Vogue UK, the ultimate influencer of UK and global fashion, carries in its March 2017 edition a special feature on fashion influencers, Under the influence

The report explores the world of 'influencer marketing' where on Instagram the likes of @camillecharriere, @chiaraferragni and @manrepeller can command anywhere between £5,000 and £30,000 for a single post.  That, of course, is only part of the story.

Followers are, the article suggests, more important than what is on a CV.

And in the fashion world it works.  Mango and Jimmy Choo spend thousands with these influencers, combining both offline and online activity with impressive results.

So, what can the professional services sector learn from the world of fashion influencers?

It would be a brave, perhaps foolish, CMO to suggest paying for tweets, LinkedIn posts or Instagram posts. 

But, professional services firms do have exceptionally strong relationships with their clients, often built over many years, if not decades. Why not celebrate those relationships?  

A case study around a piece of work, a profile on the client themselves, an interview with the CEO or MD. Support with good photography and perhaps video.

Use these profiles online, on social media channels, and direct to clients. 

It is time to do more than mark a deal or a new client with a simple press release - it is time to celebrate clients and create a model of professional services influencer marketing.