How Courtney Shields Pitched an Innovative Clean Beauty Product Over Dinner and Turned It Into a Reality
“I didn’t want to just white label something, I wanted to be a part of the process.”
“
I didn’t want to just white label something, I wanted to be a part of the process.”
—Courtney Shields, Founder, CourtneyShields.com
Courtney Shields is the definition of a glow-getter.
Six years ago, she was a singer-songwriter looking to break into the music industry when she decided to take the leap and launch a blog to share her beauty and fitness tips. What originally started out as a passion project quickly proved to be a profitable business.
Fast-forward to today and that humble blog is now a multifaceted platform reaching thousands of daily readers and over 680K Instagram followers. It should come as no surprise that Shields has collaborated with all the major beauty brands, and this month, she launched her very first product, Glow Hour, with the innovative clean beauty brand TULA.
Like many of the best beauty products, the idea for Glow Hour was born from a personal need. Unable to find a brightening under-eye treatment she loved, Shields decided to create it herself—and she found the perfect in a brand she’d worked with for years: TULA. One evening while at a work dinner with reps for the brand, she took a sip of her wine, made the pitch, and the rest is history.
At Create & Cultivate’s recent Digital Beauty and Self-Care Summit, Maya Allen, a beauty editor at Marie Claire, virtually sat down with Shields to learn more about her multi-hyphenate career and her latest venture in the competitive clean beauty industry, including the night she summoned the courage to pitch the idea to TULA over tapas and wine.
Scroll on for all of the most memorable moments from the conversation, and be sure to grab a notebook and a pen because you’re going to want to write these quotes down.
On launching a beauty blog…
“I love helping women feel more confident.” - Courtney Shields
On cultivating inner beauty…
“Inside out, outside in.” - Courtney Shields
On partnering with TULA on Glow Hour…
“Choosing TULA was super easy for me.” - Courtney Shields
“I’ve been using their products for 5 years.” - Courtney Shields
“I wanted to work so closely with the team to create something from the ground up.” - Courtney Shields
“I didn’t want to just white label something, I wanted to be a part of the process.” - Courtney Shields
On the importance of getting started...
“You can always pivot as you go, but just start.” - Courtney Shields
On forging ahead during COVID…
“You can look at 2020 two ways. One way is you can choose to complain and feel stuck and frustrated, or you can use 2020 as an opportunity for growth.” - Courtney Shields
“There’s power in our perspective.” - Maya Allen
On not paying attention to the number of followers, likes, or comments…
“If you are seeking outside validation, you’re never going to be happy.” - Courtney Shields
On seeking work-life balance…
“You can have it all, but you can’t have it all at once.” - Courtney Shields
On prioritizing self-care…
“Go for the walk, take the bath, do whatever fills you up, otherwise you’re pouring from an empty cup.” - Courtney Shields
On standing out in a saturated space…
“You have to do what you’re passionate about.” - Courtney Shields
“Standing out in a saturated space is all about being yourself and being authentic.” - Courtney Shields
“If you start trying to emulate what everyone else is doing, you’re on an uphill battle.” - Courtney Shields
“Looking inward, figuring out what feels good to you, and then doing that full-force is so important.” - Maya Allen
On navigating negativity and naysayers…
“I’m not a jar of Nutella, I can't please everyone, no matter what I do.” - Courtney Shields
On the best advice she’s ever received…
“Don’t procrastinate. You’ve got to get it done eventually, so might as well do it now.” - Courtney Shields
On her purpose…
“Walking through hard shit and showing people that you can still do hard things with a positive attitude and come out on the other side.” - Courtney Shields
On not paying attention to the number of followers, likes, or comments…
“If you are seeking outside validation, you’re never going to be happy.” - Courtney Shields
On seeking work-life balance…
“You can have it all, but you can’t have it all at once.” - Courtney Shields
On prioritizing self-care…
“Go for the walk, take the bath, do whatever fills you up, otherwise you’re pouring from an empty cup.” - Courtney Shields
On standing out in a saturated space…
“You have to do what you’re passionate about.” - Courtney Shields
“Standing out in a saturated space is all about being yourself and being authentic.” - Courtney Shields
“If you start trying to emulate what everyone else is doing, you’re on an uphill battle.” - Courtney Shields
“Looking inward, figuring out what feels good to you, and then doing that full-force is so important.” - Maya Allen
On navigating negativity and naysayers…
“I’m not a jar of Nutella, I can't please everyone, no matter what I do.” - Courtney Shields
On the best advice she’s ever received…
“Don’t procrastinate. You’ve got to get it done eventually, so might as well do it now.” - Courtney Shields
On her purpose…
“Walking through hard shit and showing people that you can still do hard things with a positive attitude and come out on the other side.” - Courtney Shields
Shop Glow Hour
TULA Glow Hour
$32
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Ask an Expert: How to Create Compelling Content and Grow Your Instagram, According to a VP Influencer Marketing
“The longer you wait, the harder it is to grow.”
