How To Send Free Products To Influencers A Guide For Brands Using Shopify And Influencer Platforms

Sending free products to influencers is a strategic marketing approach used by brands to increase awareness, build credibility, and drive sales. This process involves identifying suitable creators, managing logistics, and maintaining relationships. The following guide details the methods and tools available for brands to execute influencer gifting campaigns effectively, based on current platform capabilities and best practices.

The Strategic Value of Influencer Gifting

Brands offer free products to influencers because it represents a cost-effective marketing strategy. By partnering with influencers whose audiences align with their target market, brands can achieve increased brand awareness, drive sales, and build credibility. For brands, this method allows for the distribution of products to creators who generate genuine, relatable content. This approach is not limited to major celebrities; brands are increasingly sending products to everyday creators, including nano-influencers, who share authentic content across niches such as beauty, fashion, tech, and snacks.

Establishing Brand Presence and Creator Identification

Before initiating outreach, brands must ensure they have a clear identity and that potential creators can easily find them. Brands need to have a polished online presence that showcases their products and values. Creators typically research brands to ensure alignment with their personal brand and audience interests.

For influencers seeking products, the process begins with building a strong online presence. Brands look for creators who have an engaged audience and high-quality content. Therefore, brands should expect to review creator profiles on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, or blogs to assess niche alignment and audience loyalty.

Methods for Sending Free Products

There are two primary methods for distributing free products to influencers: manual outreach and automated platform management.

Manual Outreach and Logistics

Historically, brands have managed influencer gifting through direct messaging (DMs) on social media platforms. This method involves: * Initiating contact via DM. * Discussing product interest and suitability. * Requesting shipping addresses and product variants (e.g., sizes). * Manually entering order details into an e-commerce system (such as Shopify).

While this method allows for personalization, it is often described as "broken" or inefficient due to the administrative burden. Common issues include: * Copy-pasting addresses: Manually transferring creator addresses into the Shopify checkout process. * Order tagging confusion: Difficulty in tracking which orders are gifts, especially if multiple team members are involved. * Lack of scalability: The back-and-forth communication makes it difficult to scale outreach to a large number of creators. * Performance tracking: No built-in system to track gifting performance over time.

Automated Platform Solutions

To address the inefficiencies of manual gifting, brands can utilize specialized apps and platforms that integrate with e-commerce systems like Shopify and WooCommerce.

Shopify Integration via Influencer Gift Form

A specific Shopify app called "Influencer Gift Form" was developed to streamline the gifting process. Instead of manual DMs, the workflow is as follows: 1. Link Distribution: The brand sends a unique link to the creator. 2. Creator Action: The creator opens the link, views a branded gift form, selects their preferred product/variant, and enters their shipping information. 3. Order Creation: The form automatically creates a $0 order inside Shopify. 4. User Experience: The process is designed to look and feel like a secure, branded checkout to the creator.

SARAL Platform Features

The SARAL platform offers robust features for managing influencer relationships and shipments. Key capabilities include:

• Manual Shipping:

  • Navigate to the influencer’s profile.
  • Click "Ship Free Product."
  • Input the shipping address (if not auto-detected).
  • Select the product and variants.
  • Add personalized order notes.
  • Click "Ship Products" to generate the order.
  • Review details via a "previously shipped products" link.

• Automated Product Shipment:

  • Brands can schedule regular shipments to keep influencers engaged.
  • In the influencer profile, select "Automate Product Shipment."
  • Search for the gift and set the frequency (e.g., every 14, 30, 60, or 90 days).
  • Choose an automation date range or set it to run indefinitely.
  • Click "Create Automation" to activate.

• Tracking and Follow-up:

  • SARAL integrates with Shopify and WooCommerce to provide a built-in shipment tracker.
  • Brands can monitor deliveries across postal services.
  • Delivery status visibility allows brands to follow up with creators, collect feedback, and remind them about upcoming posts.
  • The "Resend" button allows for quick reshipment of the same product to the same influencer.

Using Influencer Marketplaces

Influencer marketplaces provide a centralized hub for brands and creators to connect. Afluencer is one such platform that facilitates the gifting process.

The Afluencer Workflow for Creators

While these steps are taken by the creator, brands utilizing Afluencer should understand the process to ensure smooth delivery: 1. Account Setup: Creators sign up for free and complete their profile. 2. Address Management: Creators navigate to "Shipments" and add up to 5 shipping addresses. They must include a phone number and verify it via text. 3. Collab Applications: Creators browse "Collabs" posted by brands. These listings specify what is being offered (often freebies) and who the brand is looking for. 4. Direct Shipping: Once a collaboration is agreed upon, brands can ship freebies directly to the creator’s verified address through the platform.

For brands, using Afluencer allows access to a pool of creators who are actively looking for gifting opportunities, removing the need for cold outreach via DMs.

Maintaining Influencer Relationships

Sending the product is only the first step. Building long-term relationships is crucial for sustained content creation.

• Regular Engagement: Brands should regularly engage with the influencers they have worked with by sharing their content.
• Consistent Gifting: Automating product shipments ensures timely delivery, keeping collaborators motivated. Sending products at regular intervals encourages consistent content production.
• Follow-up: Using tracking tools to monitor delivery allows brands to follow up professionally. This follow-up can be used to collect feedback on the product or remind the influencer to post content, provided this is agreed upon in the collaboration terms.

Conclusion

Sending free products to influencers has evolved from a manual, error-prone process involving direct messages to a streamlined, scalable operation thanks to specialized software. Brands can choose between manual entry in Shopify or utilize tools like Influencer Gift Form and SARAL to automate the collection of addresses and the generation of $0 orders. Platforms like Afluencer further simplify the process by connecting brands with vetted creators who are ready to receive products. By leveraging these tools, brands can effectively manage logistics, track performance, and maintain lasting relationships with creators, ensuring a successful influencer marketing strategy.

Sources

1. Social Strudel Blog: How to Get Free Products as an Influencer
2. Influencer Gift Form Blog: How to Send Free Products to Influencers on Shopify
3. SARAL Help Center: How to Ship Free Products to Influencers
4. Afluencer: How to Get Free Gifts from Brands