and – most importantly – performance (video views and engagements), I have 100% confidence in the ability of Versant and their team to continue to produce these results at scale.”
Kwik Trip, a 629-unit convenience store chain throughout the Midwest wanted to promote the quality of its in-store offerings, starting with the dairy case. What better way to tell that story than to go down on the farm—and see where the milk comes from?
(Kwik Trip Dairy Supervisor)
Kwik Trip put Dairy Supervisor Al’s human face on the previously generic milk bottle. Customers now know how it’s made, and why it’s so fresh when it moves from farm to fridge in a single day. They have a new confidence in and relationship with the people who put it there.
The Medical College of Wisconsin had a different challenge. It sought to shine a light on the talented researchers and scientists who work behind the scenes (and away from patient-populated clinics) devoting themselves to the basic science that makes later breakthroughs possible. Brian, aka the “Fish Dude,” and his team are working on experiments that could lead to cures for glaucoma and other eye disorders. Viewers get the chance to enter their lab and understand their work through a video ‘visit.’
(MCW Scientist)
All of these examples are part of campaigns initiated by creative and far-seeing clients who wanted to harness social media to connect with customers in new ways. They also saw this approach as effective outreach to their own employees. Spotlighting one of their own in a high-profile vignette boosts morale and employee engagement.
We’d love to visit with you and your team about how a ‘Smart Influencer’ campaign can drive your business. There’s no better time to see the impact than in the all-important Fourth Quarter of 2018. Contact Will Ruch, principal of Versant at wruch@versantsolutions.com, or at 414-436-3100 to learn more about how ‘Smart Influencers’ can become a part of your marketing plan.