Ali is the founder and CEO of Be Social Group, a leading influencer marketing agency. You might remember her from Episode 469 and today we’re catching up to discuss the major growth journey she’s been on over the last two years! We get into how she pivoted during the pandemic, how Be Social connects influencers and brands, and the numerous ways to conduct a fruitful partnership between a brand and an influencer. We also talk about why brands are spending so much money on TikTok and how important it is for influencers to diversify their platforms. Plus, I ask Ali what she would do if she was a brand looking to launch and scale their influencer marketing strategy––grab your pen and paper because she dishes out so many juicy ideas!
Connect with Ali
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About Ali:
Ali Grant launched Be Social in 2012 as one of the first agencies with a hyper focus on executing influencer outreach and collaboration. Ali recognized the power of digital creators and built a business harnessing their influence. Today, the communications group is headquartered in Downtown Los Angeles specializing in influencer, media and events for brands and digital creators.
With Ali at the helm, Be Social has been named one of Inc.’s fastest growing businesses spearheading digital-forward campaigns across influencers, events and editorial. Accolades and press include Fast Company, Inc., WWD, PRWeek The Innovation 50, Forbes, Huffington Post, Fashion Monitor, Bulldog Reporter, Daily Front Row, BW Confidential, The Holmes Report, and more.
To further build on the mission to build brand awareness, Be Social has launched BrandEdit, a brand discovery platform. Be Social and Ali power the content creator app Createur alongside Tribe Dynamics. Ali is also a co-owner of organic craft hard seltzer, Ashland.
The firm supports and is partnered with the Freedom & Fashion non-profit, which uses the arts of fashion and beauty to empower youth overcoming trafficking, homelessness, and other injustices.
Be Social has recently been acquired by Dolphin Entertainment, putting the company alongside some of entertainment’s greatest, such as 42West and The Door. Read the full story in Variety. Ali also hosts the agency’s podcast, Follow Me, which has been rated as a top 100 business podcast on iTunes.
Discussion Question
( 3:00 ) Welcome back to Earn Your Happy.
( 4:46 ) Ali joins the conversation.
( 5:28 ) Lori asks Ali to share some background on herself for the audience.
( 7:10 ) Lori asks Ali, “What was something that you did right away with your company in order to start pivoting?”
( 10:16 ) Lori asks Ali, “What were some of the coping mechanisms that you did when it felt like it was crushing?”
( 12:06 ) Lori asks Ali, “Is there anything that you do or say to yourself in order to switch modes, let go or make peace with the stress and anxiety?”
( 14:53 ) Ali talks about what Be Social provides for its influencer clients.
( 16:07 ) Lori talks about one of today’s sponsors, Indeed.
( 18:14 ) Ali and Lori talk about the rise of TikTok.
( 19:30 ) Lori asks Ali, “Who is someone that you can help monetize?”
( 22:01 ) Lori asks Ali, “Can you share some things that you would tell somebody if their next year goal would be to have a company or work with you guys in order to create different partnerships as well?”
( 23:33 ) Lori asks Ali, “What are kind of like those organic ways to get noticed, but put-the-work-in type of things?”
( 24:30 ) Ali explains how gifting works with influencers.
( 25:26 ) Lori talks about another sponsor, Thrive Causemetics.
( 27:13 ) Lori asks Ali, “What do you get asked the most from the influencer side?”
( 29:53 ) Ali talks about the importance of diversifying your platforms as an influencer.
( 31:01 ) Lori asks Ali, “Are there certain things that you’re like when these get hit on, this is normally what we see work well?”
( 32:44 ) Lori asks Ali, “What’s your opinion on brands advertising or needing influencers?”
( 34:01) Lori asks Ali, “How do you fit together the brands and the influencers?”
( 35:55 ) Lori asks Ali, “Where would you say you see brands going wrong? And where do you see them going right with influencers?”
( 37:46 ) Lori asks Ali, “If you were a brand right now, what would your game plan be for launching and for scaling as far as influencers?”
( 43:03 ) Lori asks Ali, “What are some things that we need to know if we’re a brand or influencer and we want to come in and work with you?”
( 46:17 ) Lori asks Ali, “For the influencer side, for people who want to see if they’re a fit or want to potentially get involved, what is that process?”
( 46:54 ) Lori asks Ali, “Sometimes we start companies and you can have the ultimate goal of selling your company. Was that always the goal?”
( 49:22 ) Listeners can tag @aligrant and let her know what their biggest takeaway from the episode was.
