Working with Brands: Introduction

The big question for micro-bloggers: "How do I start working with brands?"

Whether these collaborations are paid or gifted, there are several things to keep in mind when being approached or approaching a brand.

This post will be the first in a series that discusses working with brands. Although I would love to write everything you need to know in this one blog post, there are far too many topics to cover, so I thought I would start with... how to start!

First and foremost, take my advice with a grain of salt. What worked for me may not work for you or your endgame, but I have worked in marketing relations and collaboration outreach in the past (before even beginning my IG account); so you could say I know a thing or two about what goes on in the background.

I'm going to break this post down into three sections:

1) What to look for in a brand if they are reaching out to you 2) How to reach out to brands that YOU want to work with

3) Red Flags and brands you should not work with...yikes

#1 - What to Look for in a Brand that is Reaching Out to You

• Are they addressing you by name and have they taken the time to review your content? It's SO important that they see real value in working with you. If they are actually impressed with what you are doing with your platform, there is a better chance of working long term

• Are they willing to send you the product free of charge and include shipping/handling/ import fees? I cannot stress enough that you should NEVER work for free. Content creation can take hours and the sooner you realize that you're doing the brand a favour, the sooner you'll start to see worth in your own marketing strategy

• Do you truly believe in advocating for this product & will your platform benefit; are you being authentic or are you just excited to get free products? Your followers will see right through you if you don't actually believe in the product that you are advertising. You will see this in your engagement statistics as well the personal code usage from your followers

• Is the brand willing to negotiate terms or are they being unrealistic in their asking? This is a whole other blog post, but make sure you stay true to yourself! Don't sell yourself short. Brands that want to work with you will go out of their way to meet your needs (or at the very least, the middle)

#2 - How Can I Reach Out to Brands that I Want to Work With?

• First and foremost, create a media kit. There are lots of wonderful options online that already have the templates created. Include a short bio, a few of your best performing posts and their insights, and provide your engagement rate. I will have a post on media kits coming shortly that goes into more detail! Think of them as a way of selling YOUR OWN brand!

• Do your research into brands that are being advertised by other micro-creators. I recommend reaching out to them via their social media account, because they will always provide you with a link to register for their programs if they are interested. Some examples include Stronger, LoungeWear, Mejuri, Aldo... pretty much any brand under the sun. Although many of these companies reach out themselves, there is absolutely no harm in messaging them first and letting them know that you are interested in collaborating. I will also be creating a post with regards to sample messages to send brands!

• Do NOT be worried or nervous! It can be intimidating reaching out to brands for fear of rejection. Let me tell you straight; they will never reject you. Almost all brands will send you links to sign up for affiliate partnerships in the future if they are not currently taking on new clients. Brands NEED your help! The exposure is so important to their identity!

#3 - RED FLAGS - Brands to Stay Away From

• Brands that ask you to pay. NONONONO.... NO. Some "brands" will reach out to you and tell you that you get a 30-80% discount on ANYTHING in store as long as you promote them on your platform. Friends... NEVER PAY for your work. You should not work for free, let alone pay someone else to advertise for them. You are worth more than crappy products from crappy people

• Brands that ask you to pay shipping. Again, just no. Any brand that works with you will pay for everything and go out of their way to ensure you are taken care of as a client

• Do not work with brands that low-ball you. Some companies will want to send you a pair of sunglasses worth $20 in exchange for 3 posts and 15 stories... Absolutely not! If you set this expectation for yourself, other brands will catch on and do the same. It is better to have less collaborations that are quality than to have 1000 crappy ones that cause you to over-work, your followers to be unhappy with your level of work, and your overall engagement to tank! You don't need that in your life!

I hope this short intro helped! If you enjoyed reading this blog post, let me know so that I can get a sense of other topics you would like me to discuss! Leave me a comment with any questions you may have...or DM me! You know where to find me!

XOXO,

Julia