The Inside Scoop with Influencer Cleo Khan on Small Biz Collaboration

In this exciting episode of Talk About Digital, host Mark A Preston sits down with professional dancer and content creator, Cleo Khan, to dive into the world of micro-influencers and how small businesses can tap into their power to grow their customer base. Cleo, who has built a loyal following of over 50,000 on TikTok and collaborated with top brands like L’Oréal and Drunk Elephant, shares valuable insights on how SMEs can leverage influencer marketing to drive sales and increase brand awareness.

Key Benefits of Listening for SMEs and Small Business Owners:

• The Power of Micro-Influencers: Cleo explains why micro-influencers, with their niche but engaged audiences, can be more effective and cost-efficient for small businesses than high-profile influencers. She provides examples of how small companies can see great results by targeting the right influencers for their brand.
• Real, Authentic Engagement: Discover why micro-influencers often have higher engagement rates than big names, and how their closer connection with their followers can lead to more genuine recommendations—ultimately translating into better customer trust and higher conversions for your business.
• Affordable Marketing with High Impact: Learn how businesses can collaborate with influencers through gifted product reviews or more formal, paid agreements, making it accessible even for businesses with modest marketing budgets. Cleo also touches on how to track the effectiveness of influencer campaigns through discount codes and commissions.
• Practical Steps for Building Partnerships: Cleo offers actionable advice on how small business owners can approach influencers, create a compelling pitch, and ensure smooth collaboration. She stresses the importance of clear communication and gives tips on what makes her want to work with a brand.
• UGC vs. Influencer Marketing: Cleo breaks down the difference between user-generated content (UGC) and influencer marketing, explaining how both strategies can complement each other depending on your marketing goals. You’ll learn when it’s best to ask for polished content versus organic, authentic engagement.

What Will You Gain?

By the end of this episode, you’ll have a clear understanding of how to identify, approach, and collaborate with micro-influencers to boost your brand’s visibility and customer growth. Cleo shares real-life examples of successful brand partnerships, including how long-term collaborations can evolve and yield greater benefits over time. Whether you're just starting with influencer marketing or looking to refine your approach, Cleo’s insights will help you create a winning strategy.

This episode concludes with the signature "TAD Takeaway"—a golden nugget of actionable advice from Cleo that every small business owner can implement: thoroughly research potential influencers, ensuring their audience aligns with your brand and goals before you make the first move.

Tune in to this episode if you’re a small business owner eager to explore influencer marketing but unsure where to start. Cleo’s firsthand experience will inspire and guide you to harness the power of micro-influencers for your business success!

This podcast is produced by Voice It Podcast Agency
https://voiceitpodcastagency.co.uk

Transcript

[00:00:00] Mark A Preston: Welcome to Talk About Digital, the podcast for small and medium sized businesses looking to grow new customers through impactful, low cost digital marketing strategies. Have you invested in digital marketing with zero positive impact? If this sounds like you, then this is the place for you. Each week, we provide actionable steps to move your business forward with our TAD takeaway, helping you to harness your biggest asset, yourself, to achieve big impact with minimal investment.

[00:00:36] Stay tuned as we dive into the world of digital marketing, offering insights and advice that will transform your business. Let's get started. Welcome to this week's episode of the talk about digital podcast. I'm thrilled to have a real life influencer on this week as my guest and get down to the reality of what it takes for a small business just like yours to work with a micro influencer to help grow new customers.

[00:01:06] My guest is a professional dancer and content creator who has built a targeted loyal following of over 50, 000 followers on TikTok, has secured influence to marketing brand deals with major players within the dance industry. and receives daily requests from businesses for her to work with them. Please welcome Cleo Khan to the Talk About Digital podcast.

[00:01:29] Cleo Khan: Hi. 

[00:01:30] Mark A Preston: Hi, Cleo. 

[00:01:31] Cleo Khan: Hi, Mark. 

[00:01:32] Mark A Preston: You okay? 

