Influencer marketing: the new force in product launches to get e-ttraction
What's the best way to launch a new product and get e-ttraction? Is it a huge mainstream media burst to get awareness, creating a funny video you hope will go viral to generate interest or running a once in a life competition to stimulate desire? In my view none of those works as well as influencer marketing.
I pondered this question as I was waiting for a mate of mine, Daniel Priestly who runs the wildly successful Key Person of Influence (KPI) program in London today. I was keen to catch up with Dan to see what's happening in his world, give him an update on Social Star and just have a good chat. Inevitably the conversation came around to why I was in London and we discussed my becoming an ambassador for Lenovo and how they flew me over from Australia to be part of their global product launch. We discussed their marketing program focusing on influencers and not traditional media and both agreed it was genius. Then I showed him the product and I was a bit shocked with his reaction.
He was like a kid in a candy store. His first reaction was the same as mine, "gee it feels nice." I respond enthusiastically, " I know right!"
I don't know what the team has done to make it so nice to touch but it's awesome. He played around with the YOGA bending it over to be a tablet, making the A frame and using the touch screen. Then he asks the really important question - would I use it instead of my Macbook Air? That's the big question for me and my response was pretty simple. I only took this computer with me on this trip and and running my entire business from it and so far so good. So yes I would use it as my main PC. Have I swapped over completely, no I need a few more weeks to really test it out.
This is a big deal for Dan and I as we are both published authors and we spend a lot of time on our computers. They are not just a tool, but THE tool. Sure he is more famous and sold way more books than me, but you know what I am getting at. We are not going to change computers without a good reason and he was impressed enough to think about it.
This meeting speaks volumes for the Lenovo strategy. I just elevated their brand to a massively influential guy in the entrepreneur world who runs a global business and if he gets on the bandwagon it will be huge for them. That's how influence happens, one person at a time. But of course the product has to deliver as both of us will not recommend something we don't use and believe in.
So how do you launch a new product and create e-ttraction? First have a good product. Second influence the influencers. Third, let it happen from there. It worked for Apple many years ago and it just might work for Lenovo now.
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