How To Work With Brands

I’ve talked about How To Be an Influencer, so if you missed that blog post I will link it here!

One of my favorite parts about being an ~ influencer ~ is the ability to work with brands.

So, today I will be diving into how to get your name in their email inbox to land these brand deals.

1. Be a content creator in some way

Whether you are a blogger, YouTuber, TikToker, podcaster, or Instagrammer, you should be making content consistently on some social media platform. In other words, make sure you have established yourself as a brand so that brands know they can trust you to deliver content for them in exchange for a product or service.

2. Make sure you align with their brand

The goal of a brand’s marketing team is to partner with influencers that align with the brand’s values in order to spread their message. Therefore, you should be posting content that is similar or in line with what the brand is about. An easy example to explain this is, if you aren’t posting fitness/ wellness content, it may not be most fit to reach out to a brand like Outdoor Voices, an athletic clothing line.

However, if you find yourself wanting to work with a brand that you don’t appear to align with on your social presence- start making content that would make sense for them to want to be apart of.

3. Create a Media Kit

A media kit is basically your social media resume. It is a document that resembles a portfolio that you send off to brands in hopes that they want to work with you!

Your media kit will contain your social media following across platforms that you want to collaborate on, your audience, what you have to offer, brands you have worked within the past, and your prices.

For a more in-depth tutorial on how to make a media kit, check out my blog post here.

4. Follow and interact with the brand on social media

Authentic brands want to work with people that are organically interested in the brand. So, follow the brand on social media and comment on their pics! Even tag them in your stories and Instagram feed to show that you support them. This will work to your benefit when you end up reaching out and they recognize your username.

5. Send the brand an email pitch

This is the step you’ve built up to. To find the PR email for a brand, go to their Instagram, and hit “email.” Then an email draft will appear with their email in the recipient line. From here screenshot/ write down that contact email. It won’t always be their PR team though. So, you can email them asking to be connected with their PR/ marketing team.

In the email that you are pitching to the brand to work with them, you should include

• WHO you are

• WHAT you do (content creation, etc.)

• WHY you want to work with them

• WHAT you can do for them

• WHERE they can find you online (hyperlink your website or social media platform)

• Include your media kit

• Signature

All of these components are equally important. However, what you can do for the brand is the most important. That is what they get out of working with you! Are you going to incorporate their brand into a self-care routine? Are you going to take high-quality pictures of their products for your Instagram that they could use in advertising?

Whatever you are suggesting, make sure it provides value!

6. Execute

Once you’ve landed a deal with a brand, make sure you are reliable and actually execute the trade of services. Whether they are paying you or just sending you free product, make sure to deliver what you promised. DO NOT be the greedy influencer that brands are skeptical of, that just take the product and do not deliver on their end of the bargain.

7. Send pitches to more than one brand

They always say 1/10 emails will be a yes.. or something like that. So, reach out to multiple brands you love in order to get a yes! Do not be discouraged if someone says no right now though, you can always follow up later and ask again!

I hope this was helpful! I love working with brands. It is also something I can look forward to working towards.

If you want more advice on Becoming an Influencer and working with brands make sure to check out my ebook!