POOR RESPONSE
I charge $XXX per post. Does that work?
Triple your NIL earnings with this painless negotiation framework
Effectively negotiate moneymaking sponsorships with these 7 tips. They’ll help you build more meaningful relationships with sponsors, preserve your brand value, and avoid getting taken advantage of.
I have negotiated several deals to over 3x the original offer with this exact process.
Feel free to copy and paste the wording right from this article!
The goal is not to simply trick people into paying you more.
The goal is to build partnerships that benefit both you and the brand.
You’ll often need to stand up for your worth and your work. Here are 7 tips to negotiate great brand deals!
UNDERSTAND THE BRAND
#1: Prepare Before You Scare
Start by doing 5-10 minutes of research on the company to better understand your audience. See what you find on their company website and social media accounts, and get an impression of their marketing strategy,
- Who is the brand targeting?
- What are their ads like?
- How has the brand used influencer marketing so far?
Consider how you would fit into the communications strategy in a way that uplifts your personal brand and provides value to the company.
#2: Listen First
Try to comprehend a brand representative’s viewpoint before sharing your own.
Ask direct questions to your point of contact. For example…
What are your goals for this campaign?
What would make this partnership a success for you?
What type of content are you looking for?
These questions show you have the brand’s best interest at heart.
The answers position you to share more meaningful ideas, and this increases your value to the brand.
It allows you to negotiate more tactfully and helps make the partnership more successful!
#3: Assess Your Leverage
Try to figure out how much leverage you have in the situation. How badly does the brand want YOU?
Can the brand easily sign an alternative influencer to work with?
Vanilla Beach Pastries wants you to join their national cupcake day campaign. The marketing team is looking for 50-75 influencers to help create buzz.
Instructions are to visit the shop and create an IG story with @vanillabeachpastries, #CelebrateWithCake, and #NothingBeatsVanillaBeach. They will pay you $50 after your content goes live on National Cupcake Day.
Negotiating would be difficult because Vanilla Beach Pastries could easily find others who would be happy to post for the budgeted amount.
Saffron Sunset is a premium video editing software, and they are looking to partner with several creators who post videography content. The brand loves your TikToks and wants you to create 2-3 videos per month for the next few months. They would promote your videos using TikTok ads, and they are also interested in using the content you create on their website.
While there may be several other creators that Saffron Sunset is interested in working with, they reached out for a good reason.
There are several pieces to negotiate here, including the overall price, usage rights, ad permissions, total number of videos, and length of the partnership. Communicate why you are the perfect fit, share stellar video ideas, and stand up for your worth. You might be able to curate a great partnership!
Colossal Wave Sports is a national sports equipment company with a large advertising budget. They heard about your story and believe you are a perfect fit for a commercial for their new advertising campaign. The filming day is in 3 months.
You’re a top choice, so you have greater negotiating power. Plus, there is adequate time and room in the budget to negotiate the deal details.
NEGOTIATE PRICING
#4: Ask for the brand’s budget
Learn about their brand’s budget first, so you don’t leave money on the table!
EXAMPLE
What are your rates for ______?
GOOD
RESPONSE
Thanks so much for reaching out. Could you please offer more details on your budget and timeline?
I’d also love to hear more about your goals for this partnership. I am excited about the opportunity!
Try to figure out how much leverage you have in the situation. How badly does the brand want YOU?
Can the brand easily sign an alternative influencer to work with?
#5: Start with big numbers
Sometimes you have to throw out a number first. If so, start significantly higher than the lowest price you would accept.
Rule of thumb: DOUBLE the price you’d be happy with.
Yes, an agent told me to do this.
Yes, it often works!
Starting high leaves room to negotiate without disappointment. Plus, the brand could say yes, and that’d be totally awesome!
Always reinforce why you are perfect for the partnership
Many people who reach out to you are from PR agencies that are experts in influencer marketing. It’s their job to book the best fitting people for their client’s campaigns, and they must stay within the advertiser’s budget.
Be aware that if you throw out outrageous numbers, they might move on to the next influencer unless you have something truly special to offer. Communicate your strengths!
Quick psychological tip: say a large number before your price.
The second number will feel small, and your rate will seem like a deal.
EXAMPLE
For brand collaborations on my Instagram account with 16,700 followers, I typically charge upwards of $500 per post, depending on the specific partnership details.
Could you please send over a contract, so I can review the usage rights, exclusivity, and timeline?
Just make sure your price is reasonable. For example, saying you have 1,500 followers and charge $800 per post won’t work.
THINK LONG-TERM
#6: Build Relationships
Always aim to build a positive relationship with the brand representative during the negotiation process. Respond quickly with clear and concise language. Most importantly, be friendly and use an inviting tone!
Preserve your reputation as someone who is kind and easy to work with.
EXAMPLE
The brand makes an offer that feels too low
POOR RESPONSE
I never accept payment below $500 for collaborations.
GOOD
RESPONSE
I would love to work with [brand], but I charge $500 for the deliverables you mentioned. Does your budget allow for an increased price?
If not, perhaps we can find a creative solution that benefits both of us. For example, I’d be happy to move the collaboration from Instagram Reels to Stories. I look forward to hearing from you.
EXAMPLE
The brand invites you to an ambassadorship program
POOR RESPONSE
Sorry, I only accept paid collaborations. Let me know if that is an option.
GOOD
RESPONSE
Thanks for reaching out! I would love to work together.
I specialize in custom content creation for brands, and I do charge for advertising services on my page.
[Brand] could get further creative control, and I am happy to grant usage rights to share my content on your page and in paid advertising (for an agreed-upon length of time).This way, you would get a guaranteed number of high-quality posts instead of random ambassador shoutouts.
Let me know your thoughts. I am happy to send along some ideas or jump on a call to discuss.
Excited about this opportunity!
This one is fire! I’ve turned so many ambassador offers into paid partnerships with this message. Shoutout to Justin Moore at Creator Wizard for inspiration.
#7: Leave the door open for future negotiations
Always aim to build a positive relationship with the brand representative during the negotiation process.
Respond quickly with clear and concise language.
Most importantly, be friendly and use an inviting tone!
EXAMPLE
I don’t believe the current offer is in my best interest. Please let me know if the team decides to allocate higher resources to influencer marketing, and I will be sure to reach out if something changes on my end. I hope we can work together in the future!
This exact wording helped me get a brand to increase their offer from $300 to $975!
If the brand was just being stubborn, you’ve politely given them one more chance to get you on board.
Be kind, so you stay on their radar for future opportunities.
BONUS TIP
Avoid repeating the details of the offer if you want the brand to change them – the more they see it the more real it feels! BUT if you are happy with the offer, repeat the deliverables to prevent miscommunication.
If you don’t hear back, follow up several days later!
Don’t lose a potential partnership just because someone missed an email or both sides forgot to follow up!
#7 Look over the contract carefully
Remember, you are negotiating what appears on the contract, and the contract is a legal document.
Look out for any red flags in the contract, and it is always a good idea to have an expert review your contracts.
You have the power to create great partnerships with the brands you love.
Mindful negotiation can be the vehicle that gets you there.
WHOO WHOOOO!
Once you have gathered adequate information about the brand, the partnership details, and your compensation package, decide if you want to go through with the collaboration. Is signing the deal a beneficial decision for your personal brand and well-being in the long run?
If you need help finding clarity, check out these resources.
Remember, if you don’t want to deal with the negotiation process at all, you can hire an agent to do it for you.