Why Connecting Your Brand With Influencers Is Imperative (and How This Applies to Digital Marketing)

As of 2006, Nike was spending $475 million annually on endorsement deals with athletes.

LeBron James made $33 million in 2013 from endorsement deals with companies like Samsung, Nike, and Coca-Cola (Sprite).

Why Connecting With Influencers Is Imperative

Why such huge spending on endorsements?

Based on a 2012 study by Anita Elberse and Jeroen Verleun in the Journal of Advertising Research:

signing top athletic endorsers corresponds with “around $10 million in additional sales annually and nearly a 0.25% increase in stock returns.” (1)

Why do endorsements have such a significant impact on consumer decisions?

And can we use the same rationale to explain why connecting with influencers in your industry or niche is a critical path to growing your brand?

Yep, and here’s how…

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