Want to get your products in front of the right audience? Influencers can help. But before they can promote your brand, they need to try your products first. That’s where influencer gifting comes in.
Sending products to influencers is a smart way to build relationships, create buzz, and grow your brand. The best part? If you’re using Shopify, the process is easier than ever. With Afluencer, you can ship products directly to influencers in just a few clicks—no back-and-forth emails, no complicated logistics.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to send product to influencers the right way. From finding the perfect influencers to setting up shipments through Shopify, we’ve got every step covered. Let’s get gifting!
1. Finding the Right Influencers
Not all influencers are the right fit for your brand. Sending products to the wrong people is a waste of time and resources. You need influencers who truly connect with your target audience.
So, how do you find them?
Use Afluencer to Discover Top Influencers
Afluencer makes sending products to influencers easy. With built-in search tools, you can browse influencers by category, location, engagement rate, and more. Instead of sifting through endless profiles, you can quickly find creators who match your brand.
Check Engagement, Not Just Followers
A high follower count doesn’t always mean high influence. Look for influencers with strong engagement—likes, comments, and shares. These interactions show that their audience is active and interested in what they post. It also means their followers trust their recommendations, which increases the chances of them trying your product.
Match Your Brand’s Aesthetic and Values
An influencer’s content should align with your brand’s style and messaging. If you sell handmade jewelry, an influencer who showcases unique, artisanal pieces is a better fit than one who focuses on fast fashion. The right match ensures that your product feels natural in their content, making their audience more likely to pay attention.
Taking the time to research influencers before reaching out will help you get the best results. Once you’ve found the right influencers, it’s time to start the conversation.
2. Reaching Out and Securing Collaborations
Now that you’ve found the right influencers, it’s time to make your move. Reaching out to influencers can feel intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. The key is crafting a clear and engaging pitch that shows them why they should collaborate with you.
Craft a Personalized Message
Influencers receive tons of messages, so make sure yours stands out. Personalize your pitch by mentioning something specific about their content that you admire. This shows that you’ve done your research and aren’t just sending a generic message to dozens of influencers.
For example, if you’re reaching out to a beauty influencer, you might mention how you love their recent makeup tutorial and how your product would be a perfect fit for their audience. The more genuine and specific, the better.
Set Clear Expectations
Be upfront about what you’re offering and what you’re hoping to get in return. Do you want them to post about your product on Instagram? Or perhaps create a YouTube video reviewing it? Be specific about deliverables.
This will help both you and the influencer understand what’s expected and ensure there are no misunderstandings later on. Clear communication leads to smoother collaborations.
Incentivize the Collaboration
Influencers are often more likely to agree to a collaboration if there’s something in it for them. Beyond free products, consider offering exclusive discounts for their followers, affiliate commissions, or even a long-term partnership. Offering something extra can make the difference between a “yes” and a “maybe.”
Using Afluencer to Secure Collaborations
Afluencer streamlines the collaboration process. It allows you to set up your collabs and let the right influencers come to you. Instead of hunting down the perfect influencer, Afluencer matches you with influencers who are a good fit, saving you time and effort. Once an influencer is interested, you can easily track and manage applications, ensuring everything runs smoothly.
Once your pitch is accepted, it’s time to move on to the fun part: sending the products!
3. Sending Products to Influencers via Afluencer
Now that you’ve secured your collaborations, it’s time to send your products to influencers! With Shopify and Afluencer, this process is smooth and simple. Here’s how you can send your products directly through Afluencer, making the process easy for you and your influencers.
Step 1: Go to My Collabs – Applications
The first thing you need to do is head to the “My Collabs” section. Click on “Applications,” and you’ll see a number to the right that indicates how many influencer applications you have.
Step 2: Use the Filter to Find “Accepted” Applications
Next, use the filter options to search for “Accepted” applications. These are influencers who have agreed to collaborate with your brand. Select a “Ship To” location so you can choose where to send the products.
