sales-afluencer

What this skill does

# Afluencer Platform Help

Helps the user set up and get the most out of Afluencer — the micro-influencer marketplace where brands post Collab opportunities and creators apply. Covers Collab listings, influencer directory, Shopify/BigCommerce integration, gifting, and messaging.

## Step 1 — Gather context


If `references/learnings.md` exists, read it first for accumulated knowledge.

Ask the user:

1. **What do you need help with?**
   - A) Posting a Collab opportunity
   - B) Finding influencers in the directory
   - C) Managing creator applications
   - D) Sending invitations to influencers
   - E) Shopify/BigCommerce product sync and gifting
   - F) Direct messaging with creators
   - G) Understanding pricing/plans
   - H) Something else — describe it

2. **What's your business type?**
   - A) Shopify store
   - B) BigCommerce store
   - C) Other ecommerce
   - D) Non-ecommerce brand
   - E) Agency

3. **What's your current Afluencer plan?**
   - A) Free
   - B) VIP ($49/mo)
   - C) Pro Plus (~$99/mo)
   - D) Concierge ($199/mo)
   - E) Not sure / haven't signed up yet

**If the user's request already provides most of this context, skip directly to the relevant step.** Lead with your best-effort answer using reasonable assumptions (stated explicitly), then ask only the most critical 1-2 clarifying questions at the end.

## Step 2 — Route or answer directly

If the request maps to another skill, route:
- Influencer marketing strategy (not Afluencer-specific) → `/sales-influencer-marketing`
- Affiliate program design → `/sales-affiliate-program`
- Ad retargeting strategy → `/sales-retargeting`
- Email marketing → `/sales-email-marketing`
- Product review collection → `/sales-customer-reviews`

Otherwise, answer directly from the platform reference below.

## Step 3 — Afluencer platform reference

### How Afluencer works

Afluencer is a **marketplace model** — different from discovery-first platforms like Modash or CreatorIQ:

1. **Brands post Collabs** — describe the opportunity, product, compensation (gifting, flat rate, or affiliate), and requirements
2. **Creators browse and apply** — influencers in Afluencer's network see your Collab and submit applications
3. **Brands review applications** — evaluate creator profiles, audience, content, and engagement
4. **Brands invite creators** — you can also proactively invite creators from the directory (uses invitation credits)
5. **Collaboration happens** — messaging, product selection, content creation, and posting

This **inbound model** means you don't need to cold-outreach creators. Creators come to you. But response rates on outbound invitations vary significantly.

### Collab listings

The core feature. A Collab is your campaign brief visible to Afluencer's creator network.

**Creating a Collab:**
- **Title and description** — what you're looking for and what you're offering
- **Compensation type** — gifting (free product), flat rate payment, affiliate commission, or hybrid
- **Platform requirements** — Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, blog, podcast
- **Creator requirements** — minimum follower count, engagement rate, location, niche/interest categories
- **Deliverables** — what content you expect (posts, stories, reels, videos, reviews)
- **Public vs private** — public Collabs are visible to all creators; private Collabs are invitation-only

**Collab types:**
- **Product gifting** — send free products in exchange for content. Most common for Shopify stores.
- **Flat rate** — pay creators a fixed amount per deliverable
- **Affiliate** — creators earn commission on sales they drive
- **Hybrid** — combination of gifting + payment or gifting + affiliate

### Influencer directory

Browse and filter Afluencer's creator network:

- **200+ interest categories** — beauty, health, fitness, lifestyle, fashion, food, tech, gaming, parenting, travel, pets, and more
- **Filters** — platform (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, etc.), follower count range, engagement rate, location, niche
- **Creator profiles** — bio, social stats, content samples, past Collabs, audience demographics
- **Spotlights** — featured influencer profiles highlighted by Afluencer

### Invitation credits

- **Free plan**: 1 invitation credit per day
- **VIP ($49/mo)**: 60 monthly invitation credits
- **Pro Plus (~$99/mo)**: More credits (exact count varies)
- **Concierge ($199/mo)**: Highest credit allocation + managed service

Each invitation credit lets you proactively reach out to one creator from the directory. Creators who apply to your public Collabs don't cost credits.

### Shopify integration

- **Product sync** — connect your Shopify store via My Account → Sales Channels to sync your product catalog
- **Product assignment** — assign specific products to creators directly from the Afluencer dashboard
- **Gifting workflow** — creators select products/variants, you fulfill through normal Shopify fulfillment
- **In-app management** — product selection, tracking, and communication all happen within Afluencer

### BigCommerce integration

- Similar to Shopify — connect your BigCommerce store and sync products for gifting Collabs

### Messaging

- **Direct messaging** — communicate with creators within the Afluencer platform
- **Application management** — review, accept, or decline creator applications from a central dashboard
- **Content coordination** — share briefs, review drafts, approve content before posting

### Pricing tiers

| Feature | Free | VIP ($49/mo) | Pro Plus (~$99/mo) | Concierge ($199/mo) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Post Collabs | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Receive applications | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Invitation credits | 1/day | 60/month | More | Most |
| Premium filters | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Live support | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Strategy call | No | 1x 30-min | Yes | Yes |
| Podcast appearance | No | No | No | Yes |
| Managed service | No | No | No | Yes |

*Pricing is best-effort from research — verify current plans at afluencer.com.*

### Afluencer Podcast

Concierge plan ($199/mo) includes an appearance on the Afluencer Podcast, which gives brands exposure to Afluencer's creator audience. This is a unique marketing channel not offered by other influencer platforms.

## Step 4 — Actionable guidance

Based on the user's specific question:

1. **Collab setup** — how to write an effective Collab listing that attracts quality creators
2. **Creator filtering** — how to use directory filters and premium filters to find the right influencers
3. **Invitation strategy** — how to maximize response rates on outbound invitations (limited credits)
4. **Shopify gifting** — step-by-step product sync, assignment, and fulfillment
5. **Application review** — how to evaluate creator applications efficiently
6. **Plan selection** — which Afluencer plan fits the user's needs and budget

## Gotchas

*Best-effort from research — review these, especially items about plan-gated features and pricing that may be outdated.*

- **Free plan is very limited.** Only 1 invitation credit per day means you can only proactively reach out to ~30 creators per month. For serious influencer marketing, the VIP plan ($49/mo) with 60 monthly credits is the practical minimum.
- **No advanced analytics or reporting.** Afluencer does not offer campaign performance dashboards, EMV calculations, ROAS tracking, or engagement analytics beyond basic creator profile stats. If you need campaign ROI measurement, you'll need to track results manually or use another tool alongside Afluencer.
- **Creator activity levels vary.** G2 reviewers report that some listed influencers haven't been active for months. Check recent post dates and activity before investing invitation credits on a creator.
- **Geographic coverage is uneven.** The creator network skews US-centric. Users in the UK, MENA, and other regions report limited local influencer availability.
- **Creator quality classification may be inaccurate.** Some users report influencers being wrongly