We’re a LATAM brand looking to move into the US market, and influencer marketing is going to be a core part of our go-to-market strategy. But we don’t have US market experience, we don’t have brand awareness, and honestly, we don’t have a deep network of influencer relationships in the US.
My question is: how much do you actually need to know before you jump in? Do you need to understand the full competitive landscape? Do you need existing customer relationships or network connections? Do you need to have repositioned your brand already for the US market? Or can you kind of figure it out as you go, using influencer partnerships to help define what your US positioning even is?
I’ve seen two approaches:
Approach A: Research everything first (market analysis, audience research, competitor analysis, positioning). Then start influencer outreach.
Approach B: Start conversations with influencers and agencies early, use those conversations to understand the market and refine positioning.
I feel like Approach B is faster and probably more realistic, but I’m worried about looking unprepared or wasting creators’ time. At the same time, if we wait to have everything perfect before reaching out, we might miss the window or overthink it.
What’s the actual threshold? What do you need to know for sure, and what can you figure out with your influencer partners?
I’m going to push back a little on the binary here. You don’t need to choose between Approach A (total preparation) or Approach B (jump in blind). There’s a smarter middle ground.
What you absolutely need before you start:
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Core positioning hypothesis. Not final, but real. “We’re a LATAM brand bringing [product category] to the US market because [reason].” That reason matters. Are you bringing something genuinely differentiated? Are you solving a problem US brands aren’t? Why should creators care?
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Clear customer profile. Who are you targeting in the US? 18-35 urban millennials? Parents? Professionals? If you can’t describe your ideal customer, you can’t brief creators effectively.
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Product market fit evidence. You’ve proven this works in LATAM, right? Have some data about what resonates. Don’t assume LATAM success = US success, but you need proof of concept.
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Budget and realistic timeline. Know your limits and don’t waste creators’ time pretending you’re bigger than you are.
That’s basically it.
What you can figure out WITH influencers/partners:
- Exact positioning nuances
- Which audience segments actually exist and are reachable in the US
- Which brands are actually direct competitors (vs. who you think is a competitor)
- What messaging angles resonate
- Which platform makes most sense
The conversation I’d have early:
Reach out to 3-5 respected agencies or influencer network people with a super direct pitch: “We’re a [category] brand from LATAM moving to the US. We have [evidence of traction]. We’re interested in building initial partnerships with influencers and want to learn the US market. Who should we talk to? What should we be thinking about?”
That conversation does multiple things:
- You get real market feedback
- You build relationships
- They’re not feeling sold to; you’re asking for help
- You learn before you launch
Based on that feedback, you refine your positioning and approach. Then you start formal influencer outreach.
Total time investment: 2-3 weeks. You get most of Approach A’s benefits (credible market understanding) but move 10x faster than full research would take.
How developed is your US positioning right now?
One more thing: transparency wins here. I’ve seen brands come to influencers all mysterious like “we need to build brand awareness but can’t really talk about who we are yet.” That’s a flag.
Better approach: be honest. “We’re new to the US market. We’ve crushed it in LATAM. We’re looking for creators who can help us figure out what resonates with American audiences and build initial partnerships. Here’s what we’re about [clear pitch], and here’s what we can offer.”
Creators respect that. It’s real. It’s collaborative. And it filters for partners who are actually interested in you, not just the paycheck.
I love Dmitry’s answer because it reframes this as a relationship-building conversation, not a transaction.
Here’s what I’d add: your first conversations should be with people, not with a formal campaign. Find 5-10 influencers or agency people who seem like they’d understand your brand. Reach out individually. Have a conversation. Share your journey, ask for advice, see if they’re interested in being part of what you’re building.
From those conversations, you’ll find 2-3 people who really get it and are willing to collaborate early. Those become your first real partners—and they’re not just executing a brief; they’re actually shaping your US entry.
That’s how you avoid looking unprepared. You’re thoughtful, you’re asking good questions, you’re humble about what you don’t know. Creators find that way more appealing than a perfectly polished brand with zero real connection to them.
The people who get interested early are often your best long-term partners because they believe in the mission, not just the paycheck.
From a strategy perspective, here’s what I’d recommend:
Pre-Influencer Phase (Do this first, before you talk to anyone):
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Positioning clarity: Write a one-page positioning statement. Not for the market—for yourself. “We’re a [category] brand with [key differentiation] targeting [customer profile] because [reason]. Our proof: [LATAM metrics].”