[00:01:32] Cleo Khan: I'm good, thank you. Are 

[00:01:33] Mark A Preston: you? Wonderful. Now, I want to start off by asking you, what was the moment you realized you was an influencer? 

[00:01:44] Cleo Khan: So there is a few pivotal moments. I would definitely say that I got to work with the most amazing brands that I would have never even dreamed of.

[00:01:51] So I've worked with some amazing companies such as like Drunk Elephant, Rimmel, L'Oreal Paris, like the most incredible brands that I never in a million years thought would want to work with me, but they liked my content and wanted to sell me products, pay me, do sponsored posts, that kind of thing, I would also say getting noticed in public was definitely a moment where I was like, Oh, I've actually influenced people to a degree that they've Taking notice of me and I've kind of made some kind of impact on them.

[00:02:21] So when they would ask for photos or just have a chat, that was so incredible. And then I would definitely say that when I'd get all these messages of people being like, Oh, your page influenced me to start taking dance classes again, or you know, Oh, you really inspire me to start stretching or try harder.

[00:02:39] Or could you give me some tips? Like they respected what I was creating and it influenced them in some way. 

[00:02:45] Mark A Preston: Right. So from a small business perspective, what are the advantages of a small business to work with a macro influencer such as yourself? 

[00:02:57] Cleo Khan: So you did kind of cover it at the very start with the whole cost effective thing.

[00:03:01] You can work with a much smaller budget. Obviously don't underpay. What you're asking, but I would definitely say if you're trying to reach a wider audience of people, then using micro influences is clever because you could use a lot of different micro influences who have targeted niches. So that means that.

[00:03:20] Basically, their specified field, you can influence that specific audience and for like half the price, which is just incredible as a small business. I would also say with micro influencers, they have a higher engagement rate than large influencers because you have, again, a more specified niche of audience who like your content and they're usually really loyal to you.

[00:03:46] Mark A Preston: See, a small business owner has actually thought, yeah, I want to try to work with a micro influencer. Now, what's the best way for a small business owner to approach a potential influencer to maybe, you know, Connect and work with them. 

[00:04:05] Cleo Khan: So I definitely say whatever platform you want them to promote on is sometimes reaching out for them on that, whether that be TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, usually they will also have that email linked into their account.

[00:04:18] So in my bio, I usually have my email and that way that companies can contact me via that. And that is generally the main source of contact usually. 

[00:04:29] Mark A Preston: Right. So you must receive lots and lots of inquiries from brands and everything. What is it? I'm looking for that thing where you're reading through all these offers and you think, yes, that's the one I want to work with.

[00:04:45] What, what can small businesses do to create that moment where you actually. Want to work with them, 

[00:04:51] Cleo Khan: right? Okay. So this is, there's quite a few things. I would definitely say clear communication. If that brand is giving me a content brief, so content brief is basically when a brand would message me and they'd like, I want these deliverables.

[00:05:06] I want three TikTok videos. I want this. I want that. This is your price for it. If I, if I need you to make any changes and drafts, I will pay you extra for this. So it's basically, if you give them all the information, then that is something that I would go, okay, this brand is organized if they are communicating back quickly to me.

[00:05:24] So if their replies are straight away, I'm like, okay, they, they do want to work with me. That is something I would want to go ahead with. Cause I don't want to work with a brand that I'm having to chase up follow up because it's just unprofessional. To be honest, I also would work with a brand that is going to.

[00:05:39] Respect my ideas. And if there's some things they're like giving me and I'm like, but I know my audience best. So usually brands will be like, I want this and I want you to create it like this. Sometimes given the content creators, some creative freedom, because ultimately if they're going to be authentic and create the content, they know it's going to receive, be received well with that audience, then in general, that is going to make your brand look better.

[00:06:05] So also being very flexible. With how, with how the content creator is going to create the content. 

