As I have started to meet with various people in the last few weeks to to talk with them a bit about ALL in One Marketing and the services that I offer, I have been asked many questions about my work starting an Influencer program in Chicago for Starbucks. I don’t mind talking about this work, as it was one of my most favorite and challenging projects. It is something that I would love to be able to do again — helping other companies or brands with their influence program strategies.
Most of the questions that I have gotten about setting up influencer programs have been around the basic concept. How does one start one up? How does one keep a program going? What are the “incentives” that are required, if any? I have talked through these answers based on my own experience, but I have never officially “documented” the answers. Now I realize that I don’t have to. The Influencer Handbook on the Word of Mouth Marketing Association website has all of the basics clearly outlined. It is a great overview that explains things in very straightforward terms. If this is a topic that you are curious about or that you think you should consider for your business or brand, I would recommend reviewing the handbook to get a better understanding of what an influencer program can be all about.
ALL In One Marketing's Greenhouse 
As the co-chair of the Influencer Marketing Council which developed the WOMMA Influencer Handbook (as well as fellow Indianapolis resident), thanks for the kind words about our work product.
I would also urge you to take a look at WOMMA’s Ethics Toolbox (which was vetted by the FTC as safe harbor). It is an excellent set of guidelines and a great practical working guide. You can find it at:
http://www.womma.org/ethicscode/
Thank you Steve! This is an area where so many individuals and businesses are curious and uncertain. Both of these resources are a great starting point for them to think about if and how they can leverage an influencer group. Thank you for contributing to this!
WOMMA also had a recent webinar on measuring the value of WOM. (The presentation can be downloaded here: http://womma.org/education/library/) I think it is important to recognize that this grassroots-style of marketing (social media falls into this category as well) isn’t just for the purpose of making a company look hip or reinforcing an image of being in tune with its customers. Measurable value is being created that leads to real sales, new customers and heightened loyalty.