How to Earn Money as a Micro-Creator

One of the top questions I receive on my platform is "How did you start making money as a micro-creator?" When I say one of the top questions, I seriously mean that I get this question every single day. So, I figured 'what better place to write out my process than on my blog?' This way, everyone has access to a detailed and instructional post for references when dealing with paid partnerships!

Before I get into it, I know that when you are first starting out with brand collaborations you can be eager to get as many as possible without thinking about the terms. To give you an idea, I turn down far more collaborations than I accept, because I want to work with brands that care about their consumers and collaborators. You should also be aware of maintaining authentic representation with brands you work with. The more you advertise on your platform with low quality partnerships, the less eager brands will be to give you paid partnerships.

Here are a few things to keep in mind prior to asking for money from a brand:

1) What is your engagement like? Do you understand how to read your metrics appropriately? (Alternate post)

2) Have you calculated your engagement rate? Did you know that this matters to how much money you can ask for from a brand? (Alternate post)

3) Is this product something you truly believe in selling to your audience or are you taking the deal to get free product and payment?

Now that we've got some bases covered, let's chat about how to approach brands for payment for your partnerships!

A brand approaches you and is asking you for a collaboration. You are excited about working with this brand because you love their products and believe that your followers can benefit from them as well! These are a few steps to follow to ensure you effectively communicate your expectations:

1) Set up a payment structure:

Based on the work you have done with other brands and the PR you received, what does that look like for you? Below I will provide my current payment structure through paid and unpaid partnerships as an example. Disclaimer: Please keep in mind that I have been doing paid collaborations for several months and this payment structure has changed many times. Everyone will have different payment structures based on their engagement rate (which I will discuss in another post):

• 1 feed post and stories: $150+ (Plus PR or equivalent PR, shipping, handling, etc)

• 1 reel and stories: $250+ (Plus PR or equivalent PR, shipping, handling, etc)

• 1 feed post and a reel: $300+ (Plus PR or equivalent PR, shipping, handling, etc)

Note: These will likely change based on the contracts and negotiations with a company. Go in with expectations, but know that they are likely to change.

2) Mock Email:

Emailing a company back can be the most difficult part. Sometimes it's hard to know what to say without overselling or underselling yourself! Here is mockup of an email I would typically send!

"Hello *Insert Name of Representative*,

Thank you for reaching out to me with regards to a collaboration with Brand X! I have seen your products advertised across various platforms and I would be happy to discuss a collaboration!

With regards to my current collaborations, my payment and PR structure is as follows:

*Insert payment structure from point 1*

I would be happy to hear your thoughts with regards to your expectations of collaboration. Please know that I am flexible with my payment structure, however I would like to find a point in which we are both satisfied working together!

I look forward to hearing from you!

All the best,

*Your Name*"

3) Don't be disappointed if you don't hear back!

I can't stress this one ENOUGH! If the brand "ghost's" you... well... they're just a shitty brand to be working with. The least they could do is answer back with a "thank you, but we are not interested". Take it as a win, because you shouldn't be working with brands that do not prioritize consumer involvement. Remember, you're doing them a HUGE favour!!! Most marketing campaigns cost thousands of dollars and reach far less people. NEVER undersell yourself. If it doesn't feel right, move on; better opportunities will come your way!

I hope these few pointers help get you started! As always, leave me a comment below or send me a DM if you have any questions!

- Julia