Step 3: Select the Influencers to Send Products To
You can select up to 10 influencers to send products to at a time. Once you’ve chosen your influencers, click the “Send Products” button. If you don’t see a specific influencer, you can request them to add and verify their address before sending the product.
Step 4: Select the Destination for Free Shipping
Now, select the destination for shipping. Make sure that it’s a location where you can offer free shipping, which must be valid under your Shopify store settings. You can find this option under “Settings” and then “Shipping and Delivery” in your Shopify dashboard.
Step 5: Choose the Products to Send
After that, it’s time to choose which products you’d like to send to influencers. You can select up to 10 products to send to 10 influencers, and when you’re ready, click the “Send” button. You will receive an email with the request details and a confirmation link, which is valid for one hour.
Step 6: Confirm and Send
Once you’ve reviewed everything, click the confirmation link within the email. After confirmation, the influencers will receive two discount codes: one for a free product and one for free shipping. These codes are valid for two weeks, so make sure the influencers use them within that period.
A Few Important Things to Keep in Mind
There are a few things to note to ensure everything runs smoothly. If you delete or modify the discount codes, or uninstall the app before leaving a review, you won’t be able to leave a review later on. However, the influencer can still leave their review. Also, remember that after the discount codes expire, you have four weeks to leave your review.
Sending products to influencers has never been easier. Afluencer and Shopify make the process quick, simple, and seamless. Once your products are sent, it’s time to watch the magic happen as influencers begin to share your products with their audiences!
4. Managing Influencer Reviews and Feedback
Once the influencers have received their products and shared them with their audiences, it’s time to manage the reviews and feedback. This is a crucial part of the process, as reviews help build trust and credibility for your brand. Here’s how to handle the reviews and get the most out of the feedback from your influencers.
Encourage Honest Reviews
While you’ve already given influencers the codes to get your products for free, you want to make sure they leave an honest review. Whether positive or negative, honest reviews will help your brand grow and improve. Encourage influencers to share their real thoughts and opinions on the product, as this transparency builds trust with their followers.
Track Influencer Reviews
With Afluencer, you can easily track reviews. Once the influencer has posted their review, you can see it within the app. Keep an eye on how your product is being received and whether the influencer’s audience is engaging with the post. A good review can help boost your product’s credibility, while any constructive criticism can help you improve for future campaigns.
Respond to Reviews
Engaging with reviews, whether good or bad, shows that you care about customer feedback. Responding to positive reviews with gratitude makes the influencer feel appreciated. And if a review isn’t as glowing as you hoped, addressing concerns with professionalism can turn a negative experience into a positive one.
Use Feedback for Future Campaigns
The reviews you receive can be incredibly valuable. Use the feedback to improve your products or to fine-tune your influencer selection process for future campaigns. Influencers may offer valuable insights into product design, packaging, or marketing strategies that you wouldn’t have thought of on your own.
Leverage Positive Reviews in Your Marketing
Don’t let those glowing reviews go unnoticed! With the influencer’s permission, use positive feedback in your marketing materials, whether on your website, social media pages, or product listings. Social proof is one of the most powerful tools in marketing, and reviews from trusted influencers can convince potential customers to try your product.
Managing reviews effectively is just as important as sending the products in the first place. It not only provides you with valuable insights but also helps build your brand’s reputation, increase trust with your audience, and lay the groundwork for future collaborations.
How to Send Product to Influencers and Make Magic Happen
Sending products to influencers is just the beginning of a powerful partnership. With the right strategies, you can turn a simple collaboration into a long-term, mutually beneficial relationship. By using Afluencer and Shopify, you can easily streamline your efforts and let influencers showcase your products in their own unique style.
But don’t stop there. Maximize your collaborations by repurposing content, tracking results, and offering incentives to keep influencers motivated. Remember, influencer marketing is all about connection. The more you invest in these partnerships, the more your brand will grow and shine.
So, go ahead, hit that “send” button, and watch your brand flourish as influencers help you spread the word in ways that only they can!