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Audience research: Do 10-15 customer interviews in the US (surveys, discovery calls, whatever). Ask: “Would you buy this? Why or why not? What would make this relevant to you?” You don’t need a massive study; you need signal that your hypothesis is reasonable.
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Competitive landscape: Spend a day on this. Who are the top 5 direct competitors in the US? What’s their positioning? Their pricing? Their audience? You need top-line understanding, not deep research.
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Channel strategy: Based on your audience and category, which platforms matter most? TikTok? Instagram? YouTube? Allocate your budget to the channels where your audience actually hangs out.
Then—talk to influencers/agencies:
With this foundation, your conversations are informed and efficient. You can ask smart questions. You can evaluate feedback based on strategy, not just vibes.
Influencers will respect this because you’re not wasting their time.
Reality check: This whole phase (research + conversations) should take 4-6 weeks. Not months. You’re not trying to be perfect; you’re getting 70% clarity so you can execute with confidence.
The brands that succeed at expansion: they do enough homework to have a hypothesis, then they test it with real partners. They iterate based on feedback. They’re not rigid, but they’re not lost either.
Does this match where you are in the process?
I’d add a data piece that often gets overlooked:
Before you talk to influencers, know your CAC target.
What can you afford to spend to acquire a US customer? This is critical because influencer marketing pricing in the US is often higher than LATAM. If you come to creators without understanding your unit economics, you’ll overpay for reach or underpay creators and look cheap.
Simple calculation:
- What’s your product price?
- What’s your gross margin?
- What percent of gross margin can you spend to acquire a customer? (Typical is 20-40% of gross margin.)
- That’s your CAC target.
If you’re selling a $100 product with 60% gross margin ($60), you might be willing to spend $12-$24 to acquire a customer.
Now, when you talk to influencers, you know: “What’s the cost per conversion we should expect?”
If the market tells you: “Expect $30-$50 CAC for your audience,” and your target is $20, you have a problem. Either your positioning needs to command higher prices, or you’re targeting the wrong segment.
This is a conversation you should have before, not during, influencer negotiations.
Do you have unit economics clarity for the US market yet? That’s the gap I see most often.
From the creator perspective: I want to work with brands that know what they’re doing. Not perfectly, but coherently.
When a brand comes to me with: “We’re new to the US, here’s our LATAM success, here’s why we think Americans will care, here’s what we’re trying to accomplish”—I’m interested. That’s an actual partnership.
When a brand comes to me with: “We’re trying to figure out if Americans even want this product, please help us figure that out”—I’m less interested. That feels like I’m the guinea pig.
There’s a difference between “we have a hypothesis and want your creative perspective” vs. “we have no idea.” The first is collaboration. The second is research on my dime.
So yeah, do the homework. Get clarity on positioning, product, audience. Then come to creators with that foundation. We’ll help you refine and adapt—that’s the creative part—but bring something to the table.
Also, honestly: be upfront about budget. “We have $X to invest in influencer partnerships for the first 90 days” is way better than pretending you’re a big spender. Creators will work with smaller budgets if you’re honest and fair about it.
I’ll give you the agency perspective: we work with brands at all stages, including ones entering new markets.
What I want to see before I agree to work together:
- Commitment clarity. Are you all-in on the US market or testing? That determines strategy.
- Budget reality. 3-6 month budget minimum. You can’t do meaningful influencer marketing on a shoestring.
- Positioning coherence. I don’t need it perfect, but I need it clear enough to brief on.
- Timeline flexibility. Building relationships and market understanding takes time. Brands that expect results in 30 days are usually disappointed.
Here’s the conversation I’d recommend:
Reach out to 2-3 agencies that specialize in cross-border expansion. Give them 30 minutes. Pitch your brand, ask:
- “What should we be thinking about that we’re not?”
- “What does a realistic first 90 days look like?”
- “Where do brands typically stumble?”
You’ll get practical feedback. And if you vibe with one of them, boom—you’ve got a partner.
The agency route (vs. DIY influencer outreach) actually buys you credibility. When an agency introduces you to creators, those creators know you’re serious and backed by someone who knows the market.
You don’t need an agency, but it’s often worth it for your first campaign in a new market.