Should salespeople become influencers? I’m a firm believer in this, and my guest, Michael Manzur, Founder & CEO of Flood Me Social, is back to discuss the importance of thought leadership and influencer marketing. He shares how building genuine influence and community online is the modern path to driving real results.

From Audience to Community

· You can’t just focus on your ideal audience as an influencer—you have to build a community. 

· Michael explains how sales professionals can use social media platforms like LinkedIn to create meaningful conversations, provide value, and position themselves as trusted thought leaders.

· In today’s world of AI, influencer salespeople must do more than simply attract an audience—they need to create engagement that fosters stronger connections, leading to more opportunities and qualified leads.

Common Mistakes Companies Make with Influencer Campaigns

· Michael points out how many organizations jump into influencer campaigns without first aligning their business objectives with their social media and influencer marketing efforts.  This often leads to confusion about goals and results.

· Companies frequently delegate influencer marketing to already overloaded social media managers, causing burnout and a lack of focus on what’s truly driving results.

· There’s often a disconnect among stakeholders, where campaigns are judged solely on surface-level metrics like impressions or comments, instead of tracking whether those efforts actually lead to sales or real business outcomes.

The Impact of AI on Influencer Marketing

· AI is beginning to disrupt influencer marketing by allowing brands to experiment with AI-generated creators, sometimes achieving results at a fraction of the traditional cost.

· Despite technological changes, Michael noted that “the best practices don’t change”—AI influencers still need effective calls to action and strong community engagement to move the needle in sales.

Steps for Sales Leaders and Executives

· Start by understanding best practices in influencer marketing and ensure every campaign is tied back to clearly defined business objectives and sales targets.

· Participate actively in the right communities, not just by broadcasting messages but by engaging—commenting on posts, sharing insights, and building thought leadership, particularly on platforms like LinkedIn.

· When running influencer campaigns, carefully select the right creators, create detailed creative briefs, outline clear calls to action, and constantly monitor for results that matter—such as actual leads or conversions, not just likes or impressions.

"The best way you can access influencer marketing and sales is just by sharing your thoughts in the community that you participate in." - Michael Manzur.

Resources

· Take a few minutes to check out the Goldman Sachs creator economy article and see for yourself how this massive shift is reshaping marketing and sales. Let this be your motivation to explore influencer campaigns, engage your communities, and make sure you’re not left behind.

· Revisit episode 644 of the podcast with Michael and learn more about what he had to say about getting social on social media. 

· Reach out to Michael on LinkedIn for insights and consulting in faith-based, wellness, or broader B2B influencer marketing strategies!

Sponsorship Offers

1.    This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot.

With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales.

2.  This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn.

Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse.

3.  This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation.

Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin.

Credits

As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.