Even the network news carried the announcement that Amazon split its proposed second headquarter (the techies call it called HQ2 ) between New York (Long Island City) and Washington DC (Crystal City, VA). The New York Times reported it as news even before the formal announcement was made. And Governor Cuomo did not even have to change his name to Amazon Cuomo as he had offered. Pundits are weighing the pros and cons of offering a home to Amazon whose president, Jeff Bezos, is ranked by Forbes as the richest person in the world. And millennials can forget about finding an apartment in LIC (already a difficult proposition).
But the real news for the start-up or smallbiz entrepreneur was contained in another article in the November 13, 2018 Times, touting the role of nano-influencers. The nano-influencers feel like friends giving their personal recommendation: the highest level of trust in an unknown product or service. As explained in the Times:
Their lack of fame is one of the qualities that make them approachable. When they recommend a shampoo or a lotion or a furniture brand on Instagram, their word seems as genuine as advice from a friend. Brands enjoy working with them partly because they are easy to deal with. In exchange for free products or a small commission, nanos typically say whatever companies tell them to.
So even if you are not a celebrity or can’t afford a celebrity spokesperson, a modest social media presence can prove invaluable. So smallbiz peeps, get going, find friends to say you sell the best thing since sliced white bread and you have a shot of starting the small snowball down the hill.
