The word influencer is tossed around often today as everyone is trying to leverage their social media to potentially make money. But how do you get there?
Here is a surprising statistic from USA Today: “Influencer marketing is expected to hit $101 billion by 2020, according to a study from the Association of National Advertisers and PQ Media.”
So, you want to be an influencer? Immigration attorney and legal influencer Jacob Sapochnick has a few tips that helped him combine his passion of immigration law, travel and business.
Through his law practice base in San Diego, Sapochnick uses his passion for travel to make business connections. He has documented his experiences while providing tangible tips. Below are a few of the tools he used to build a successful strategy and stand out amongst the millions of influencers on social media today:
If you don’t ask, you don’t get. “Tag products you like and reach out the brands you believe in,” says Sapochnick. “Many companies will find micro influencers (micro influencers have less than 10,000 followers) to showcase their products, but you will never know if you don’t ask. Learn how to pitch yourself and present your followers, demographic, and ideas about what you would post. Find out what the products are missing and fill in the gaps. Practice your pitch and pitch often. You never know who will say yes. Do not be afraid to ask for compensation for your time and creative energy but deliver quality product.”
Discover your passion and what makes you different. “I am an immigration attorney who specializes in business immigration law. I have owned my own practice based in San Diego for 15 years. Our clients are all over the globe and many times I am required to travel to meet with clients. I documented my trips making sure to take time with business and pleasure. Through this I started to gain followers who were interested in learning about immigration law and those seeking assistance and those who loved travel. It was here that I discovered my passion is what made me different. No other attorney to my knowledge has been able to leverage their social media to gain influence but also impact the profitability of their business.”
A clear bio will help you stand out. “Your bio should be short and concise, while also reflecting your unique personality. Mine states where I am from, what my profession is while including how people can contact me. I use emojis for aesthetics. You are allowed one link in your bio and I choose the link to my business. Links should go to your blog website, business page, or a recent interview and other content you want to share.”
Show up constantly. “You must show up for your followers. This can be done through stories, feed, etc. Your followers like to see consistency. If they follow thousands of accounts, they could not see your posts; however, if you post every day at a certain time then they will start to know to look for your posts. Make sure when you show up you are adding value to their day and speaking directly to your followers. On my Facebook I host a Facebook live every Wednesday with my managing attorney. We answer questions and interact with followers. This has tremendously helped retain and gain new followers.”
A bonus piece of advice from Sapochnick is to work hard at being an expert.
“Because my area of practice is immigration law, I try to educate my followers regarding current events and provide a different take on immigration as opposed to the headlines many see,” says Sapochnick. “It is important for me to give my followers a global view of the world. Being an expert in your field will give you tremendous credibility with your followers.”