[00:06:14] Mark A Preston: Right, so giving the influencer some freedom of what to create, what, what about if this is very new to small businesses and they haven't a clue what type of content, does it, is it a bad thing for a small business to come to you and say, well, look, this is what we want to, the impact we want to create.

[00:06:40] Cleo Khan: Yeah. 

[00:06:41] Mark A Preston: Can you just Put it all together. Will that be a bad thing or giving you total creativity, freedom? How would you feel about that? 

[00:06:52] Cleo Khan: So it's definitely finding the fine line between. So what I would suggest is actually given the influence that a bit of time. So for example, This is again, just an example, if you are promoting a skincare product and they're like, I want this content created in the next five days, if that's not, if you're not given at least like two weeks, you don't know if your skin's going to break out, if you're going to come out with spots.

[00:07:15] So in that case, you've not given the influencer enough time to truly trust the product, in which case they're not going to give out a positive review or impact. So I would definitely say, give some more time, let them actually try it so that it's authentic and it warrants well with that brand as well.

[00:07:34] If you are wanting to create a specific advertisement, say video, then I wouldn't go into micro influence and I'd go into UGC creation, which is called user generator content, which is where you can message influencers. And they can, you can say, I really love your content. Would you be able to create this kind of advertisement, but you don't have to post it on your page, but we'll post it on ours?

[00:07:56] So, for example, if you're looking for that kind of thing, I wouldn't use micro influencers, I'd use UGC. 

[00:08:02] Mark A Preston: Right. Now, just for the audience to understand, why user generated content, content creators and macro influencers, I mean, a lot of people listening to this, aren't they the same thing? 

[00:08:19] Cleo Khan: Yeah. 

[00:08:19] Mark A Preston: You know, what, what's, just to explain, what's the difference between the macro influencer and A UGC content creator.

[00:08:29] Cleo Khan: So again, going back to imagine you're watching it, watching TV and the advertisements come up in the break and you see someone's recommending Tui Holidays, it's that kind of vibe with UGC creation. So you are basically creating an ad for the brand to use on their page for them to promote their own place.

[00:08:49] For example, if it's a hotel, it's most likely going to be a brand that panning around the hotel, listing the benefits, listing the key features. But if it was a micro influencer, it'd be like more casual, more fitted to their niche. For example, it could be a day in a life and it'd be a day in a life content creation for micro influencers and it would be using the hotel.

[00:09:10] So it wouldn't be as much of an ad. It wouldn't be scripted. It would be more free and flowing. So both are great options depending on how you want to present your brand. If you're wanting a more finely polished and you want to have a bit more structure to your, to your creation, then I'd go with UGC. If you want it to come across as more authentic and as though the influencer genuinely uses the place or uses the products, then I would go with micro influencers or use both.

[00:09:38] And that is also a great combination. 

[00:09:41] Mark A Preston: Right, so I want to just create a bit of a context feel here. Now, say for instance, You are, you own a restaurant, 

[00:09:52] Cleo Khan: right? 

[00:09:52] Mark A Preston: Now, the idea is you want to build the awareness locally of that restaurant and you contact somebody that's well known in that location. Now, having them come into your restaurant to do a sort of video review and post it on their social, is that the sort of thing from a micro influencer perspective that would connect?

[00:10:22] Cleo Khan: A hundred percent, that is pretty much spot on of what I would say a micro influencer would do. So they would go and review the products and it would just be a more general casual feel, but it would also give the people that are wanting to go to that restaurant again, a more authentic feel for the company and the restaurant, because the influencer is genuinely believing that that food is great.

[00:10:45] And that atmosphere is great. 

[00:10:47] Mark A Preston: Right, so from a small business owner listening to this who's think, well, you know, is it going to be worth my while? You know, is the investment into a micro influencer, even though it's a much reduced cost than, you know, a well, big, well known influencer, I want to know, well, If I spend my money over here instead, what's the impact from a, uh, an influencer perspective, do you give any sort of steps on the impact from the promotion?

