Many startup founders step away from influencer marketing thinking it’s out of their budget.

Now, we're not denying that it CAN get expensive when you are trying to reach actors/influencers who are well-known and have a huge follower base.

But there are a lot of other ways to make the best of influencer marketing that fits your budget.

Here are a few ways to:

1. Niche influencer marketing: Collaborate with influencers who are industry experts. Most of them are micro/nano-influencers (with a follower base of 0-10K) who believe in quality>>quantity in terms of followers and clientele.

These influencers work for clients who can add value to their personal brand. They believe in value gains over monetary gains.

PRO TIP - Don’t let the follower count fool you. Research suggests engagement is higher when influencers have fewer followers.

2. Product Collaboration: Relationship building between influencers and brands is the basis of influencer marketing. You’ll be surprised to see how valuable it is for influencers to have a bigger say in the product development process.

Co-creating products/services with influencers could prove to be a winning strategy for startups.

3. Sponsored Reviews: Believe me! they still work - especially when it comes from influencers. No wonder you see so many influencer reviews as ads on Instagram.

PRO TIP - Opt for influencers who are inclined towards your brand’s vision/mission and come up with a mutually beneficial collaboration and they should be happy to promote your brand.

You can also always use your loyal customers and employees for word-of-mouth marketing. Remember, community-generated content is always more convincing to your TG than studio-shot creatives.

PS: Are you a start-up brand and want to give influencer marketing a shot? Let The CreateX Club guide you.