We’ve been spending a lot of time at Create & Cultivate HQ discussing how we can best show up for and support our community during this uncertain time. Community is at our core, and connecting with others through one-of-a-kind experiences is what we love to do. While the world has changed, our mission has not. We’re committed to helping women create and cultivate the career of their dreams, which is why we’re proud to announce our new Ask an Expert series. We’re hosting discussions with experts, mentors, and influencers daily at 9 am, 12 pm, and 3 pm PST on Instagram Live to cure your craving for community and bring you the expert advice you’ve come to know and love from C&C. Follow Create & Cultivate on Instagram, check out our Ask an Expert highlight reel for the latest schedule, and hit the countdown to get a reminder so you don’t miss out!
“
The longer you wait, the harder it is to grow.”
—Rachel Zeilic, VP of Influencer Marketing at WhoWhatWear
With engagement on social up 30% since social isolation started, now might just be the perfect time to be growing your Instagram or finally figuring out wtf to do with TikTok. But in the midst of a crisis, creating good (and respectful) content can feel really difficult. In comes, Rachel Zeilic, VP of Influencer Marketing at WhoWhatWear, to answer all your questions.
Wondering what to post, when to post, what to pay for, or if TikTok is the right move for your brand? Rachel drops lots of advice on our IG LIVE on how to navigate social media in the midst of COVID-19. Tune into this Ask An Expert to make sure you don’t miss a single tip. We bet you’re already scrolling through Instagram, might as well scroll with purpose and grow your brand.
We Want Your (Respectful) Content
“Don’t make any assumptions. Don’t say, Now that we’re all working from home, because that isn’t true for a lot of people.”
“There really is a space for audiences to turning to influencers for comfort for information for distraction, they have a lot of time on their hands right now and time is a precious commodity so let’s serve them.”
“Stay away from anything that is like ‘this is a must-have’ because, if it’s not groceries or masks, it isn’t a must-have.”
“Some things that are performing really well right now is comfy chic, working from home outfits, beauty routines, anything affordable, people are still interested in spring trends, and they also want some escapism.”
“Now is also a time to give things away for free. Even if you’re a brand who could be doing well giving some at-home DIY recipes, people will really appreciate that and remember that when commerce opens up again. More than ever they will remember the brands who stepped up and are giving to the community.”
“This is the first time really in a long time where influencers’ lifestyles are really close to their followers’ lifestyles. They aren’t jetting around the world or wearing designer outfits. So this is a really great time for influencers to connect with their followers in a really relatable way.”
Get On TikTok
“TikTok is not like Snapchat or other platforms where they were popular but there was never really brand integration. TikTok is really different, the way it’s built is really engineered to be successful for brand campaigns. Particularly one feature, the hashtag challenges. That is incredible for creating UGC (user-generated content). To me UGC is gold. If your customer loves you so much that they are creating content, they aren’t an influencer, they aren’t getting paid, if they love the product so much they are creating content that is gold.”
“I think working with TikTok and ‘TikTokers’ absolutely should be part of your campaign given that the demographic aligns, it is a predominantly Gen Z audience. Also the KPIs of the campaign, you need to understand that currently TikTokers or influencers can’t link out anywhere, so if you’re expecting to see immediate sell-through from your campaign, TikTok is not the place to do it. But its great of awareness, you can reach massive audiences.”
“With regards to brands starting their own accounts on TikTok, it really depends if you can do it in a way that’s native to the platform. It’s really not going to work if you’re using the same kind of content you use on Instagram and other platforms. You should only be investing your time into growing a brand account on TikTok if you can do it in the way that is organic to TikTok.”
“The longer you wait, the harder it is to grow.”
Embrace Pay-to-Play
“Yes, it is a pay-to-play world. That being said, relationships and organic strategy are important to stretch your dollars.”
“It’s worth spending a little money on a consultant who can help you know how to spend your social budget.”
“Influencers assets on paid social perform so much better than campaign assets.”
“A lot of influencers have dropped their pricing or are more flexible on pricing right now.”
“Paid social pricing is down right now as well. You can make your budget stretch so much further right now.”
