The Art of Strategic Seeding: Crafting Mailers That Inspire Authentic Advocacy

Remember way back in the 2010s when YouTube was bursting at the seams with PR unboxing videos? Today, those unboxing moments have evolved, transforming into the short form unboxing videos that flood our For You pages.

These moments may have shifted form, but their essence remains powerful: testimonials sparking real advocacy.

Our resident expert and Head of New Business, Molly, breaks down the best practices for PR mailers/kits that are sure to turn influencers into your truest brand advocates. 

Are You Sowing the Right Seeds? 

Now, how do PR mailers fit into this? Earned media thrives through seeding, the strategic practice of gifting influencers products without any contractual strings attached, fostering genuine recommendations. But it’s much more nuanced than mass selecting and sending influencers a PR package. 

As marketing budgets tighten and the importance for social-first content increases, mastering effective seeding is your golden ticket. And, we’re here to share the best-in-class tips and tricks, based on our experience and expertise working with top global beauty brands. 

While there are multiple levers to unlock EVM via seeding, such as creator selection, advocacy, creative, optimisation, and scale, we’ll be touching on the power of a creative today. 

Don’t Sleep on the Power of a Creative

Influencers receive countless packages daily, many of which quickly blend into obscurity. An unorthodox creative will make your mailer stand out. The principle is simple: a creative that surprises has a higher chance of conversion. For one of the biggest events in the world, our team sent out fresh pizzas as part of a mailer to bring to life this event’s “delivering fresh hot deals to your doorstep” messaging. And who doesn’t love a treat when it’s least expected.  

Unlock Relevant Niches with Cohort-Specific Mailers

Effective seeding requires precision at scale. Tailored packages addressing specific cohorts, be it dermatologists or makeup artists, communicate genuine understanding and appreciation of their professional interests. 

Sending targeted packages to skincare professionals, for example, should not involve a generic mailer. Instead, the collateral card and copy should be specifically tailored to the creator’s vertical, detailing the ingredient story, application tips, and the long- versus short-term benefits. This thoughtful, relevant content encourages them not just to post but to share authentic, educational insights their audience craves, leading to a higher save rate.

Tapping into Seasonal and Trending Moments

The success of a mailer can hinge on its timely relevance. Recognising this, we designed mailers featuring note cards that seamlessly connected the product to a trending cultural moment, as part of a campaign for one of the biggest global beauty brands. 

Ultimately, impactful seeding is strategic, intentional, and deeply personalised. At Socially Powerful, we’ve honed these tactics, creating bespoke seeding campaigns for some of the biggest brands in the world. 

This is just the first taste of our social-first marketing playbook. If you’re ready to elevate your next campaign with mailers that spark genuine conversations, share your brief with us. And stay tuned for the next instalment of our series. 

Our influencer marketing agency and social agency are located worldwide, with our agency network based in the USA, UK, UAE, and China.

If you want to find industry insights, visit our influencer marketing and social media blogs.

@sociallypowerful