Becoming a thought leader in your industry is one of the most effective ways to catapult your business to the next level.
But as you set out to become an influencer you might face doubts, confusion and questions about how to break into the world of influencing.
At first glance, it might seem like every influencer is beautiful, wealthy, an expert in their field, a “people person” or endowed with other special skills. If you don’t readily fit into any of these categories you might decide that you don’t have the power to make a difference – but here’s the good news: influencers come in all shapes and sizes, and you just need to find out what kind of influencer you are.
Take my quiz to discover what influencer type best describes you!
Understanding influencer types
Now that you’ve taken the test, let’s analyse the four influencer types that describe most people who are industry thought leaders. These types are Dynamo, Blaze, Tempo and Steel.
- Dynamo Influencers – Idea Smart
We all know someone who is excellent at coming up with innovative, creative ideas. Dynamo Influencers are experts at helping people find and build on their ideas. Their true genius lies in helping clients find their great ideas and in giving them confidence to expand on those ideas.
Examples of Dynamo Influencers include famous entrepreneurs like Richard Branson, Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, and creative stars like Michael Jackson and Beethoven. Inventive scientists like Edison and Einstein also fall into this category.
Dynamo influencers are often best at developing online group-based programs to deliver their genius and have support teams who have the communication and sales skills to share those ideas with the world.
Dynamos often love creating podcasts and writing content since these are both great vehicles for showcasing their unique ideas.
- Blaze Influencers – People Smart
Blaze Influencers love being around people. They build relationships effortlessly and are natural thought leaders. They deliver their genius through a tribe of like-minded people who already believe what they believe.
Icons from Marilyn Monroe to Oprah and Donald Trump are natural Blaze Influencers. Famous leaders like Bill Clinton and Jack Welch as well as social connectors like Ellen DeGeneres and Larry King are other well-known Blazes.
Blaze influencers make the most impact through live, high-connection events like in-person meetings and videos content. Blaze influencers hit their stride as they create group-based products or services and connect people who add value to each other.
- Tempo Influencers – Senses Smart
Tempo Influencers are grounded and dependable; their products and services suit people who are looking for long term solutions and a steady path toward success.
Leaders from Gandhi to Nelson Mandela and Mother Theresa share Tempo Influence. Tempo also describes investor George Soros and sportspeople like Ayrton Senna and Michael Phelps.
Their content creation can cross all mediums, however, it’s mostly focused on the journey more than the solution. Tempo influencers are equipped with the skill and knowledge to build long-term programs that deliver value over time.
- Steel Influencers – Strength Smart
Steel Influencers excel in helping their clients create and implement the systems and back end workflows that set their existing businesses or startup projects on the road to success.
They’re detail-oriented and have high levels of patience and empathy. These traits are what attracts clients to their products and services in droves; they hold all the answers to seamlessly functioning businesses.
Steel Influencers include Warren Buffett, Henry Ford and famous entrepreneurs like Rockefeller and McDonald’s Ray Kroc. Larry Page and Sergey Brin, founders of Google, and Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook are other well-known Steel Influencers.
Steel influencers are best at creating video content and mentoring programs that are not generally delivered face to face. These programs are very detailed in their methodology and contain all kinds of useful tips to help entrepreneurs on their path to success.
Understanding the Influencer Test
The influencer test is a short but powerful way to assess your strengths as an influencer. These simple questions will help reveal whether you’re best suited to focus on your ideas, your people skills, or your ability to help others reach their goals and get important work done.
Once you have a better idea of your natural abilities, you can fine tune those abilities and start to make a lasting impact on others.
Why your influencer profile matters
Many people who aspire to be influencers will simply copy what they see other influencers doing in an effort to have success. This can work, and if you take this approach you may see some results – but there are limits to what you can accomplish when you’re following another person’s blueprint.
Influencers have an impact because they’re authentic and they have stories to tell. Let’s look at a few examples of Australian influencers to see how they use their stories to connect with their followers:
– Stephanie Smith & Laura Henshaw (@keepitcleaner, 230k followers, fitness/lifestyle space): This Australia-based fitness duo uses their Instagram platform to share a love of fitness, clean eating and a healthy lifestyle. They’ve monetised their influence through recipe and workout packages, coaching, an app and other avenues. On their Instagram account, they share progress stories from their fans, share glimpses into their daily lives and get their followers excited about product launches and other projects. This team does a nice job of being authentic while still being inspiring with their healthy lifestyle and fitness goals.
– Ethan Marrell, “Ozzy Man Reviews” (YouTube, 5+ million subscribers, humor/comedy space): Some influencers are so impactful that have worldwide influence. Ethan Marrell is a good example of that with his hilarious YouTube channel, where he reviews current events. He appeals to a worldwide audience by being focusing on content that has circulated the internet enough to have a global reach.
– Kyree Harvey (@missykyreeharvey, 213k followers, lifestyle space): “Mummy bloggers” are some of the best examples of how being authentic and sharing your day-to-day life builds a connection with your audience. Kyree Harvey’s sweet family photos and relatable captions about parenting and motherhood draw followers into her story. Additionally, she shares some of her more vulnerable moments, like childbirth and images of her post-baby body. Her willingness to be real with her followers has helped her popularity grow.
– Samantha Wills (@samanthawills, 230k followers, entrepreneur/lifestyle space): Samantha Wills is the founder of a highly successful jewelry business and a foundation that helps female entrepreneurs. She connects with her followers by sharing wisdom and advice from her years in business, and by being open about the challenges she faced in her relationship and her life. People love knowing that even the most successful people suffer from the same setbacks that everyone else faces in life.
Each of these influencers plays to their strengths and passions: Stephanie and Laura love fitness, Ethan is a comedian, Kyree is passionate about her family and Samantha cares about empowering female entrepreneurs.
They’ve found their niche, which allows them to expand and build upon that while still remaining true to themselves. They don’t come across as forced because they are doing what they love.
Building lasting influence
We’ve all seen viral videos and images that are promptly forgotten after the whole world chatters about them for a few days.
You don’t want to be a “one hit wonder” as an influencer; building influence is a marathon, not a spring. When building influence, make sure that you are:
– Consistent: if you don’t post consistently, people will lose interest and find someone else to follow. It sounds harsh, but it’s true. Consistency is also important for maximising the algorithms used by social media sites, since these formulas determine what shows up in people’s newsfeeds, and when. If you aren’t consistently posting then your content might get shoved down to the bottom of the pack.
– Authentic: we’ve covered this in-depth, but authenticity is important for establishing rapport with your followers. Be real – it makes all the difference!
– Motivated by the right reasons: if you set out trying to become Insta-famous or wanting millions of followers, you’ll probably burn out fast. Remember the influencers we learned about earlier? Each of them has a strong “why” behind their influence – it’s fueled by passion and a love for what they’re sharing with the world.
The influencer test is a great way to figure out what category you fit into based on your strengths – Dynamo, Blaze, Tempo or Steel.
From there, learn as much as you can about what forms of content will help you best reach your followers, and experiment with different mediums for reaching others. Play the slow and steady game and be confident in what you have to share with the world.
Before you know it, followers will come your way! Get started by taking my quiz to discover what influencer type best describes you.
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