Are you wondering how to partner with today’s major brands? Want to know how to catch their eye?

Well, if you were at Create & Cultivate ATL you might remember the delicious Mediterranean-inspired dishes from lunch served up by Zoës Kitchen. Beyond filling our stomachs, they’re also filling our brains with useful info. We got the chance to pick the brains of the social media and marketing team behind the restaurant lifestyle brand.

They are sharing how they want to work with influencers and how influencers should approach them.

WHAT THEY’RE LOOKING FOR IN AN INFLUENCER

If you’re already a Zoës enthusiast, that’s great! They love seeing your passion for their brand. If you eat at the restaurant, let them know. If there is a dish you love, share it! The more often they see you interact with them online, the more confident they become in your authentic interest in the brand.
They’ll have ideas of their own, but are always interested in your take on how to deliver their message to your audience. You likely have a following that differs from theirs and you know how to best engage them. Share how you would engage your specific audience with a tailored pitch.
Getting your grid right is the first step to growing your audience. Elevated photography and feed aesthetic are key elements in selecting an influencer to represent your brand. Bonus points if you can offer photography that is so good that they would repurpose it in the future (crediting you, of course).
Don’t limit yourself to a certain category for collaboration. Brands like Zoës appreciate different types of influencers to break through the clutter. For example, if you’re a fashion blogger, sharing a food-related post will stand out from the rest of your feed and will captivate followers in a new way. Using food bloggers (or same-category influencers) has benefits of its own, but brands are always seeking refreshing and unexpected ways to be seen and share content.

"Don’t limit yourself to a certain category for collaboration."

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NEXT STEP: HOW TO GET THEIR ATTENTION

If you’re using a product or visiting a restaurant like Zoës, tag them in a photo or use their brand hashtag. That’s the first step to getting on a brand’s radar. The person monitoring their social media will be paying close attention to who is engaging with the brand.
If that doesn’t get a brand’s attention, the onus is on you to reach out via web or social. You can shoot them a DM or send a detailed, but succinct message of why and how you want to work with them.
Include examples of relevant brand partnerships. Numbers and analytics are a great way to show the brand the kind of impact you can make.

Remember, it’s all about the feeling. People don’t only come to Zoës Kitchen because the food tastes great. More often, the team says they hear that customers enjoy ZK because of how it makes them feel. They identify with the Mediterranean way of life – leading a balanced, active lifestyle, connecting with others, and fueling their body with food they can feel great about from the inside out. These are all points that you can work into your outreach to the brand.