Insta Tips & Tricks
“We’ve been saying to influencers, Instead of getting a picture and then thinking, ‘Ugh what is my caption going to be?,’ why don’t you write the caption first and tell a story and then reverse that and think of an image that can convey that story?’ I don’t think they all have to be long, and they shouldn’t be long if you don’t have something to say. But every brand has a story to tell and every influencer has a story to tell and I think that can be great. It’s like micro-blogging.”
Tools to try:
“You should post as often as you can while creating quality content and without seeing a dip in engagement rate. The more you post the more your engagement will be spread out.”
About The Expert: Rachel Zeilic is an O.G. in influencer marketing, starting way back in 2007. She is currently the VP of influencer marketing at WhoWhatWear, running influencer campaigns for everyone from Walmart to Gucci. Before that she was creative Director of Majorelle at Revolve, and before that she founded two labels, Stylestalker and The Jetset Diaries.
Tune in daily at 9 am, 12 pm, and 3 pm PST, for new installments of Ask an Expert.
Follow Create & Cultivate on Instagram, check out our Ask an Expert highlight reel for the schedule, and hit the countdown to get a reminder so you don’t miss out. See you there!
8 Ways to Grow Your Personal Brand, According to an Influencer With 1M Instagram Followers
Marianna Hewitt spills the tea.
Have you always wanted to know what it’s like to be an influencer and grow a business out of your influence? We know you’re all craving insight on how to grow a brand and ramp up your social media presence right now so when we came across influencer and co-founder of Summer Fridays, Marianna Hewitt dishing her career advice and social media tips on Instagram stories, we had to screenshot it all and share it with you here.
Hewitt asked her Instagram audience—she has 1 M(!!!), followers—to send in their questions on all things business, social, and #influencerlife. Whether you’re an aspiring influencer, a brand trying to grow, or need some major inspiration, Hewitt’s insight is golden. She pulls back the curtain to share all the realness.
You asked, she answered. Scroll on for major tips, then don’t forget to grab your tickets to the Money Moves Digital Summit to see Hewitt speak on all things, money, career, business, and more!
How do you come up with fresh content so that your followers don’t get bored?
I just ask! Whenever I need new ideas I ask what the followers want to see. I have a document saved with all the answers and then I note what gets the most requests and do those.
Being a beginner, how do you grab a brands’ attention?
I think picking a niche at the beginning helps soooo much. You become the go-to expert on that subject! Creating beautiful content helps to get reposted or for brands to notice you. I
f you want to work with a brand, buy their products and use them and share them organically to show the brands what kind of content you would create for them and how your audience responded to you sharing it.
Also, not every brand has a budget to work with influencers and if they do it could only be at certain times for particular campaigns or launches that they would have budgets. So keep it in mind that brands don’t just freely have money all the time. But by posting and sharing them organically, hopefully, they will help keep you top of mind when opportunities do come up.
How did you grow your following?
“I just did a podcast interview and talked about this, you can find that here.”
Do you think it’s too late to become an influencer because it’s so saturated?
“Not at all! But that’s why having a niche is important when first starting so that you can build a micro-community who comes to you as an expert on one thing. I don’t think you need to be niche forever, but when you start, I think it helps so much.”
How do you build relationships with other influencers?
“Follow them. Like and comment on their posts.”
Can you grow your Instagram without using a lot of hashtags? How did you grow yours?
“I don’t really know if hashtags are that relevant. I don’t think you need them to grow your page. I think you’re better off tagging brands and getting reshared. And following people in your niche and engaging with their content and hope they follow back and do the same.”
What are some things you wish you knew before starting your influencer journey?
“It’s a lot of work. Most of the work you do is for free and you don’t get paid. Because you’re creating organic content every single day that isn’t sponsored. Let’s say 10% of your content is sponsored. Then 90% of your work you do for free. So you have to be okay with doing a lot of work to hopefully get paid opportunities. You can also make money through affiliate links.
When you are an influencer you are:
The model
Photographer
Videographer (if you do IGTV or YouTube)
Editor (for video)
Social media manager
Community manager
Writer (captions or if you have a blog)
Stylist (if you post fashion content)
Makeup artist (if you post makeup content)
And so many more things! Being an influencer is so many jobs rolled into one.
How do you keep your feed cohesive without a filter?
Take photos with similar colors. So you’ll notice there’s no black in my photos right now. So if I took a picture on a black wall or with a dark outfit, it wouldn’t match. So just take pics of things that go together.
Does the grid matter?
I do think your feed matters to new followers. When a new person comes to your page they see the first nine to 12 photos so it should get their attention and make them want to follow and have an idea of what kind of content they’ll be getting from you. I don’t think feed matters as much to existing followers because they likely just see the new posts but not as frequently go to your profile.