[00:11:25] Cleo Khan: So you can also use affiliation. So as a micro influencer, I genuinely get given a discount code. And people use my discount code to buy those products. And then that will usually give the company a good idea of how many people I am influencing to buy the product or to go to this place. So I would definitely say if you want to kind of gauge how much that this influencer is really impacting, give them a code, give them a 10 percent commission.

[00:11:51] And. That way you'll be making more money and you'll get the exposure. Also, if you are wanting to, if you're not believing that it's really going to work with micro influencer, then just invest in a few, but remember that they are going to grow. In micro influencers, micro influencers don't stay micro for long.

[00:12:10] They will genuinely get bigger and bigger and bigger. Therefore it's almost like an investment. So you are putting money into this person and then. You have given them not as much of a cost If you were to get them whilst they were a bigger influencer, but then they're eventually gonna get a bigger and bigger following.

[00:12:26] So I started doing influencer when I had around 10 K and now I'm at 50 K. So those brands that were then paying me the amount for that 10,000, uh, for that 10,000 followers, viewers are now getting the benefits now that I have. Like, five, not five times the amount, 2. 5 times the amount, you know what I mean?

[00:12:46] Mark A Preston: Yeah, I was going to say, but from a cost perspective, is it, in my head, there's, from the conversations I've personally had, well, You know, people saying, well, you can work with a micro influencer by just sending them a free gift and asking them to promote that gift on social. Or is there a monetary transaction involved in working with a micro influencer?

[00:13:15] Cleo Khan: It generally just depends on the contract. So you can just do gifted collaborations, which is going to save you money. You're going to give your product and it's just going to be like a free review. Or the only money you're spending is for shipping. Never make a micro influencer pay for shipping because they will know it's a scam.

[00:13:31] And you will also just be paying for the product. So that is a great way to start. I started off all of my collaborations with gifted collaborations. And as I got more and more established and kind of found my feet a bit more, then I would say, Oh, if you want two videos, then it's a hundred pounds. And if you want one, it's two.

[00:13:49] 50, but then for those people that I'd be working with longer, I'd give more discounts, but again, it is just, it genuinely is just how you communicate with the influencers. Some influencers are fine with just being gifted something, but then some that no kind of wants to be like, no, this is my business, will charge you.

[00:14:09] Mark A Preston: Right, so let's, let's, let's hear some real life examples. Obviously, uh, Uh, scenarios, if you can't mention certain brand names, but give us a couple of real life experiences that you've personally worked with brands to, you know, just so we can get some sort of feel of what it all looks like. 

[00:14:35] Cleo Khan: So I actually started my, this is the best collaboration.

[00:14:40] And this is one that really shows the growth of how I started from. So I started off working with move dancewear and we started off with just a gifted collaboration. And I did that. For around six months and they would just gift me products and I would put them on my page. I would make comedic dance videos.

[00:14:59] I'd do instructional videos. They could post it on their page and all in all, it was a really good relationship. Then as we went on, I then became a Move Dancewear ambassador where they gave me a discount code and they could track how many people were using it. Um, people could get money off. And they would also be paying me for the content.

[00:15:19] So I won't say the amount that I would get a month, but they'd pay me a set amount a month. And they'd give me a set amount of money to spend on the website to use the products. Then it progressed even further. And I started doing. Interviews on their blog on their website. So for example, it was the LGBTQ pride month and they asked me questions about what it was like being part of that community in the dance world.

[00:15:43] So then it progressed that further, then it got even better. And I was invited to the dancewear HQ. So I went to move. I did a photo, a test shoot for their catalog. And I, they used the pictures. On their website to promote leotards. They also did a content creation section where I did two interviews, which were like podcast style.

[00:16:05] And then further to further that I also did TikToks, but in their HQ, which they again, paid me all for. So that is a really good way of how the brand started with gifting and has just become something I would have never even imagined. 

[00:16:21] Mark A Preston: Right, so something that's actually popped in my head. 

