We are living in the Age of Influence. After learning about my guest through fellow podcaster and friend Dan Nestle, I became deeply curious about how and why influence matters in today’s world. Neal Schaffer is the author of Age of Influence and for the last decade has become a globally recognized leader in the social media and digital marketing space. Having written multiple books on social media and networking, Neal is a leading voice.His successful podcast, Maximize Your Social Influence dives into all things social and digital.In this episode, we talk about themes from his latest book that help to illustrate the enormous power of influencer marketing.We learn why word of mouth is still the currency that is most valuable and why social media plays a critical role in inciting it!He shares why being a celebrity is no longer the type of influencer brands need to find customers. He talks about the value of finding a community and how even micro-influencers play a critical role because of their relevance in specific areas. We even explore how various regions around the world, like China and Japan, are at different places when it comes to embracing influencer marketing. This show, and his book, isn’t about what it takes to be an influencer, but rather provides insights about and embraces the voice of influencers to enhance your brand. Website:https://nealschaffer.com/Podcast:Maximize Your Social Influence Podcast with Neal SchafferBooks:

The Age of Influence: The Power of Influencers to Elevate Your Brand

Maximize Your Social: A One-Stop Guide to Building a Social Media Strategy for Marketing and Business Success

Maximizing LinkedIn for Sales and Social Media Marketing

Windmill Networking

Social Media: 

https://www.facebook.com/NealSchafferPage/

https://www.youtube.com/NealSchaffer

https://www.pinterest.com/nealschaffer/_created/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nealschaffer/

https://twitter.com/nealschaffer

https://www.instagram.com/nealschaffer/

Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=23010497)This is an encore episode and was originally published on January 4, 2021.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices