Are you aware of the influencers of your marketplace? They are not your customers, but they hold sway over the opinions of your target market. They will probably never buy one thing from you, but they will persuade other people to either buy from you or not.

Several years ago, I was working with a company’s executives on a marketing campaign to promote their brand. We had been in a day-long meeting in a rustic, wooded area away from the daily distractions of their business. We had a great day, talking through the strengths of their brand and the new markets they wanted to grow into. We had a clear-cut idea of what it would take to penetrate this new market and what we could promote to put the brand in a favorable light. Near the end of the day, we were finishing up a marketing campaign slogan that this team of people had put together. Just as we were about to wrap things up, one of the executive team members said to the CEO, "You know so-and-so won’t like this slogan.” I was taken aback. I was not sure who this so-and-so person was. They certainly had not spent any part of the day with us, but I could see on the face of the CEO that he was concerned by that statement. I asked: was this a client? No. Was it an employee? No. A vendor? No, he was a person in the community who had a lot of influence over the customers of this business. I found out that he did not like it when businesses "boasted” about their brands. He thought it was pretentious to do so. In a matter of minutes, a day’s worth of strategic marketing was tossed out because someone of influence was presumed to think it showy to put your best foot forward in a marketing campaign.

If you want to be effective in making a sale to your customers, you have to know who influences them. When you have figured that out, you must leave a positive taste with them or your marketing will be in vain. I find that most companies know whom they are targeting for a sale. They understand who their customers are. Few understand who the key influencers of their customers are, nor do they think they have to try to sway their opinions.

Just how should you market to the influencers of your customers? If they are not buying from you, what do you want them to believe about your company and its products or services? First, that your brand is recognized. Second, that it stands for quality. I may not be in the market for a semi-truck, but I can tell you that I believe Peterbilt makes good products. Why would I think that? I have seen them on the road for years. I recognize the brand. They have built an image in my mind of a quality over-the-road vehicle. Should that matter to the Peterbilt Motor Company? It should if I am influencing someone who is in the market for a heavy-duty truck. In that case, it should matter immensely that I can recognize their brand and believe good things about it.

So what are you doing to get your brand in front of influencers? First, check where you are spending your awareness marketing dollars. Awareness is essential to start the marketing process and you certainly want to cast your brand in a good light. It is the solution for someone’s problem. If influencers buy into your awareness marketing, they will help your brand’s reputation. But awareness in marketing can also take the shape of charitable causes. For instance, many companies are asked to sponsor charitable events this time of year. Before you sponsor a hole at a golf outing or put up a banner for a kid’s soccer league, ask yourself if the people at the heart of these causes have any influence on your customers. If so, go for it! There is great value in being seen as a corporation that is a good neighbor. Secondly, check your social media for posted comments. Social media is a great influence on your customers, especially when something negative is posted about your brand. If someone leaves a negative comment, do your best to fix the problem. But don’t just stop with trying to make the disgruntled happy, if you have a customer who had a great experience, ask them to leave a rating on your Google Business Page. You may think this is a function of customer service, but it also serves as a marketing tool to the influencers. Thirdly, there is a great focus on being transparent in business these days. Marketing is tasked with guarding the reputation of your brand. The more you can positively show how you go about doing what you do, the more people will buy into your brand and influence others to think of it in a positive light.

In marketing, you cannot forget the influencer. Market to them, even if they won’t buy from you, because they are essential to those who will.