How do you find your niche?
Your niche should be your “thing” so it should be easy to narrow down based on what you are passionate about or an expert in. I like to think of content pillars and posting mostly those topics; so a few things that you like. You can post a few things and see what’s resonating most with your followers and getting the most engagement. Then post more of that.
How do you establish your first partnership if you’re just starting out and don’t have high follower numbers?
I would ask yourself:
Why would this brand work with me?
What am I bringing to the table?
And pitch them your strengths:
Did you post them before and convert a lot of sales?
Do you have data to show that?
Do you create beautiful content, and can you work with them to create assets for their socials?
How do you decide which platform to post your content? Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, or blog?
Instagram:
Photos
Stories/daily posts in the moment and more quick content
YouTube:
Longer videos
Content I want to live longer or videos that are searched for
Blog:
More writing than what would fit in an IG caption
Lots of shopping links and roundups of items
How do you keep motivated to post stories every day?
I genuinely love to create content and share. So I never feel like I “have” to do it. I *want* to do it. On the days I don’t want to, I just don’t. Like for my feed right now I don’t have a pic to post next and haven’t felt like getting ready so I just didn’t post on my feed yesterday or today.
How long did it take for you to get a substantial follower base?
I started Instagram very early on in 2013 when it was much easier to gain followers than it is now. I gained a large audience by 2014 but then continued to grow it. I was at 500k in 2016 (it took me from 2013 to 2016) and hit 1M in 2020. So it took me four years to reach my second 500k.”
What is the biggest struggle with being an influencer?
“There is zero job security and you have no benefits. At any time (like now) brands could all cut their budget for sponsored content and what would your job be? How will you make an income? There are no sick days. There are no days off. There is no maternity leave. All the pressure is on you.
Since you are the influencer and face of the “brand” you cannot delegate things to other people. You are the one in the photos, in the stories, etc. There are a lot of benefits though and it’s an amazing opportunity to do this full time but there are so many risks so you just have to be okay with that!”
For fashion content: Do you think a blog is necessary or can someone be successful only using Instagram?
“If you want to be a blogger then yes you need to have a blog. But if you want to be a social media influencer or content creator, no you do not need a blog. Think of some of your fave influencers, they probably don’t have a site!
Do you use a professional photographer for full body shots?
No, I’ve been shooting all my content at home on my iPhone. I generally only shoot with a photographer for sponsored content because I want the highest quality photos for the brands.
How do you pay your agency for managing you? Do they take a percentage on your earnings?
Yes, they make a percentage of the deals they bring in for me. Then the percent I get for myself, I pay taxes on (because we don’t get paychecks so our taxes are taken from the money we bring in) and then pay out employees, creatives, etc.
Like what you see? Catch Marianna Hewitt at the Money Moves Summit, May 2nd, live from your couch!
Influencer Pricing Guide: How Much To Charge For Brand Partnerships
Know your worth.
“How much do I charge?” is arguably the most asked question in influencer marketing, and for good reason—the world of influencer content is still relatively new. But if you have set rates and a plan in place, you’ll eliminate a lot of the stress of partnerships and brand outreach.
When it comes to pricing for brand collaborations, there’s no perfect equation. As much as we wish there was a go-to price that works for content across the board, there just isn’t. That said, there are a few best practices you can follow to eliminate the confusion quite a bit.
The Industry Standard Equation:
For social posts: $0.01 x number of followers*
*if “like” engagement is over 2.5%, charge $0.02 or more per follower.
For blog posts: $0.10 x monthly site sessions
Before giving a final fee, run through the requirements for the partnership. Consider an add-on fee if...
You have to include more than 10 images in your blog post
You're giving the brand image rights
You're posting an Instagram Story that drives to your blog post
You’re required to share your blog post on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest
You have a manager with an overhead fee
You're working with a brand that requires certain verbiage
You have to travel
You have to buy props
You have to outsource any work (e.g., a photographer or makeup artist)
The project requires a lot of pre- or post-production
The brand requests more than one round of approval, extra images, additional links, or an unusual timeline
Consider the value of each of those asks. When finalizing pricing, think about how much time each task will cost you. Don’t be afraid to charge more if you see yourself putting a lot of extra time into the project!
When should I start charging?
The short answer? Now! If you’re able to offer a brand value, then you deserve to be paid. And the numbers above aren’t hard and fast rules: If you only have 5k followers but your work fits into a certain special niche, you don’t have to stick to the industry standard. If you believe your work is valued at a higher cost, charge what it’s worth.
