Let’s chat negotiation when it comes to brand deals... there you are with your laptop, ice coffee, and messy bun early in the morning replying to a tsunami of emails, and all of a sudden you find yourself going back and forth with a brand on pricing.
If you’re creating, pitching, negotiating, and landing partnerships all by yourself? You go, girl!
It can be overwhelming, confusing, and awkward when it comes to talking money with a brand but it doesn’t have to be. You’re a business. Are you shocked? If you didn’t know… you do now! You’ve got a business and this is just the name of the game.
There are a few key points to think about when negotiating so I went ahead and broke them down for you…
Know your worth!
This one is hard if you’re a people pleaser...guilty! A brand comes to you with a rate for the campaign and it’s honestly embarrassingly low but you don’t wanna say no or seem rude so you accept the ant size compensation and feel a sense of unworthiness the whole time? NOT ANYMORE.
Today, we are trained to think that numbers next to our name or the number of likes on a picture qual value and it certainly does not. Let me say that one more time for the people in the back, your numbers on social media does not equal value.
Okay, now that we got that cleared up. It’s important to understand that you’re providing a service. If a brand is wanting to work with you to promote or create then that’s amazing!
Pay attention to how long it takes you to style, shoot, and edit your content.
What kind of camera are you using?
Are you paying for a photographer?
Are you driving to a location(s) and how far away are they?
What are the brand’s deliverables?
These are questions you should be asking yourself! Being a blogger/influencer isn’t all smile, pose add magic preset! It takes planning and lots of time!
Do your research
Have a media-kit that explains your analytics properly
Understand what things take time and price accordingly
Ask for their budget
Be flexible but don’t give the goods away
Be respectful
Insentavice is key
Do your research
You must be knowledgeable about the brand you’re partnering with! Overall it’s a smart thing to know who you’re supporting and representing but it’s also key when asking for payment.
Small companies will most likely have a smaller marketing budget. Pay attention to this when giving your rate for the deliverables.
Ask for their budget!
When you’re unsure of what to charge it’s sometimes almost always easier to get right to the point and ask the brand what their current budget for the campaign is.
Example:
“Thank you so much (insert brand name) for reaching out! I would love the chance to partner with you and I believe our audiences would make a great fit (insert a reason why your audiences would make a great fit - remember you did your research)
To move forward with this potential partnership I’d love to know what your current budget is for the campaign for this campaign?
Best,
(your name)
Be respectful
No one likes a bratty blogger! It’s one thing to stand up for yourself but it’s another to be rude towards a brand and shoot yourself in the foot for all future collaborations.
For some companies, influencer marketing is a whole new ball game! Think about it… when most companies wanted advertisements they’d hire some beautiful models which would include a studio or location, makeup and hair team, and of course a photographer.
So this influencer thing can be a little tricky for a brand to navigate too!
If a brand and you don’t see eye to eye that’s okay! There’s always going to be a better fit for you anyways.
Have a Media-Kit
Your media-kit is pretty much a blogger/influencer resume! It tells the brand who you are, what you do, your analytics, and all about your audience. This takes a lot of the guess work out for a brand. You appear more professional and in turn, have a better chance of working with them vs. someone else!
I make custom media-kits for bloggers so feel free to get yours here
Incentive is key
I am going to give credit to my husband on this one! He’s a full-time entrepreneur and business maven. He always tells me you want to make it hard for someone to say no!
That’s where a good incentive comes in.
Some good incentives could be you throw in an extra IG Feed post or Story?
I personally send an online image gallery to the brand so they have extra high-quality photos to use for their marketing needs.
Outfit details:
Top by Forever 21, Hat by Forever 21, Skirt by Nasty Gal, Earrings by Nasty Gal
I hope these tips help you the next time you're negotiating!
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