How to plan KOL marketing?

Currently, KOL marketing has become one of the main marketing models. It has become a very important marketing model in some categories, some brands, some target groups, and some markets.

Enterprises should combine their own reality and actively try to develop KOL marketing models.

1. What is KOL marketing?

In marketing, kol is generally defined as key opinion leader. Generally refers to people who have a high degree of professionalism in a certain field, region or industry, have a certain influence, and can influence brand awareness or purchase conversion among relevant groups.

Simply put, KOL is a person who can exert influence within a certain range by relying on his professionalism.

KOLs generally have the following characteristics:

Professional ability: KOL generally has a certain degree of professionalism. However, there is no specific definition or standard for this degree of professionalism. The stronger the professional ability, the greater the corresponding market impact.

Communication ability: KOLs generally have their own communication ability and usually have a systematic communication system, especially a communication system formed around new communication.

From a marketing perspective, communication ability is a very core ability of KOLs. The value of KOL mainly comes from its own communication ability.

Circle ability: In the current market environment, KOL is mainly manifested in the circle ability in a certain field, a certain industry, or certain target groups, or the influence of fans in certain aspects. Circleization is the main direction for KOL to exert marketing influence.

The marketing value of an individual KOL lies mainly in the circle value in a certain field.

KOL marketing is to target the current market environment and communication environment, give full play to and fully tap the three major capabilities of KOLs, and turn them into a real marketing force.

2. What are the marketing characteristics of KOL marketing?

For enterprises, building a KOL marketing system has three main characteristics, which generate three important values:

Brand endorsement: One of the values ​​of KOL is its professional ability and expertise. This professionalism will form a better brand endorsement, produce a more professional brand influence, and have a better impact on the target population based on the current circle-based communication characteristics.

Marketing communication: From a marketing perspective, KOLs have strong communication capabilities and a relatively complete communication system, so their communication value is very important.

KOL communication has established a third-party, more professional communication system, which has new communication value compared to previous communications and can bring better communication and promotion value.

Selling goods: KOL marketing can produce a direct sales effect, especially in the current new marketing integration environment such as live streaming and content selling, which can achieve direct sales.

KOL marketing has some similarities with celebrity endorsements, but there are still big differences in essence. The biggest difference lies in this professionalism and communication ability. The biggest flaw of celebrity endorsements is the lack of professionalism. At present, celebrity endorsements still rely on the communication power of the company. In the current new communication environment, the communication power of celebrity endorsements is gradually weakening.

In the current marketing system, KOL marketing can define and play different roles according to different brand attributes and category attributes.

For traditional brands, popular categories, and brands that do not have outstanding professional attributes in categories, KOL marketing can be used as a supplementary marketing tool.

For innovative brands, innovative categories, product upgrades, higher-level categories, and special target consumer groups, KOL marketing will become the main marketing method and marketing means. Such categories and such special user groups require more professional brand endorsement and the use of new communication methods to generate more effective user impact.

3. Why should we plan KOL marketing?

This is mainly due to consumption upgrades and major changes in the current communication environment.

Consumption upgrading is the basic trend of changes in China's current consumer market. In the context of consumption upgrading, the middle class and Generation Z have become the main supporting forces in the current consumer market.

Consumption upgrading brings about product upgrading, and high-end, specialization and functionality are the main directions of product upgrading. Upgraded products require more professional categories and brand endorsements.

At the same time, the middle class and Generation Z’s understanding of brands has gone beyond the general brand definition and requires more professional interpretation.

On the one hand, changes in the communication environment have changed the way consumers obtain information. With the help of new communication, obtaining valuable information through KOLs has become the main way to obtain information. KOLs that have developed based on new communications rely on the trust relationship between fans and followers, and can more effectively gain the trust of users in the circle.

More importantly, the rapid development of new communications has created a large number of KOLs, which have become a new group force in the new communication environment. This new force is increasingly becoming an important force that influences the market.

Therefore, in the face of changes in the consumer market and the communication environment, companies need to build a KOL marketing system as soon as possible.

4. How to establish a KOL marketing system?

When establishing a KOL marketing system, there will be significant differences among different companies, different brand attributes, and different professional attributes. The following principles should be followed:

Establish a KOL matrix: In view of the current environment, to establish a KOL marketing system, we must first establish a KOL marketing matrix.

It is necessary to establish a relatively systematic KOL marketing matrix for different markets, different brands, and different target users. In particular, it is necessary to combine the KOL’s expertise and areas of influence to produce different impacts.

Rely on KOLs in multiple fields and aspects to form systematic KOL marketing.

Choose the right KOL: The KOL’s personal image and communication ability should be the main factors in choosing a KOL.

The KOL’s personality should be closely related to the brand’s personality and highly consistent. So that it can generate stronger brand endorsement.

Special attention should be paid to the KOL’s own communication system and communication capabilities. Can give full play to and tap the communication value of KOL.

Generally speaking, KOLs have open mindsets, are quick to accept new things, care about changes in fashion and popular trends, are willing to give priority to using new products, and are early adopters of new products in marketing.

KOLs are more sociable and talkative than ordinary people. They have strong social abilities and interpersonal communication skills, actively participate in various activities, are good at making friends, and like to talk. They are the opinion center and information release center of the group and have a strong appeal to others.

When selecting KOLs, we should not only pay attention to integrating social resources and industry resources, but also pay attention to building KOLs within the company.

Persistent involvement: KOL marketing is a marketing process that gradually realizes its value. It is necessary to establish a longer-term, stable and trusting cooperative relationship between brands and KOLs.

The longer and deeper the attention and understanding between KOLs and brands, the better marketing value they can generate.

Only when KOLs have a longer-term and deeper involvement in brands and products than other people in the group will they have a better understanding of brands and products, have a wider source of information, more knowledge and richer experience, and can they play a greater marketing value.

Establish a KOL marketing system with communication as the main line: When an enterprise establishes a KOL marketing system, the focus should be on the main line of communication. It is necessary to combine the characteristics of KOLs with different attributes and the overall communication system planning of the enterprise to establish a KOL marketing system with communication as the main body.

Author: Bao Yuezhong

Source: Bao Yuezhong New Retail Forum (byz_STU)