Remember the days when your mother forbade you from hanging out with that ultra cool neighbour kid who seemed to have an unnatural affinity for getting you both into trouble?

Anytime this forbidden friendship was brought up, you would receive a long-winded spiel about the power of bad influences etcetera, etcetera…

But what about the power of good influences - or rather, the power of good influencers and how this marketing tool can help your powersports dealership attract new customers and increase sales?

Wait… what’s an influencer?

First things first, let’s briefly explain what influencer marketing is exactly. It’s basically a new spin on an old marketing tool; taking the idea of celebrity endorsement and reimagining the concept for a content-driven consumer market. Essentially, brands or companies collaborate with influencers who fit their lifestyle profile through various social media platforms.

Okay, I’m listening…

A 2019 survey conducted by global PR firm, Edelman sheds some light on the importance of influencer marketing among today’s consumers.

The survey found that 63% of respondents aged 18-to-34 trust what an influencer says about a brand more than what the brand says about itself in advertising. Furthermore, 40% said they trusted a brand because of an influencer in the previous six months, while 33% had talked about a brand because of an influencer in the last six months.

So how can I use this to my advantage?

We’re not suggesting you sink ridiculous amounts of marketing dollars into an actual Charlie Hunnam-level endorsement – but what about local celebrities?

Every city or town has a few influential people who are already aligned with your business. This could be a local newspaper editor, local enthusiast or local powersport club members.

These local celebrities don’t need to have 100,000+ followers on Instagram to be an asset to your dealership. They have friends with similar interests who influence where their friends shop.

Going back to the Edelman survey, 73% of those surveyed claimed that a brands’ reputation among people they know are a deciding factor when making a purchase.

Here are a few tips to get you started with effective influencer marketing.

• Align with local celebrities or sponsor local riding teams and encourage them to post on your behalf.
• Offer discounts to those who refer their friends.
• Put up signage in-store encouraging customers to take selfies on new models and post to Instagram or Facebook while tagging your dealership and/or using unique hashtags.

These are just a few of the ways you can drive new customers to your dealership without spending a lot of money, while building credibility amongst local consumers who are already interested in what you’re selling.