Disciples of influencer marketing believe that a small number of people tell everybody else what decisions to make. However, business is wasting billions chasing the wrong "influencers," according to Nick Hayes, founder of Influencer50. Hayes will cut to the chase on identifying influencers and what to do about them during his keynote at the New Communications Forum 2008, taking place April 22-25, 2008 at The Vineyard Creek Inn and Spa in Sonoma County, Calif. Discounts and Flex Passes still available for Tekrati readers.

"Influencers do not do the buying, are not obvious, cannot be bought, and start off neutral -- which is why their potential to affect sales is so great," explains Hayes and partner Duncan Brown in their book, Influencer Marketing. The pair conduct research on influencer marketing best practices and case studies and lead Influencer50, a consultancy offering products and services that help organizations tie their marketing efforts directly to sales-cycle objections by identifying and working with the key influencers in their specific markets. They blog at Infuse.

Hayes will discuss what actually works -- and what doesn't -- in influencer marketing during his keynote conversation, "Understanding the Complexities of Influencer Marketing," with moderator and Senior Fellow of the Society for New Communications Research, Paul Gillin. The SNCR's New Communications Forum is the premier conference that brings together thought leaders and decision makers from around the globe to discuss the impact of social media and new communications on media, marketing, journalism, PR and advertising, business, culture and society. Presenters and instructors are senior professionals from around the world and journalists from leading media outlets who have helped pioneer the use of these new tools and technologies. They will share their in-the-trenches experiences and help participants plan their own strategies.

Here, Tekrati's Barbara French asks Hayes what he hopes to accomplish through his keynote and why marketers should pay attention.

French: What are the top insights you hope participants will learn during the keynote? Why are these such a high priority right now?

Hayes: "While few people have argued about the importance of influencers over the past few years, we've been surprised at how reticent many organizations have been to adopt influencer practices. Winning their minds has been easy - what we talk about makes logical sense - so in the early days it was frustrating for our programs not always to get through the client's budgeting process. These days, especially with all of us reading of an economic downturn, organizations know that they have to change from their traditional spend allocation, so there's a greater willingness to do something different. And targeting a company's business influencers now fits the bill of being refreshingly different and measurably beneficial in sales terms.

"I also want to convey that for an organization to undertake influencer marketing doesn't mean immediately abandoning their existing plan. Targeting influencers can be phased in, only once the right influencers have been identified, so it's less onerous, and risky, than some might think. We've plenty of examples of how companies have done this.

"And finally I want to answer the question that I'm always being asked. Once I've identified our business influencers, what should I do with them? And we can look at the kind of engagement programs that do and don't tend to work. So participants at the conference should go away with a clear view of how they can actually identify and create relationships with their influencers. And how to measure the benefit."

French: What will participants get out of the keynote that they won't get from reading your book?

Hayes: "We had to leave a lot out of the book - partly because we were writing for as broad an audience as possible and partly because some stories, experiences and client case studies we couldn't get clearance on. So in our SNCR conversation there'll be more anecdotes, more real-world detail and I expect a more informed audience, so more of what I say will hopefully resonate with the audience's own experiences whether from a client or an agency perspective.

"Plus we've moved on almost a year from when the book was begun, so there's plenty more up-to-date reality to talk about. Though our central premise of the importance of influencers is stronger than ever, we're a lot wiser now about how to persuade major organizations of this."

French: What sets you apart from the rising tide of experts and thought leaders on new marketing and advertising?

Hayes: "It's easy to talk about a new vision for marketing & advertising, or to bring a new theory to broader attention. That's kind of where we were three or four years ago. But over the past three years we've amassed plenty of brand-name client experience so we know what sounds good but doesn't work, and what sounds dull but has big impact. I think we've sold more copies of the book because of its case studies than because of the 200 pages of thoughts in-between. And we've focused strongly to date on B2B clients, primarily in the tech sector, which hasn't always pioneered in new marketing initiatives. So I think we've practiced what we've preached."

About this event

NewComm Forum provides an in-depth, hands-on exploration of the future of media and communications, and teaches communications professionals the strategy and tactics to effectively use these new tools. In addition to a rich educational experience filled with knowledge sharing, discussions, insights and debates, participants will enjoy the opportunity to relax and talk with colleagues and friends and the leading thinkers in new communications and social media in the relaxed and elegant setting of California’s wine country. The full NewComm Forum 2008 conference program can be viewed at http://www.newcommforum.com.

Nick Hayes' keynote, "Understanding the Complexities of Influencer Marketing" takes place April 23, 2008 starting at 4:30 pm. Social media is magnifying the power of influencers, creating new urgency among businesses to identify the influencers and figure out how to persuade them. In this Keynote Conversation, Paul Gillin and Nick Hayes will unravel the complexity of influence.

Discounts for Friends of Tekrati: Friends of Tekrati can save $100 on event registration with promo code NCF08100. For even greater savings, Flex Passes and options for attending 1 day or less, contact the Society for New Communications Research prior to registration and mention Tekrati.

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