Too many people think you have to wait until 30k or 50k followers to start charging for partnerships, but when you offer value to a brand, you should be getting paid. Think of it this way: Professional photographers charge thousands of dollars for social imagery, and many of them only have a few thousand followers on Instagram.
How do I have “the money talk?”
Talking about fees is uncomfortable—we get it. But if you have a strong media kit that shows analytics from your social platforms and website, it’ll do the talking for you. Data is the best way to prove a point.
If you’re partnering with a brand you really love and want to build a relationship with, consider being flexible the first time you work with them. Name your price, but don’t be afraid to offer a slightly discounted rate for more posts if you want to build a rapport and make it an ongoing partnership.
Do I need a manager?
Is it time to hire representation? That depends on several factors. Answer the following questions if you’re considering hiring out:
Do you spend the majority of your day answering emails?
Have you hit a wall when it comes to partnerships and outreach?
Do you feel like you just don’t have the right connections?
Do you hate handling contracts?
Do you feel like you know your branding well enough to relay that information to a manager to pitch to brands?
Do you have the financial stability to give up a portion of your commission to a manager?
If the answer to most of these questions is yes, then a manager might be worth considering. They’ll find potential collaborations, handle client back-and-forth, and have those difficult money conversations for you. But that doesn’t mean you’re entirely off the hook: Successful brand partnerships start with showing the value you can bring to a brand, so you still have to come to the table with strong branding, high audience engagement, or unique blog content as selling points.
How do I sell myself?
Consider your brand guidelines, website design, SEO, email and overall content planning. If you're constantly winging it, it’s going to be difficult to set goals for content and partnerships. At Flocke hq, we work on influencer growth through brand and marketing strategy. The best way to feel confident in your content is to have data that shows growth and a larger strategy that outlines your long term goals.
At the end of the day, your personal brand is yours. You call the shots and get to pick how you handle brand partnerships. Remember: Your pricing comes down to the worth of your work and the time you're putting into everything you do. Ultimately, you're the voice of your brand, and no industry standard is perfectly crafted to you.
As you take on this year, we recommend that you create a 30-, 60-, and 90-day content plan and a growth strategy that ensures brand partnerships are always within reach. If you need a little guidance or want to learn more about what performs best, head over to Flocke hq and find out what we can do for your brand!
Tyler Grove and Rachel Broas are co-founders of Flocke hq, a digital marketing consultancy geared solely to help influencers build and scale their personal brands. As influencers themselves (@rachellaurenlucy and @tytygrove), they know the hard work that goes into creating a successful empire off of your own personal brand.
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10 Things Every Influencer Needs to Be Successful
Ten things you need to know to build a scalable, profitable personal brand.
These days it seems like everybody is claiming to be an influencer...and it’s no wonder! I mean, who doesn’t want to travel the world, eat at the nicest restaurants, and get paid to wear designer clothes? But it’s not easy to gain an engaged following and make full-time influencing sustainable. Influencers function as their own brands, which means they need to work day in and day out to make their personal brands relevant, grow, and perform to the level that brands want to work with them.
With the current saturation in the influencer space, changing algorithms, and the plethora of platforms on which to post your content, it’s become increasingly difficult for influencers to grow their brand. So, if you’re thinking about taking the leap and becoming an influencer, it’s important to be able to set yourself apart from the crowd by having a holistic and detailed understanding of how to market yourself.
Here are 10 skills you should brush up if you’re looking to become a successful influencer and build a scalable, profitable personal brand.
1. Data and Analytics
There’s a lot of back-end data that goes into creating effective and engaging content. That’s why it’s important for you to know what sort of data is important and how to accurately interpret that data to potential sponsors and clients. Start with a solid understanding of how to track users through UTM tags and bit.ly links.
These metrics allow you to show the value of your content, whether it be insight into engagement, overall impact, or link opens. Get comfortable keeping tabs on your metrics through Google, Instagram, Facebook or YouTube analytics. These numbers will be vital in pitching to brands, understanding your audience’s preferences, and justifying higher rates.
“Analytics are vital for pitching to brands, understanding your audience’s preferences, and justifying higher rates.”
2. SEO
In the simplest terms, SEO (or search engine optimization) is a way to optimize your content so it pops up on search results. SEO allows new users to find your blog, builds credibility, and ultimately grows your brand. It’s is an important aspect of every social platform, not just blogs. Did you know YouTube and podcasts also use keywords to grow their viewership and listener base?
3. Email Marketing
One of the easiest ways to communicate with your online community is through email marketing. Use it to increase traffic to your blog, grow your following, boost your engagement, and make money off your content. To effectively market via email, learn how to create, segment a mailing list and then focus on growth.
