Harnessing The Power of Top Influencers for Blood Banks
Inspiring Blood Donation in Your Community
In today's digital age, social media influencers have become powerful advocates for various causes, and blood donation is no exception. Social media is no longer just about selfies and dog videos – it's about making a real difference. By collaborating with influential personalities, blood banks can amplify their message, reach a broader audience, and inspire more individuals to become blood donors.
In this blog, we'll explore the concept of using influencers for blood donor marketing, how to connect with them, and examples of impactful campaigns that can encourage blood donation in your community.
Determine The Campaign Goal and Deliverables:
Before you begin, the blueprint for your campaign needs to be meticulously outlined. The question isn't merely about an influencer's presence on social media; it's about their tangible participation in driving donors to blood drives. Will they merely post content, or are they willing to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with you at drives or in centers? Every component needs careful consideration to ensure a coherent and impactful message. This will help you determine what a successful campaign looks like.
Determine Length of Campaign:
While the allure of a year-long influencer partnership is enticing, you’ll need to be wary of audience saturation. Sure, it might sound like a good idea to utilize an influencer’s image or video for 6 months to a year, but audience burnout must be top of mind. If you plan to work with one influencer for a longer period of time, make sure you keep your content fresh. Either create several pieces of content at one time to roll out periodically (we recommend at least one new piece of content in your campaign every 2 weeks) or create as you go.
Set a Budget Ceiling:
Establish a maximum budget for the campaign. This budget should align with your marketing goals and take into account any other marketing initiatives you might be running simultaneously. The reality is that influencer collaboration often requires a financial investment; thus, establishing the budget upfront is essential.
Identifying Top Influencers
The first step in incorporating influencers into your blood donor marketing strategy is to identify those with a significant following and genuine interest in supporting charitable causes. Look for influencers whose values align with those of your blood bank, particularly those who have shown an interest in health, well-being, or humanitarian initiatives. Some of the top influencers in the context of blood donation may include medical professionals, health advocates, celebrities, and even social media personalities with a wide reach.
We shared four blood donor influencer campaigns that we think are inspirational in this blog which highlights NHS Give Blood, Canadian Blood Services, Lifeblood Australia, and New York Blood Center.
Types of Influencers
According to Shopify, there are five types of influencers:
Nano: 1,000–10,000 followers
Micro: 10,000–100,000 followers
Mid-tier: 100,000–500,000 followers
Macro: 500,000–1 million followers
Mega: 1 million+ followers
Influencer Marketing Hub noted that brands have a strong preference for working with small (nano - 39% and micro - 30%) influencers ahead of expensive macro-influencers (19%) and celebrities (12%).
Connecting with Influencers
Once you have identified potential influencers, the next step is to establish a connection with them. Here are some effective ways to reach out to influencers for collaboration:
Personalized Outreach: Tailor your approach to each influencer, showing that you've done your research and genuinely appreciate their work.
Highlight the Cause: Emphasize the importance of blood donation and how their partnership can help save lives and contribute to the well-being of the community.
Offer Unique Opportunities: Provide influencers with exclusive opportunities or experiences, such as visiting the blood bank, meeting donors, or participating in a blood donation event.
Transparent Communication: Be clear about your objectives, expectations, and the impact their support can have on the cause.
A Few Places to Find Influencers:
TikTok Creator Marketplace
Facebook - ask your audience who they admire in the community. Please love sharing their opinions and it’s an easy way to find influencers your audience will actually be influenced by to donate blood
Instagram Creators
There are countless paid platforms for companies to utilize, however this might not make sense if you’re not considering working with multiple influencers year-round as it could spike your budget.
Try searching local tags on social media - you’re more likely to find someone that way to reach out to!
Influencer Campaign Ideas
Collaborating with influencers can unlock a world of creative possibilities for your blood bank's marketing campaigns. You’ll want to determine how content will be created - will it be in-house to ensure that the content closely aligns with your branding or will it be user-generated content (content created by the influencer). This will also impact how much to pay the influencer, as creating their own content for your use will likely increase the cost of the campaign.
Here are some engaging campaign ideas to encourage blood donation:
"Donate with [Influencer's Name]": Launch a campaign where the influencer pledges to donate blood and encourages their followers to do the same. Consider hosting a live streaming event where the influencer shares their donation experience and invites others to join in.
"Blood Donor Challenges": Create a challenge-style campaign where the influencer challenges their followers to donate blood and share their experiences on social media. This can create a sense of community and peer support.
"Behind the Scenes": Invite influencers to visit your blood bank and share behind-the-scenes content of the donation process, introducing their audience to the people and technology involved in saving lives.
"Life-Saver Stories": Share compelling stories of individuals whose lives were saved or improved thanks to blood donations. Feature these stories in collaboration with influencers to create emotional connections with potential donors.
"Blood Drive Events": Organize a blood donation event in partnership with the influencer. Use their platform to promote the event and encourage attendance from their followers.
Q&A: Organize a Q&A where the influencer asks your team popular questions related to donating blood
A Few Examples of Blood Donor Influencer Campaigns
RED CROSS
TikTok influencer, Lindsey Gurks
VITALANT
Famous magicians, Penn and Teller
CENTRAL CALIFORNIA BLOOD CENTER
World Renowned baseball player, Aaron Judge
@canadaslifeline Blood donors saved Brandon’s life – particularly O-negative donors, whose blood was crucial to his survival. 📷 @peacock_brandon ♬ original sound - Canadian Blood Services
Conclusion
Incorporating top influencers into your blood donor marketing efforts can significantly increase awareness and engagement within your community. By leveraging their reach and influence, you can inspire more people to become blood donors, ultimately saving lives and making a positive impact on public health. Remember to focus on authentic connections, creative campaigns, and a shared passion for the cause to maximize the effectiveness of your collaborations. Together, let's work towards a healthier and more compassionate community through the power of blood donation.