18 Comments to “Is Influencer Marketing Limiting You?”

1. December 29th, 2009 at 8:52 am
   Henri @ Wake Up Cloud said

   Good one, Liz!

   I’m amazed at how many things influence my actions. I consider myself to be a very self-aware person, so I often catch myself doing things and getting the urge to buy different products on multiple points of influence.

   I think the most powerful stuff happens when you start getting the same message from different sources.

2. December 29th, 2009 at 10:28 am
   ME Liz Strauss said

   Hi Henri!
   Multiple messages from different sources … we learn about that when we first discover TV commercials and peer pressure — eh? I love to stop to ask myself, “Why exactly am I doing this? What brought me to this moment?” So many things form our beliefs and “needs.” Sometimes I wonder if we’re 10% DNA 90% influences.

3. December 29th, 2009 at 6:00 pm
   Michael Martine said

   I remember reading in a William Gibson novel about a person who was paid to be one of those “overheard” folks as a form of stealth marketing.

   What influences me more and more are the examples of folks who are already in a place I’d like to be (in my own way, of course).

4. December 29th, 2009 at 6:40 pm
   ME Liz Strauss said

   Michael,
   I’m fascinated by what influences us. Time. However much time or money I have can make a difference in what I choose to do and what the result is. Books and blog posts can change the way that see or think about ideas. Sometimes it’s the way people act in the rain that makes look at how I behave myself.

   But then, I’m a little loopy. heh heh

5. December 29th, 2009 at 11:56 pm
   Brett Greene said

   Liz, great article as always. It’s amazing how we don’t realize that most of our beliefs and many of our thoughts sprout from seeds we never realized were being planted.

   2010 or 2011 will probably be seen as the Year of the Influencer in social media and marketing circles. That will be focused on the ‘influencer as a noun’ as you mention above, while the truth is that we are all influencers at different levels and most of what are influenced by is not from a particular person.

   I’ve been deeply intrigued with influence, persuasion, why people do what they do and psychology for a long time. Watching how social media platforms are magnifying these intrinsic human natures and behaviors is becoming a very interesting adventure.

   What a great post!

6. December 30th, 2009 at 4:51 am
   Tyrone said

   This is a great share. All I can add is that that’s what really creates a good marketer – he rarely limits to close his mind for new, old, good and even bad influences to weigh which can be learning and which can be effective in the business. The bad things which get us failing are actually the teachers on how we can manage to avoid them and opening up to these influences will not be a bad absorbing habit but a lesson in improving life to its fullest.

7. December 30th, 2009 at 7:00 am
   SallyOutLoud said

   Influencer The Power to Change Anything by Patterson et al is NOT about ‘Influencer Marketing’. It is about leveraging six sources of influence which are personal, social and structural motivations and abilities to effect change in yourself, your community or your workplace. I find it troubling that this book is lumped in with pop-psychology marketing books. #justsayin

8. December 30th, 2009 at 10:43 am
   Ellen Crimi-Trent said

   I am influenced by many things and depending on what mood or work I am about to do my choices are different. What I am not influenced by is in authenticity.. you can smell it a mile away, especially on Twitter. I am amazed to think that those who auto DM and constantly write what an expert they are even get anyone to listen, we can’t all be that stupid?

   As far as marketing goes, you have to be a real creative person to get my attention. I recently got turned on to Gary Vaynerchuk because you can see his authenticity right off the bat- no gimicks, what you see is what you get, and I like that. Stop trying to sell me, talk to me instead, I do have a mind and can think for myself you know.

   Great discussion Liz!

9. December 30th, 2009 at 10:48 am
   John Richardson said

   Great insight, Liz. I’m always amazed when I meet someone that tells me that something I said/did a long time ago made a difference in their life.

   You never know when you will influence somebody.

10. December 30th, 2009 at 11:04 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Brett!
    I’ve been intrigued by influence for a long time too. I agree that social media platforms have amplified this as they amplify everything we do. For people like us who enjoy observing behavior, it’s indeed a most interesting evolution taking place.

    Do you think that companies are really able to influence the influencers?

11. December 30th, 2009 at 11:08 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Tyrone!
    I’m with what you’re saying. The Internet has taught me a lot about the value of a beginner’s mind.

    As I read your comment, I’m wondering how we might influence marketers to be more open to do thinking longer term — talking to customers while they are testing and trying …

12. December 30th, 2009 at 11:13 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Ellen!
    Maybe recognizing influence in our lives is a function of experience. I know that I’ve gotten better at reading the subtext of typed words the longer I’ve worked with type. Now I’m most sensitive to what folks are not saying or how someone else might take something that’s said … yet I still get it wrong sometimes.

    Creativity in social business is harder, I think because it used to be I had to be creative about showing you my product. Now I have to be creative about my product gets you to connect with someone else — a much harder job! And I agree a huge part of that is how authentic, rather than clever, what I share with you is.

13. December 30th, 2009 at 11:16 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi John!
    Happy Holidays!
    I have had the same amazing experience. Thank you for bringing that feeling back to me.

14. December 30th, 2009 at 11:46 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    #7
    Hi Sally … Good point. I knew that. Didn’t realize how it looked.
    I’ve updated the post to clarify. Thank you for helping me out.

15. December 31st, 2009 at 8:54 am
    Alasdair Munn said

    I like this a lot! At times the noise can negatively influence us too. Thinking about the few people in my life who truly influence me I am not at all surprised to find that the top few hardly make any noise at all, yet when they speak they have something worth hearing.
    Your thoughts also bring to mind the cultural and social implications of influence. Understanding who you are talking to is vital.
    Happy New Year Liz. Looking forward to more of your wisdom in 2010

16. December 31st, 2009 at 10:02 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Alasdair,
    Your comment made me realize that the folks I listen to most often speak the least.
    I’m learning to do that … speak less with more value and pay more attention to what influences me.
    So many subtle things from our environment can change the way we think. …

    I’m lucky to have great thinkers like you around me.

17. January 14th, 2010 at 4:00 pm
    Barbara French said

    Liz,

    Like your thinking. Wanted to share an example from my daily life on overcoming limited ideas about influencers:

    Marketers often ask for my advice on compiling a list of influencers, such as top journalists for their market. I like to ask them a clarification question: Do they want just the list of influential journalists — or would they also like to know who influences those top journalists?

    We all think of journalists and bloggers as influencers. What we tend to overlook is who influences the journalists and bloggers. We don’t bother to find out who they respect, who they like, who mentors them — who influences them.

    Most people still want just the limited list. But having thinking about the question gives them a little “a-ha!” moment along the way. Helps them start to look at influencers as a social ecosystem.

18. January 14th, 2010 at 5:20 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Barbara,
    Welcome!
    I do that too. That “who influences the influencers” question is crucial. Sometimes our mentors and our influencers are people who are less visible than we are. Yet that group you identify really takes the process deeper.

    Thank you for taking the time to add this to the post.