4. Content Production
As a content producer, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that you should have some content production chops to be successful in your work. The first step to being organized and efficient is being able to create an overarching editorial calendar so content makes sense on every channel.
Additionally, you should understand what goes into producing a successful blog post or article. Establish an ideation process for photo shoots, video shoots, and brand collaborations, and have at least a general knowledge of photo and video editing software.
5. News & Trends
Social media algorithms are constantly changing and it can be a struggle for bloggers and influencers to stay up-to-date. But to be successful on each platform, it’s mandatory to stay on top of the latest trends, changes, and newsworthy events within the industry.
The same thing goes for keeping your audience up to date with any news. Users expect for influencers to know it all, from the latest sale at Nordstrom to what Create & Cultivate said in their last article on small business tips.
“Being an influencer essentially means creating a personal brand. Thus, you need to learn how to sell yourself rather than a service or product.”
6. Sales
Being an influencer essentially means creating a personal brand. Thus, you need to learn how to sell yourself rather than a service or product. Understand how to craft a sales pitch for brand collaborations, how to put together a media kit, and how to pitch yourself to your audience in order to gain new followers. Understanding the sales side of the influencer industry will help you scale your business and become profitable.
7. Networking
It’s important for influencers to not only maintain their online community, but also get offline and network IRL. You should be making a concerted effort to network with other influencers in your industry, speak publicly whenever you can, and be comfortable going to events alone. Yes, being an influencer is an online business, but face-to-face interaction is still incredibly important when it comes to relationship-building and growth.
8. Finances
Get familiar with industry standards for influencer rates and figure out how much you should charge for each of your services. These figures should be roughly based on your time to complete a project and your engagement metrics. Additionally, learn how to budget for photo shoots, submit invoices, and yes...you’ll also need to understand how working as an influencer affects your taxes.
“The legal side of your business may not be the most fun part of being an influencer, but understanding what you can and can’t do is imperative for the longevity and success of your personal brand.”
9. Legal
Especially with the heightened regulations around users’ privacy and personal data, it’s incredibly important that you have a good understanding of the laws around your industry. Read up on all FCC guidelines, know what you do or don’t need to include in sponsored post copy, and understand limitations when it comes to using brand names. You should also read every word of brand contracts and understand giveaway guidelines. The legal side of your business may not be the most fun part of being an influencer, but understanding what you can and can’t do is imperative for the longevity and success of your personal brand.
10. Business Strategy
The most important area influencers often forget they need to learn about is how to grow. Business strategy is a hard skill to learn, but is often what sets apart the top influencers in the industry from everyone else. From expanding verticals to launching your personal brand, you need have a strategy in place for how you’re going to grow and make “influencing” a sustainable source of income. Whether it be signing with an agency, getting a mentor or taking business classes, be sure you don’t forsake this important aspect of your career.
Flocke hq is a one-stop shop for influencers looking to build their digital empires through transformative technology and innovative strategy. If you’re an influencer looking to up your game but feeling a bit lost, reach out to Tyler at tyler@flockehq.com to see if Flocke hq can help you scale your influencer business.
Tyler Grove, co-founder of Flocke hq, has worked for some of the industry’s top brands, handling influencer marketing for Red Bull, The Ryan Sheckler Foundation, Lorna Jane, Coola Suncare, SiO Beauty and n:Philanthropy. With a Masters Degree in business and media, Grove has also built her own brand We Traveled Where, which started as a personal blog and has since grown into an international resource for travel, a podcast and YouTube channel. Over the course of her career, Tyler has worked in public relations, content marketing and business strategy.
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Treat Yourself to the Best New Influencer Program-- Seriously
Calling all content creators.
Amazon may be the spot where you order all your last minute holiday gifts, but it’s also the hub where influencers are taking their content this Winter. That’s right.
Earlier this year when fashion blogger Cynthia Andrew of Simply Cyn joined us on panel at Create & Cultivate NYC, she talked about jumping at the opp to be a part of Amazon Associates— the online retailer’s affiliate program that helps influencers get a share of the revenue. As Amazon has grown its fashion footprint to become one of the largest online apparel retailers, its Associates program is also adding new opportunities to help fashion influencers monetize their blog, including special financial incentives and premium content for qualified influencers. Every piece of content that you create is shoppable and has the ability to be linked to affiliate links.
Now Amazon Associates is taking it even further, with the launch of The Amazon Influencer Program. A natural extension of the Amazon Associates Program, the Amazon Influencer Program provides content creators and social media influencers the ability to create a curated shopping experience on Amazon and share that shop through an Amazon URL customized to their social media handle.
