Keep it real with me for a minute. Has any of the following happened to you before?
You gave a brand your rates and they said they were too high
A brand said they wanted to “test out a partnership first” before doing a paid partnership
A brand only offered an affiliate or commission-based compensation in exchange for a load of deliverables
You seem to only 4-figure partnerships here and there and can’t figure out a system for doing this consistently
If I the answer is yes, then I’m sure you’ve probably also had thoughts like “If I can just reach x amount of followers” or “I need to be posting everyday then I’ll get the brand deals I want,” right? Na. Don't let these influencers and "gurus" give you false advice that will run you into the ground.
The truth is, you don’t need any of that. The real reason you aren’t securing 4-figure+ deals is because there is a disconnect between what your value is and what a brand believes your value is.
Listen, it is your responsibility to communicate to a brand the value of working with you if you’re a) pitching or b) want them to pay you significantly more than what they offer you.
“But how do I do that?”
From working on the corporate side of brand partnerships to being a creator like you, I’ve found that there are 4 things that make up your value as a creator when it comes to brands. These are the things that affect how much you get paid as a creator:
Your service offerings (i.e. content, audience access, etc)
How well you communicate your services, as it relates to the brand’s objectives & goals
The current market demand for the services you offer a brand
The depth & strength of your brand relationships
Everything I listed out above is what has helped me land 4-figure+ deals with brands like Google, Zappos, Asics, Brooks Running and more as a nano-influencer with less than 7k followers.
It’s the same framework I use when helping other creators negotiate. It’s helped them display their value and lock in premium deals with household brand names.
Interested in learning how you can secure premium brand deals as a creator with a small following? Subscribe to my newsletter where I share strategies & lessons I've learned from working on the brand side to being a creator working with brands. Expect deep dives on positioning, pitching, negotiating & developing authentic relationships that yield 4-figure+ deals. See you there :)
Rooting for you,
Taylor