[00:16:25] Cleo Khan: Yeah, 

[00:16:25] Mark A Preston: right, as you were talking there.

[00:16:27] If a small business is maybe a product based business rather than a uh, service based business. Would you consider, um, a deal where it was agreed that everything's tracked and you get a percentage of sales generated? That you've incurred 

[00:16:54] Cleo Khan: so that this is like a very real thing that I do. So this is especially massive on Tik TOK shop.

[00:17:00] So this is a product based thing. So on Tik TOK shop brands, if they're over a certain following can promote that. Promote their products and influencers can request free samples. In which case they then create the video for the free sample. I was literally doing this this morning. You can literally request the free samples.

[00:17:19] You receive the product, you create the video and you link in where you were. You can link. The products, and then when people click on it, it also tracks it. So you get your amount of profile views for how many people have used your link. And then you can also make commission. So then some have higher commission rates.

[00:17:38] They can be like 50%. Generally it's around 10 percent or 20%. That is usually the marketing commission, right? So it is just, yeah, that's pretty much it. You just have to link it, really use a card and then brands can see it. And you can make the money off of it. 

[00:17:55] Mark A Preston: Wonderful. Well, with the talk about digital podcast.

[00:17:59] Yeah, we, we end with this thing called a tab takeaway. It's basically just a piece of actionable value that the small business audience Can implement, um, into their business to help them grow. So from a, an influencer marketing perspective, what would you say? What piece of golden nugget advice would you give small business owners if they really want and truly to work with a macro influencer?

[00:18:35] Cleo Khan: So one thing I would definitely say is check out their Instagram and their TikTok or whatever platform you want them to promote on, whether that's like Pinterest or YouTube as well. But look at the content they have already created. I have a thing called a content creator portfolio. So it's basically a link to a website with All of my collabs and brand deals in sections of unboxings, voiceovers, day in the lives, product reviews, that kind of thing.

[00:19:02] And you can request to view. A lot of influencers will already have that created and you can request to view all of the kind of content you want to create. So then you really know. And you go, Oh, this influencer has something. They have got the kind of look I want to go for. They've got the comedic value that I really want to use for this brand.

[00:19:22] Um, that's a great way. So check out all the profiles, give them a good stalk, make sure they're definitely someone that fits well and aligns well with your brand. And that is all I would say. Just make sure that both the influencer is going to benefit you and you're going to benefit the influencer as well.

[00:19:39] Mark A Preston: And on a final note, is there anything that we haven't spoken about so far that you personally feel that small businesses would benefit from? 

[00:19:52] Cleo Khan: Make sure that when you're messaging. Influences that, and you're giving them contracts that they're not extensive. So I've received like 90 page contracts before in which case I've just gone.

[00:20:04] I'm not even dealing with that because you just never know the fine print. And as a micro influencer, it's usually a part time job. It's not a full time job. So going through contracts and things like that is. It's a lengthy process. So make sure you've got really simplified, clear and concise contracts, really.

[00:20:21] Mark A Preston: Right. Well, many thanks for joining me today on the Talk About Digital podcast. And I just want to end by asking you, where can people find you? And if anybody's interested, actually thinking about wanting to work with you, how can they get in touch with you? 

[00:20:41] Cleo Khan: Oh, this is where I shine. So I am at Cleocon on TikTok, and then I'm at CleolilaniCon on Instagram, and on YouTube, I'm at Cleocon as well.

[00:20:53] If you want to email me, my name is Cleo, L E I At icloud.com 

[00:21:00] Mark A Preston: Thank you for tuning into the Talk about Digital podcast. Remember, every small step you take brings you closer to your business goals. If you found today's episode helpful, subscribe to our podcast and sign up to your free 12 week tab, customer growth course.

[00:21:17] At www.talkaboutdigital.co uk to receive even more customer generating tips and in size. Until next time, keep harnessing your strengths and making actionable, impactful moves in your digital marketing journey. See you soon.