KOL ENGAGEMENT - THE 4Ps That You Need to Know
Being in the Public Relations (PR) industry, we need to be fluid. Things change rapidly! You could go to bed and wake up to a new viral social media or a trend (“6,7” ISTG) that you never saw coming. Once upon a time, people flipped pages to stay updated, and now, scrolling online is the new way to stay updated. The medium of delivering messages is always changing, but the root of what Public Relations still remains - building a relationship between brands and the public.
These days, brands are leaning more towards influencer marketing because it can be an effective way to speak directly to your market but, I mean BUT, only if you do it right. Engaging KOLs to market your brand or product is great because it gives your audience the feeling that a friend or someone they "follow" closely is speaking directly to them, especially when it's a popular or celebrity KOL. They want to know what celebrities are wearing, which products they consume, where they go, etc. For us Malaysians, we always want to know what the latest food trend is. Or where is the latest Ayam Gepuk that Ming Chun recommends?
As with all marketing efforts and channels, each has its own pros and cons. Engaging KOLs enables you to have more creative options in delivering your key messages. But! But… It means you won’t full control over how it is being delivered. The most common mistake clients make is defaulting to what they know and treating their KOLs like billboards – a move that limits creativity and loses consumer trust. The same goes for KOLs who provide minimal creative input and make it look too scripted. KOLs are not your advertising agencies; they are your brand advocates.
So where do we start? How do we choose the right KOLs? How do we find our audience? The answer is... STRATEGY! Yes, it is that simple. Here’s an easy 4Ps guide to help you strategise.
PRODUCT
Know your product well. I'm not talking about the marketing handbook, but about truly understanding your product's Unique Selling Point (USP). That one key factor that separates your product from others. What makes your product stand out? For example, Brand M wants to market their dried mango snacks. They are aware that there are plenty of brands out there selling similar products. Their USP? No added sugar. They emphasise this USP and communicate it clearly in all of their marketing efforts. They work with KOLs to further amplify it and have them convince customers to try it. Having to communicate your USP helps to simplify your messaging and create top-of-mind selection.
PUBLIC
Now that you've identified your USP, who should you sell your product to? This is where you identify your target audience. Instead of marketing to the general public and hoping for the best, it's better to know who you want to reach. Identify the people or potential customers that are looking for the types of products you offer, and make it known to them that you have what they want. We know Brand M is selling no-added-sugar dried mango snacks. Who is their target? Office workers looking for a quick, guilt-free snack to fuel up, health-conscious snackers, and perhaps parents looking for healthier snack options for their kids. Brand M should be looking for influencers whose audiences are the same.
PERSON
Now, this is where you identify who you want to collaborate with to help you speak about your product. Dear brands and marketers, I know engaging someone with a high following is the best way to maximise your reach, but, sorry to say, it's also the best way to potentially waste your budget. So, who should you work with?
Someone who speaks directly to your target audience
Someone who knows how to work your message into their regular content
Someone who can create engaging* content
*Engaging - Content that will make you want to react to the post (like, share, or save)
PLAN
Now we put all of the above together and plan. How many KOLs should we work with to reach the target audience? Your budget planning should be based on the number of people you plan to reach. For example, Brand M needs its product to be seen by 100,000 people. The cost per person to see their product is RM0.20, so the estimated budget is RM20,000. KPIs need to be set realistically based on the set budget. Honestly, marketers are not magicians; we do not always make the impossible possible.
Of course, the above may not cover all circumstances you may encounter, as we also need to consider the cost per deliverable, production costs, the type of content we want to achieve, content usage rights, etc. This is merely a simple guide to help ease the planning of a KOL engagement campaign.
We need to remember that KOLs are one of the media you use to reach your audience. KOLs gain followers through their creative skills, and successful brand collaborations happen when you entrust them to speak about a product in their own voice and style. They may share the same audience pool, but they do not have the same creative capabilities.
Remember, the KOLs do not determine the success of your campaign; you do!