Curious as to how it works? Here’s a simple breakdown:
Apply for the program here.
You’ll need to verify your YouTube, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram account.
As people visit your shop on Amazon, you will have the ability to earn affiliate fees for all qualifying purchases.
Products are added to the shop through the “Add to List” function on a product detail page and the shop product list is managed through the “Your Lists” section of the influencer’s Amazon account.
Through the shop product list, items can be removed, moved to a different order on the page and comments can be added to specific products.
There are plenty of ladies who have already tested it out. From Instagram’s Director of Fashion Partnerships Eva Chen, who describes herself on the platform as “Mom, Fashion Enthusiast, Bookworm.” Her children’s book recommendations are on point.
To Lauryn Evarts, known as the Skinny Confidential to her followers, who has already started using the Influencer Program. Use her page to get her skincare recommendations or nab a Cube Timer— which the influencer carries around in her purse to help her time block.
Evarts also encourages future bloggers to not simply think about monetization. “My Instagram can go away tomorrow,” she told the crowd at Create & Cultivate NYC this year. Which is why she continually works on growing her audience on channels that aren’t beholden to someone else’s platform. “I didn’t go into blogging solely to monetize,” the outspoken blogger explained. “I went in to provide value. That’s one of the most important things. You need to establish value and trust with your readership before you think about money.”
“I didn’t go into blogging solely to monetize. I went in to provide value."
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The Amazon Influencer Program helps you do just that— provide value and community. If you get a little affiliate dough in the meantime— pay it forward this Christmas and buy grandma that sewing machine she’s always wanted.
Once you sign-up there are a couple of helpful tips to make the most of your page.
Be sure to use your vanity URL wherever pertinent.
For example: Use it in a Facebook or Twitter post to drive traffic to the page or in your YouTube video description. *Pro tip: you can even go back through old videos and add the vanity URL to drive new viewers to the page.*On Facebook use the Shop Now button to link to your vanity URL.
Monetizing content on your platform with affiliate links and programs like Amazon Influencer are vital to the longevity and success of your business. And creating community is what it’s really all about— especially this holiday season. So. Why wouldn’t you sign up for the Amazon Influencer Program? It’s a Holiday Gift from you to you. And (like the best gifts do) it costs nothing.
For questions on the program, email influencerprogram@amazon.com and use the subject line “Create & Cultivate Influencer Question.”
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What One Founder Calls the Most Essential Skill to Starting
From the pop-friendly Studio DIY products to Baby Boy Bakery journals to Color Theory Premium Inks by Studio Calico (above), April Foster, CEO and founder of Inked Brands has launched some of the most beloved influencer products. A leader in influencer commerce, you come to Inked with a vision and they do the rest. But do they rest? That's a whole different question.
Which is why we caught up with the entrepreneur and mom of FOUR (!) to find out her thoughts on influencers, hard no's, and where she finds the time.
You’ve said that you’re an entrepreneur at heart. For young women wondering whether or not they should launch a co, what does that mean to you?
If you’re a creator and are constantly curious, inventing new things or if you see better ways of doing things, or a hole in the market that you know how to address; I think it’s just in your blood.
What do you consider the most essential skill when starting?
Paying attention. It’s about learning when the details matter and when they don’t and are just paralyzing you. It’s about paying attention to the numbers, to customer feedback, to your team and fixing what you can and letting go of what you can’t. Being disciplined in this practice and objective is extremely important, too. I can remember times as I was packing boxes I realized weights on them were wrong and I’d have to call back and unpack then repack half our orders for the day. That wasn’t pleasant, but it saved us money and helped us get to the next month. When I haven’t paid attention to the details that matter, mistakes are made, sometimes ones that are incredibly costly.
How do you know when it’s time to hire?
For me, I had to hire right away because I was keeping my day job so the profits could fund the growth of the business. Also, I was hiring for the positions that were most well-defined and easiest to monitor (customer service & fulfillment). This didn’t mean I wasn’t involved. In the early days, I answered customer service daily alongside my employees and packed boxes with them, too. I have strong opinions regarding understanding your business and customers, and the primary way to do that is to get in and get your hands dirty. Many founders of VC-backed companies are robbing their founders of this valuable experience. But, when the duties are compromising your ability to perform tasks that ONLY you can do, that’s when it’s time to hire.
Micro-influencers have played a large part of your strategy in growing your biz. For a long time they were overlooked by bigger brands. What do you think people aren’t paying attention to now that they should be?
There is so much media and investor attention towards fast growth, but it’s the slow and steady brand builders that will win the race. Influencers who become insta-famous, can just as instantly become irrelevant. I’m interested in the people and brands who want to run a marathon, not a sprint; those who want to get it right instead of just getting a quick paycheck.
