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Influencer marketing has completely changed the game for DTC brands in recent years.
Slowly, we have seen a shift in the way brands market to their ideal customers. Brands are now choosing to position their products with the masses in a more genuine way, with the help of content creators.
For the first time, we are seeing consumers take control and get a piece of the pie. Influencers and brands are opting for a mutually beneficial and lucrative deal. This allows the creator to earn more income and for the brand to tap into a new audience.
But, many brands tend to find it increasingly difficult to manage their influencers simply via email or an excel spreadsheet. Thus, they turn to influencer management software to solve their problems.
When a brand chooses to invest in software that will help them manage their ambassador and influencer strategy, they expect to get a solid ROI in return. But how do you know if the software you want to purchase is the right fit for you?
If you have considered purchasing influencer or ambassador marketing software, then here are 12 questions to ask before you make your selection.
Let's get into it!
Is Your Brand Ready for an Investment?
This needs to be the very first question you ask yourself before you decide to invest in an influencer or ambassador management software.
Is your brand ready to work with influencers or ambassadors, and do you have the budget to afford the software?
We have seen many brands come onboard with CrewFire only to end their subscription due to budget constraints and lack of bandwidth in maintaining a program.
It's essential to assess if you earn enough monthly revenue to offset the cost since influencer marketing software can be pricy.
Additionally, ask yourself if you have enough brand awareness to make working with content creators worthwhile. If the answer to both of those questions is yes, then go for it!
If you think the software isn't in your budget or your brand is still growing a following, wait for the right time to invest. It will be better in the long run.
How Will You Earn a Positive ROI?
When investing in new software, you will want to see a positive ROI, so establishing how much you wish to gain from your investment will be an important first step.
Before you purchase new software, you will need to decide what % ROI is to the goal to determine if the platform is worth the price.
How much in affiliate revenue should you earn each month? How much do you expect each influencer to generate in additional profit each month? These are all important metrics to track in order to establish if your gain on the investment is greater than the cost of the software.
We see brands on CrewFire earning between a 500%-1500% ROI with a 1,000/month investment. You want to generate so much additional revenue from your ambassadors or influencers that your monthly/annual investment doesn't even phase you.
Does the Software Offer Integrations?
Integrations are a necessity for brands that host an influencer or ambassador program.
You should look for software that offers integration with your eCommerce platforms, such as Shopify, WooCommerce, or Magento.
Additional integration can also help push your program to new heights and make it easy to monitor and maintain your program, for example, Klaviyo and Zapier.
Integrations will save you time and ensure that your program and campaigns are powerful, streamlined, and stress-free.
Is the Software Easy to Use?
There is nothing more frustrating than a glitchy and difficult-to-use piece of software. Especially when the purpose of the software is to help make your life easier.
Opt for a platform that doesn't have a steep learning curve and is easy to learn for the masses.
Find an intuitive platform with solid UX/UI that won't take you weeks to master.
Does It Help You Collect UGC?
User-generated content is the holy grail for marketers today. Generating UGC helps genuinely promote your brand and shows potential buyers what your products look like in IRL.
If collecting UGC to repurpose on your socials is the main focus of your ambassador platform, look for one that you can do so easily.
This way, you will be able to consolidate all of your UGC in one organized place so that it is easy to monitor, give feedback, and repurpose.
Is Affiliate Tracking Easy?
Affiliate marketing is an excellent way to increase revenue and incentivize your influencers to generate more sales. It's a mutually beneficial strategy!
If affiliate tracking is one of your main goals, then look for software that offers you an easy and streamlined way to monitor sales from ambassadors and send commissions.
The affiliate side of the software needs to track sales and revenue earned from your influencers. There can't be any flaws in this system since money is on the line. And you should be able to send affiliate payouts as seamlessly as possible.
Is Your Data Protected?
If you're looking to payout influencers, then the software you choose must protect the information of those influencers.
Data protection is vital, and you want to ensure that the software you choose goes above and beyond to secure banking details and sensitive information. Not only for your influencers but your team as well.
When looking at different influencer and ambassador marketing platforms, be sure to ask what the company is doing to protect your and your client's information and data.
Is Communication with Your Affiliates/Influencers Easy?
Communication is key when it comes to working with content creators. Your brand will need to communicate program and campaign goals, any feedback you might have, and changes to the campaign or program.
That is why messaging needs to be dialed in so that communication flows easily. Opt for software that lets you directly communicate with your creators so that everyone is on the same page.
Does the Platform Improve Your Overall Ambassador, Affiliate, or Influencer Strategy?
Lastly, when picking an ambassador or influencer marketing software, you will want to assess the platform's overall ability to help you achieve your goals.
The market is saturated with platforms that all hold unique features, so you will need to make a list of goals and KPIs you want to achieve and see if the software will help you do so.
Most importantly, ask yourself if the platform you select will help improve your overall strategy and take time off your hands.
Conclusion
The right software is out there for you! If you are looking to build a community organically, CrewFire is the solution for you.
You can easily track referral sales, boost your engagement on social media, and collect UGC, all while creating a space for your influencers and ambassadors to be creative and grow alongside you.
Ready to turn your customers into your crew of thriving brand ambassadors? If so, watch the epic CrewFire demo video or get in touch with us to learn how you can drive more referrals, word-of-mouth, and user-generated content for your Shopify store.
Get in touch w/ Alan (Founder/CEO - CrewFire):
- Email: Alan@CrewFire.com
- Book A Call: https://www.crewfire.com/call
