190. Podcaster-Turned-Founder Who Just Raised $12 Million Series A Explains Dos and Don’ts of Influencer Marketing, Why It Might Not Work for B2B, & How to Create a Culture That Makes Employees Tattoo Your Logo w/ Avery Schrader (Modash)
Dec 17, 2024
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Avery Schrader, the Founder and CEO of Modash, discusses his journey from influencer marketing to starting a successful platform that supports brands like Victoria’s Secret. He highlights why authentic storytelling trumps traditional ads and shares practical tips on selecting the right creators. Avery also dives into the peculiarities of B2B influencer marketing and the importance of tracking key metrics for ROI. Moreover, he emphasizes building a strong company culture that attracts talent and encourages employees to connect deeply with the brand.
Brands should focus on mastering one effective marketing channel to optimize their efforts and achieve tangible success.
Building genuine relationships with content creators enhances visibility and quality over time, leading to more authentic brand promotion.
B2B companies can leverage influencer marketing strategically by engaging industry leaders to build credibility and improve community relationships.
Deep dives
The Importance of Focus in Marketing
It is crucial for brands to identify and focus on one effective marketing channel rather than spreading themselves too thin across multiple platforms. Trying to use every creator or method can lead to inefficiencies, especially for smaller brands that may not yet have the resources to capitalize on every opportunity. Instead, brands should obsess over the single channel they choose until they see success, learning from the process to optimize their approach. This kind of focused effort can lead to significant results, as evidenced by the speaker's own success with SEO after dedicating time to understanding and mastering that specific channel.
Building Strong Relationships with Creators
Working with content creators is not merely a transactional experience; it requires nurturing genuine relationships to yield results. Brands should approach creators as part of a portfolio, understanding that not every partnership will deliver immediate success. Instead, they should invest time in forming lasting connections, which often leads to increased content quality and better prices over time. This relationship-building approach ensures that creators are more likely to promote the brand organically beyond paid collaborations, enhancing the brand's visibility and authenticity.
Maximizing the Potential of Influencer Marketing
Effectively utilizing influencer marketing requires brands to consider various factors beyond just audience size and demographic fit. Brands should evaluate potential influencers based on their enthusiasm and the authenticity of their storytelling, which can significantly impact campaign success. Understanding the emotional resonance that smaller creators can have with their audience may offer more value than engaging with high-profile celebrities, as these micro-influencers can form deeper connections with their followers. This nuanced approach allows brands to not only select the right influencers but also craft compelling narratives that resonate with the intended audience.
Navigating B2B Influencer Marketing
While influencer marketing is often associated with B2C brands, B2B companies can also benefit from thoughtful influencer partnerships, albeit with strategic planning. B2B marketers should first identify their specific challenges before exploring how influencer marketing might resolve those issues. Engaging industry community leaders and practitioners can enhance brand credibility and improve content distribution, leading to more engagement from targeted audiences. This requires a shift in mindset from viewing influencer marketing as a trend to seeing it as a viable strategy for building trust and fostering relationships within the professional community.
Fostering a Strong Company Culture
Establishing a strong company culture is vital for sustaining business growth, especially as teams expand. One effective approach is to prioritize hiring exceptional talent and ensuring that new hires align with the organization's values and goals. Emphasizing transparency in communication and nurturing an environment where thoughtful feedback is encouraged can cultivate a culture of continuous improvement. Additionally, the creation of a living document that captures company principles and recommendations can help new team members integrate more seamlessly into the culture, ultimately driving overall success.
Avery Schrader is the founder and CEO of Modash, a leading influencer marketing platform that helps brands scale partnerships with content creators. With a background in building relationships and driving results for companies like Bolt and Verif, Avery’s journey to creating Modash stems from firsthand experience in the creator economy. Modash now serves over 1,500 customers globally, including brands like Victoria’s Secret and Birkenstock, enabling them to discover and manage influencer campaigns effectively. The company recently raised an impressive 11mEUR Series A round.
On this episode we talk about:
Why influencer partnerships outperform traditional ads and how brands can leverage authentic storytelling.
Avery’s entrepreneurial journey, including product validation and pivoting to focus on search functionality.
Practical advice on selecting creators, setting expectations, and adopting a portfolio-based approach.
How startups can use influencers creatively for brand awareness and niche audience engagement.
Key metrics to track, attribution challenges, and strategies for ensuring ROI.
The importance of hiring top talent, structuring company values, and fostering a high-performance culture.