Landing Your First Brand Deal
Turns out your first brand deal is way more accessible than you think, and you don't need to become an embarrassing sellout to get it.
Look, the idea of writing a blog post about brand partnerships does not excite me. In general, paid partnerships aren't a thrilling concept I’m dying to cover, especially when I think of all the other business strategies and opportunities worth exploring, but they're an inevitable and foundational building block to a thriving Creator business so here we fucking go.
First and foremost let’s reminds ourselves that brand deals don't have to be obnoxious or uninspired.
It's not all just formulaic HelloFresh reads. You can use this opportunity to really get fired up about how brands can amplify your message, boost your visibility, push you to find a fresh angle for your content, and genuinely offer value to your community, all while making a couple bucks.
So what are the signs you're ready to get in the paid partnership space?
You're posting consistently on socials (not perfectly, but regularly).
People are engaging with your content (commenting, sharing, messaging you directly).
You've found your niche, and know what kind of content you make.
Brands or products naturally fit into your content strategy without it feeling forced.
Checking those boxes? Then it’s time to embrace your inner analytical nerd and dive a level deeper into the data of your business. Figure out your engagement rate, who your audience actually is, and what kind of reach you're getting, then throw together a simple media kit. Nothing fancy, just compile your high-level stats and what makes you fun/cool/unique. Even if those numbers feel small, own them. A brand would rather work with 1,000 engaged fans than 100,000 ghost-robots.
Next, get curious about your first deals. This part is actually fun because your first deals should come from businesses you already love. Make a list of brands you're basically giving free advertising to anyway. Obsessed with that energy drink? That skincare line? Those weird graphic tees? Perfect. Authentic partnerships can seamlessly integrate into your work flow.
Once you have your conquests mapped out, start featuring those brands in your content and tagging them. This does two things: shows you're a pro who knows about their business, AND gives those brands a preview of what working with you looks like. It's a try-before-you-buy for partnerships. You're also asserting yourself as a creative who delivers partnered content and introducing the proof of concept as part of your overall strategy / profile.
Be strategic and shoot your shot the right way by starting with smaller brands. They’re less intimidating and they’ll actually reply to DMs, you're not getting lost in some corporate void. When you’re sliding into their DMs your pitch should be short and sweet: intro yourself, rave about why you love them (but make it sincere), explain what you can do for them, and throw out some specific ideas. Focus on what YOU bring to the table, not what you want from them.
While you’re at it, it’s also worth checking out platforms like Aspire, Creator.co, #paid, and Collabstr (they all work in Canada). These are basically matchmaking apps for creators and brands, and they can take some of the awkward cold-pitching out of the equation.
Your first deal might be just free product, or a modest $100. Take it anyway. Every partnership teaches you something and adds to your portfolio. Plus, that "free stuff" becomes proof that real brands trust you. You gotta start somewhere.
You won't stay at $100 deals forever. The evolution usually looks something like this: you start with “gifted products” (free stuff), then move to $100-500 for smaller posts, then $500-2,000 as your engagement grows and you're demonstrating proven results. Once you're consistently hitting strong engagement and have a portfolio of successful campaigns, you can push into $2,000-5,000+ territory. After you've completed 3-5 brand deals successfully and can show measurable results, then you can start asking for more, that's when you've got a bit of leverage. Brands have seen you deliver, you understand the process, and you can point to actual data that proves your worth.
Finally, overdeliver. When you land that first deal, blow their fucking minds. Extra content, detailed analytics, go above and beyond. This is how you get repeat clients, glowing testimonials, and referrals. Word of mouth in the creator economy is everything.
Everyone's first brand deal felt like a big scary, maybe even embarrassing pursuit. But it's just another skill you learn by showing up and doing the damn thing. So pick one action item from this list and do it this week. Create that media kit, reach out to one brand, or whip up sample content. The only wrong move is doing nothing. Brand partnerships can be a fun way to introduce new formats, experiment with different creative angles, and build a sustainable business around what you love to do. You deserve partners who value your work, and you absolutely deserve to get paid for the community you've built and the creativity you bring. Get ‘emmmm.
Photo by Jake Banasik on Unsplash