You become a real influencer when you take charge, earn trust & empathise with your audience: Mamta Das

Mamta Sharma Das talks about how to become a successful social media influencer. 

Mamta Sharma Das juggles being a successful stylist, a branding consultant, an influencer and a solo entrepreneur. She runs her mini sustainable fashion empire by the name of Viva la Vida alongside playing full-time mommy to a seven-year-old daughter. With a keen interest in textile and design, Mamta is a self-confessed saree connoisseur who loves promoting and styling the 6-yards as an obsession. She is a popular handloom enthusiast and influencer who writes, styles and shoots campaigns for young entrepreneurs and designers across India. She is an ardent supporter of #handmadeinindia and takes immense pride in her culture and roots.

SheThePeople caught up with her during an Instagram Live on SheThePeople Bangla. Some snippets.

What made you become an influencer?

I did not plan on becoming one. I think an audience chooses an influencer and it mainly happens when people start to trust someone’s story, their opinions and their personality over established celebs or adverts.

Anyone can have an aesthetically pleasing profile with tons of appealing pictures of themselves but I think people choose an influencer when they’re able to connect to them in a relatable sense, where they seek and draw inspiration consistently and you’re able to make a difference in their lives in a positive way.

Gradually, with an inflated following, you earn respect, admiration and credibility for being "YOU"! A person of substance, for being true to your genius and for doing good work.

You become a real influencer when you take charge, earn trust and when you deeply connect and empathise with your audience, for being approachable and accountable for things you endorse and preach through your medium. It's a huge responsibility.

Why do you think the role of an influencer is important?

I think an influencer today plays an important role in our society because of the value they bring in form of entertainment, awareness and practical recommendations in the most consistent and fuss-free manner.

Influencers are an effective and inexpensive way of growing a brand presence through social media. Customers trust external recommendations any day over big hoardings or celebrity-endorsed advertisements. They are icons with whom identification is easy. Word of mouth and peer recommendations are more relatable to buyers. They build great loyal networks with their content and credibility that generally doesn't involve a huge cost either.

 What ethics should one follow as an influencer?

'With great power comes great responsibility' influencing is not just about serving looks or sharing the ideal brands, it's also about creating a social relationship with those that are being influenced, especially the young and vulnerable. It's important to stay true to your values, authenticity and stick to your niche.

In an era of fake following and bots, finding someone who’s opinions makes a real impact on other people’s life is a huge deal.

A good influencer is someone that works to maintain and win the trust of both its audience and businesses. They welcome feedback and ensure a mutually beneficial outcome when they collaborate.

Always owe your audience a tad more than your clients because you grow and flourish only with their support. Address their concerns and always be available to take feedback and constructive criticism with open arms.

 What does it take to become an influencer?

Anything plain and based on human interaction is hard to sustain and implement but the key is to add an effective personal approach. Something that uniquely puts you apart from the crowd. It's important that you stay passionate and determined about a specific niche or genre.

To prove yourself, your best bet is to post quality and authentic content with fresh ideas and approach. Post creative, inspiring and motivating content. This will allow you to build a loyal and engaged following. Be good at rhetoric. Pick a good strategy and to get to a stage where you want to take it ahead professionally then you have to be always actively engaged with your audience. Don't get desperate and do not copy, instead look for ways where you can be original and incomparable.

'The more you learn the more you earn' keep educating on skills that can be beneficial to your content creation game. Because if you do it well you won't just survive but you’ll thrive.

The influencer life may look appealing with perfectly staged Instagram photos but there is a great deal of work and dedication that goes behind the scene to win hearts. You'll take time but you'll arrive. Have patience and trust your vibe.