When someone says they run an influencer marketing agency, what comes to mind? I’ve asked a few brand-side folks I know that question in the last week or two and have received a number of different responses.

Some people say they think of an ad agency only that only focuses on influencers. Others say a consultant or small shop that handles all that busy work for you. Another contact said they think of the team at the software company they use, like CIPIO.ai for instance, which does the cat herding as it were.

The truth is none of those answers are wrong. The third party that handles some degree of influencer marketing for you is probably the right answer, regardless of which pieces of the puzzle are theirs.

But in truth, there is a difference between a software company that has managed services and a strategic consultant. That’s different than an influencer marketing agency that focuses on influencer campaigns and one that does more media buying using influencer content. The “influencer marketing agency” is a big sea of muddy water.

Brad Hoos runs an influencer marketing agency. It’s called The Outloud Group. They’re based in Detroit and they handle all aspects of influencer marketing from soup to nuts. They aren’t a software company … though they use software to help manage their work. They do more than just strategy. And they do more than just execution.

Who better to break down not just the various facets of what a brand might need out of influencer marketing, but the ins and outs of influencer campaigns, choosing the right creators, negotiating with the big (and little) egos in the creator world and such than Brad?

I asked him to pay a visit to the old Influence bar here on Winfluence and chat a bit about the state of things. The Outloud Group’s approach is a little different than some agencies and they’ve got some interesting clients and case studies of course.

But it’s also an opportunity for me to bounce one of my rant-y ideas off someone who can push back and tell me I’m wrong if I am, so we’ll get into that a little bit, too.

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