Book excerpt: The Influencer Code is the essential reference for any company looking to leverage the power of influencers to elevate their brand and grow their business. From Fortune 500s to local fitness studios, whether you offer financial services or sell donuts, reaching today's consumers is more complicated than ever. More and more, marketers are reaching out to people who style themselves "influencers": those people who have a big—and, more importantly—loyal audience ready to hear what they have to say about anything. Yet despite "influencer marketing" fast becoming one of the biggest buzz terms of the decade, it couldn't be more misunderstood. Written by an accomplished entrepreneur, professor, and award-winning YouTube star, The Influencer Code breaks down the biggest myths that brands are getting wrong and shows you how to get it right by defining and showcasing what true influencer marketing is and how to leverage it to achieve your business goals in a simple yet powerful 3-step code. The Influencer Code simplifies the complex world of influencer marketing, covering how to research, evaluate, and employ the right influencers for their markets, as well as how to legally and strategically integrate them into marketing campaigns to achieve specific goals. The future of marketing depends on forming authentic partnerships between brands and influencers. The go-to resource for all things influencer marketing, The Influencer Code is your shortcut to making that future a reality.