"Influencers who become insta-famous, can just as instantly become irrelevant."
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What does Inked offer influencers that other companies don’t?
We combine products and content in a way that is meaningful and relevant to the influencer or thought leader and their followers. That’s our main differentiator. We work as a partner to develop, source, and design these products, then display and sell them in a unique and meaningful way whether that’s subscription, traditional ecommerce, or premium content such as online courses.
What do you as CEO offer influencers that other companies don’t?
The main reason I started this model three years ago was because I could see influencers’ desire to have long lasting revenue streams and not be overloaded with sponsorships that devalue and exploit their brands. I’m committed to that and our policies and practices align with that.
You’ve said not to surround yourself to “yes men,” what’s one of the hardest but most useful (in the long run) “no’s” you’ve ever heard?
I hear “no” every day and I’m probably not the only person that hates hearing it. The most useful “no” I’ve heard in my career came at a pivotal time for the business. My CFO/COO was diagnosed with terminal cancer, which was a resounding “no” that I wouldn’t be able to grow the company as I first envisioned. That “no” taught me that I’m not in control (which bugs the fire out of me!), it taught me patience and selflessness, and that my family and spiritual well-being are the most important. That “no” helped me more than any “yes” ever has.
Your pump up jam when you can’t seem to find the inspo?
Ha! I live for silence. With 4 young kids and never any alone time, if I can be by myself with zero noise, that’s the most refreshing thing ever. That’s probably not the answer you were looking for.
RIght so, uou have four kids, so we have to know… where is the time? What’s the most important mom lesson you’ve learned?
I’m forever wishing for more hours in the day! From the time I became a mom, I knew setting a routine would be so important to the well-being of our family. I thrive in a structured environment as does my husband. So, we stuck to a fairly rigid schedule that still works almost 7 years in. Our kids go to bed by 7pm and sleep 12 hours most nights (there’s an occasional potty emergency). That allows me to set a work schedule where I’m home in the evenings for mealtime and bedtime, then I have time after 7 to work on tasks that require undivided attention while it’s relatively early. As for a mom-lesson I’ve learned which is entirely the opposite of my work approach: have low expectations! With four little people each with minds of their own, I expect there to be misbehavior, I expect to wake up during the night, or to have a car that’s not pristine. I expect to not be able to eat organically or healthy all the time. By setting low expectations, I’m not disappointed nearly as often, I’m more patient and understanding, and in general, I’m a happier person and better mom.
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7 Tips to Doing Influencer Integrations the Right Way
Let the right people bring some noise to your brand.
Working with influencers is an essential part of growing your brand—they can help spread awareness, garner press and introduce you to a new audience. Here, our partner DBA —a digital talent agency that reps some of the top talent in the influencer sphere—put together some tips for building great partnerships and successful relationships that will keep everyone happy.
1. Identify goals for your campaign: Setting goals is one of the easiest ways to ensure your brand’s relationship with any influencer is a smooth one and most importantly, a productive one. Be it brand awareness, product sales or heightened engagement, make sure you have a clear outline of what it is you are trying to accomplish before the start of any campaign.
"Have a clear outline of what it is you are trying to accomplish before the start of any campaign."
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2. Investigate before you jump: Do your homework. Ask for media kits, and consider influencers and content creators who have a track record of helping brands reach their goals.
3. Mind the Details: When you do your initial outreach, have as many details ready to share as possible. This helps avoid surprises and keeps all parties on the same page.
4. Set a timeline: Timing is everything and that is especially true when working with influencers. Always be sure that your contract outlines set times for content previewing and posting. And don’t forget to be specific about which time zone the deadline lives in.
5. Provide a briefing document: A brief creates sets the guidelines so creativity can flourish and it’s a very necessary tool when working in the influencer space. Make sure your brief includes:
• All image requirements (do assets need to be in portrait or landscape?)
• Styling directions
• Share copy guidelines (key messaging, hashtags/tags, FTC disclosures)
• Do’s and Don'ts (do they need to avoid competitive products? does the outfit need to be head-to-toe? can talent use affiliate links?)
"A brief creates sets the guidelines so creativity can flourish and it’s a very necessary tool when working in the influencer space."
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6. Understand your influencer’s creative lens: When you work with influencers, you do so to capture their unique spin on your product or service, so keep in mind their voice and the types of content they are known to produce. Most importantly be sure to identify the style of post you are envisioning (collage board, personal style post, etc.)
7. Set up a kickoff call: This should be done before any work is done by the influencer.
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