#asks-offers-advice

curious to get some perspective here! @Nao Yukawa @Stan Marchand @Sean Dadashi @Kyle Gonzalez @Ashley Moraca @Meg Donovan @Amy Kepler @Tom Barten

It definitely depends on a lot of factors, but for us, influencer posts have brought in the highest-intent users. We work with influencers in our niche, so their audience naturally aligns with our target users. Plus, since in our case they usually make 5-10 minute videos, their viewers get a much deeper understanding of our product than through other channels.

Thanks, @Nao Yukawa. Have you primarily been paying the influencers by content or by traffic or via affiliate revenue? Or a combo?

Influencers with a hybrid influencer/affliate pay structure has worked the best for us for quality (so we pay an initial flat fee and bonus for a certain # of conversions). In our case, we're looking for customers to book a "session" so if an influencer can onboard a certain # of customers, we pay a bonus on top of flat fee.

Seems to be better quality then paid social (for us at least)

We've only done affiliate (30% commission of the revenue made by their audience)

Fantastic help. Thank you @Meg Donovan and @Nao Yukawa 🙂

Hi @Steven Puri

In my view, it’s not as simple as choosing 1, 2, or 3—it really depends on the context. You can use any of these channels to get your ad in front of new people, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they will see it in a way that makes a positive impact.

The key distinction here is between showing an ad and having it actually be noticed and remembered. If an ad doesn’t trigger a memory that was previously implanted, it risks being just another piece of background noise. This is where the interplay between memory marketing (brand building) and action marketing (direct response) comes into play.

Some thoughts on each channel:

1. Social media ads (LI, IG, TT, FB, etc.) ◦ These platforms allow for targeting, but the environment is highly cluttered, making it harder to stand out unless your brand is already familiar to the audience. ◦ If you’ve already established memory traces through brand marketing, paid ads can trigger those memories and drive action. However, if you are completely unknown, you are fighting an uphill battle to get noticed.
2. Influencer posts in social ◦ Influencers can work as a form of word-of-mouth marketing by proxy, transferring their trust to your brand. ◦ The Vampire Effect is a major challenge—sometimes, the influencer’s brand overshadows the actual product, meaning people remember the influencer but not what they were promoting. This can lead to poor long-term brand recall. ◦ The effectiveness depends heavily on the authenticity of the partnership and whether the influencer’s audience truly aligns with your brand’s values and needs.
3. Newsletters and podcast ads ◦ These formats often have higher trust and engagement because they are consumed in a more focused setting. ◦ If the podcast or newsletter has a strong, recurring audience, the repetition effect helps implant and reinforce memories over time, making the brand more likely to be recalled when the listener is in-market. ◦ This channel is particularly strong for high-intent buyers, especially when the host has built credibility with their audience. I know you were looking for a simple 1, 2, or 3, but I think the reality is more nuanced. That said, hopefully, this breakdown helps you make a more informed decision based on what will work best for your specific context.

Best,
Tom

@Tom Barten This is an incredibly thoughtful AND HELPFUL way to think through this. I'm really grateful for you and to @Brian Von Ancken for this group. Have a great weekend, y'all. I'm going to go rethink my drink.

@Steven Puri Glad you found it helpful! I share more insights like this through my email list—feel free to sign up at books.tombarten.com if you’re interested.