sales-afluencer

name	sales-afluencer
description	Afluencer platform help — micro-influencer marketing marketplace connecting brands with creators via Collab listings. Covers influencer directory (200+ interest categories), Collab posting, creator invitations, direct messaging, Shopify/BigCommerce product sync, gifting workflows, and Afluencer Podcast. Use when Collab posts aren't attracting creators, can't find the right influencers in the directory, creators aren't responding to invitations, Shopify gifting isn't syncing products, unsure how to screen creator applications, or wondering if Afluencer is the right platform. Do NOT use for influencer marketing strategy across platforms (use /sales-influencer-marketing), affiliate program design (use /sales-affiliate-program), or ad campaign strategy (use /sales-retargeting).
argument-hint	[describe what you need help with in Afluencer — e.g., 'set up a product gifting Collab for beauty micro-influencers' or 'why aren't influencers responding to my invites']
license	MIT
version	1.0.1
tags	["sales","influencer-marketing","marketplace","platform"]

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) Concierge ($99/mo)
   • D) Boss ($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

Full platform guide: See references/platform-guide.md for the marketplace model, Collab listings and types, the influencer directory, invitation credits, Shopify/BigCommerce integrations, messaging, the full pricing table, the Afluencer Podcast benefit, and CreatorGPT. Read it before answering workflow, plan-gating, or pricing questions.

Orientation — the facts that steer most answers:

• Afluencer is a marketplace, not a discovery tool (contrast Modash/CreatorIQ): brands post Collabs, creators apply inbound. So the fix for "no creators" is almost always a weak Collab brief, not a bad filter — outbound invitations are the secondary path and their response rates vary.
• Invitation credits are the real currency and the core plan gate — Free 1/day, VIP ($49/mo) 60/mo, Concierge ($99/mo) 90/mo, Boss ($199/mo) 150/mo. Creators who apply to a public Collab cost zero credits, which is the cheapest way to run the platform and the thing users most often miss.
• Compensation is gifting, flat rate, affiliate, or hybrid — gifting is the norm for Shopify stores, where products sync from the store and creators self-select variants.
• CreatorGPT (natural-language creator matching) is the pre-filter — use it to shortlist before spending invitation credits, not after.

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 classified as "premium" when their metrics don't justify it. Always review a creator's actual social profiles before committing.

• No API. There's no public API for programmatic access, bulk operations, or integration with CRM/BI tools.

• No content auto-detection. Unlike Modash or CreatorIQ, Afluencer doesn't automatically detect when creators publish content. You'll need to manually track post completion.

• Self-improving: If you discover something not covered here, append it to references/learnings.md with today's date.

Related skills

• /sales-influencer-marketing — Influencer marketing strategy — platform comparison, creator discovery, vetting, campaign tracking, ROI measurement
• /sales-modash — Modash platform help — largest database (350M+), Shopify-first workflow, auto-detection
• /sales-creatoriq — CreatorIQ platform help — enterprise influencer OS, Creator Graph, SafeIQ, ExchangeIQ API
• /sales-heepsy — Heepsy platform help — affordable influencer discovery (11M+ profiles), marketplace
• /sales-hypefy — Hypefy platform help — zero-subscription, AI campaign automation
• /sales-creatorco — Creator.co platform help — AI-automated matching, UGC rights
• /sales-affiliate-program — Affiliate and referral program design (strategy, not platform-specific)
• /sales-do — Not sure which skill to use? The router matches any sales objective to the right skill. Install: npx skills add sales-skills/sales --skill sales-do

Examples

Example 1: Set up a product gifting Collab for a Shopify store

User says: "I have a Shopify skincare brand and want to send free products to micro-influencers on Instagram" Skill does:

1. Walks through Shopify integration setup (My Account → Sales Channels → connect store)
2. Creates a Collab listing: gifting compensation, Instagram platform, beauty/skincare interest category, 5K-50K follower range
3. Sets deliverables: 1 Instagram post + 2 stories
4. Recommends making it public so creators apply (saves invitation credits)
5. Explains how to assign products and fulfill through Shopify once creators are accepted Result: Complete gifting Collab ready to receive applications from beauty micro-influencers

Example 2: Maximize response rates on creator invitations

User says: "I'm on the VIP plan with 60 credits but only 3 influencers responded to my invitations last month" Skill does:

1. Reviews common reasons for low response: generic invitation message, creator not active, poor brand-creator fit, wrong niche
2. Recommends checking creator's recent activity and post dates before inviting
3. Suggests personalizing each invitation message — reference specific content the creator posted
4. Advises focusing credits on creators who have been active in the last 30 days
5. Recommends supplementing with public Collabs (free, no credits needed) to attract inbound applications Result: Actionable plan to improve invitation response rates and better use limited credits

Example 3: Choose the right Afluencer plan

User says: "I'm just starting with influencer marketing — should I go with the free plan or pay for VIP?" Skill does:

1. Explains free plan limitations: 1 credit/day, no premium filters, no live support
2. Recommends starting free to test the platform — post a public Collab and see what applications come in
3. If applications are promising, upgrade to VIP ($49/mo) for 60 credits and premium filters
4. Notes Boss ($199/mo) is only worth it for the highest credit allocation (150/mo), monthly strategy calls, and monthly newsletter feature — skip unless you want maximum exposure and hands-on guidance
5. Compares to alternatives: Heepsy ($49/mo) for more discovery, Modash ($199/mo) for Shopify-first workflow Result: Clear plan recommendation based on budget and experience level

Troubleshooting

No influencers responding to invitations

Symptom: Sending invitations but getting zero or very few responses Cause: Generic invitation messages, inviting inactive creators, poor brand-creator fit, or unappealing Collab offer Solution: Check the creator's last post date — skip anyone inactive for 30+ days. Personalize each invitation message (reference their content, explain why they're a fit). Make sure your Collab offer is compelling — gifting alone may not attract quality creators. Consider posting public Collabs instead of relying solely on outbound invitations, since inbound applications from interested creators have higher conversion rates.

Influencers listed as active but haven't posted in months

Symptom: You find a creator in the directory who looks promising, but their social profiles show no recent activity Cause: Afluencer doesn't automatically remove or flag inactive creators from the directory Solution: Always verify a creator's actual social profiles before using an invitation credit. Check their last post date on Instagram/TikTok/YouTube. If they haven't posted in 60+ days, skip them. Focus on creators with consistent recent posting (3+ posts in the last 2 weeks).

Shopify products not syncing to Afluencer

Symptom: Connected Shopify store but products aren't showing up in Afluencer Cause: Sales channel not properly connected, or product visibility settings in Shopify aren't configured for the Afluencer channel Solution: Go to My Account → Sales Channels and verify the Shopify connection is active. In Shopify admin, check that your products are set to "Available" for the Afluencer sales channel (Products → select product → Sales channels and apps). If products still don't appear, disconnect and reconnect the Shopify integration.