Gather close now because we have the inside scoop from a former campaign manager that is going to teach all the aspiring influencer girlies how to get brand deals. 

Consider her your Charlie’s (Marketing) Angel because she was a influencer marketing aficionado and spent the majority of her early career helping big brands and influencers of all follower counts connect for brand deals. 

Keep reading because you’re about to get exclusive tips and tricks that will help any small influencer wondering “How do I get brand deals?”

In the world of social media, influencers are clearly on the rise in how brands choose to spend their marketing budget. It doesn’t matter what platform you’re shamelessly doom-scrolling on, there’s bound to be a brand deal post within just a couple of scrolls.

While some influencers, like Alix Earle, skyrocketed to fame and seem to have brands flocking to them to post about their product, this is not the case for the average influencer. It’s no secret that this can give aspiring creators the false impression that you need millions of followers before getting a brand deal.

Well, we’re here to tell you it's time to block your imposter syndrome and follow the 5 tips below to know how to get brand deals.

Small Influencers Pack the Strongest Punch

First things first, we need to be real for a sec. Macro and mega-influencers are still crushing brand deals. But, brands will keep prioritizing deals with smaller creators for many reasons.

Strength in Small Numbers

In the eyes of brands, big things do in fact come in small packages. 

Sure, mega-creators like Emma Chamberlain know how to get brand deals for almost anything. But, smart brands rely on smaller creators to post about their products. They do this based on the trust these creators have built with their followers.

Working with smaller influencers allows brands to connect with their target audience on a deeper level and get a wealth of consumer insights. 

Smaller influencers tend to have a cult-like following and a strong foundation of trust built with their followers. But that trust isn’t built in just one day. 

Birds of a Feather, Niche Audiences Stick Together

The feeds of micro-influencers are typically inspired by the creator’s real-life niche passion. This passion naturally translates into key features that all great creators have; authentic storytelling, authentic engagement with their audience, and more authentic product reviews. 

Can you tell where we’re going with this?

Authenticity is key and it's what your dream brand is looking for!

Brands know that even though the audience size may be smaller, the commitment these followers have to the nano or micro-influencers that they follow will allow them to tap into a niche demographic that will:

1. Wholeheartedly support this creator (hello higher engagement rates) 
2. More likely to be genuinely interested and buy their product (Alexa, play Money, Money, Money by ABBA)

Mega-Influencers versus Small-Influencers: Aka the Modern-Day David and Goliath

Creators with more followers have more sponsored posts on their feed. The posts may not even be about their passions and interests. Having more of these disconnected sponsored posts is not a good look. Audiences can see right through their smoke and mirrors.

This can easily lead their audiences to question their authenticity and lead to an increased level of distrust towards macro and mega-influencers.

After catastrophic mega-influencer events like Mascaragate shook up the influencer world, it became clear that authenticity is hard to come by with larger creators. This is a cost that most brands aren’t willing to eat just to get their product posted by big-name influencers.

Luckily for smaller creators, this put the brightest and most positive spotlight on them, leading brands to adjust their influencer partnership strategy from “How to get brand deals with big influencers” to “How to get brand deals with small influencers.”

What Goes Up Must Come Down: The Downfall of the Big Name Creator

According to Influencer Marketing Hub’s May 2024 Report, brands are heavily drawing back from partnering with macro and mega-influencers and are rushing to work with nano and micro-influencers. 

The proof is in the pudding, or in this case, the brand preference. The same report by Influencer Marketing Hub stated that more than 75% of brands prefer to work with nano and micro-influencers while fewer than 25% of brands seek influencer partnerships with macro and mega-influencers.

As a small creator, authenticity, trust, more passion, (more energy, more footwork) with your followers are the secret ingredients to unlocking how to get brand deals.

Brands want to work with small influencers, but why are they playing hard to get and gatekeeping how to get brand deals?

Besties keep scrolling because these next 5 tips are so simple but key for small creators to know how to get brand deals. 

5 Insider Tips on How to Get Brand Deals

Tip #1: Develop a High-Quality Content Style & Be Consistent!

By now, you probably see why brands want to work with smaller influencers. But, it's important to dig into what kind of smaller creators they want for brand deals. Psst - this goes beyond just having a niche interest and loyal followers.

So what does that mean for smaller creators wanting to know how to get brand deals? 

It’s 2024 and high-quality content is now king.

And because it’s 2024, that means the tools to create stellar content are more accessible than ever!

If You’re Not Using These Video and Photo Editing Apps… Good Luck, Babe.

Trying to become a creator in a saturated market can be intimidating. But, it’s also one of the best things for influencers who want their first brand deal.

As the number of influencers continues to grow, the demand for editing apps has surged to keep up with the market's popularity and needs.

Video editing apps like CapCut and iMovie are not only free, but they are super simple to use and allow influencers on any budget to make their videos look professional.

For photo editing apps, influencers can take it back to the good ole days and use VSCO, or up their game by using beginner-friendly apps like Pixlr, Canva, and Lightroom.

Not only do great influencers have high-quality content, but they also are consistent with their content style! Our Charlie’s (Marketing) Angel worked at an influencer marketing agency and spoke with brands a lot. Nothing catches their eyes more than influencers who keep a strong, high-quality style in their feed.

Tip #2: Know Your Worth

If you want to know how to get brand deals, you need to have your ducks in a row. Part of this means knowing your worth!

Influencer marketing is confusing to navigate. It's hard to know how to get brand deals. This is true for both the brand and the influencer! While this can be scary, it can also work in the influencer’s favor.

It's smart for influencers wanting to know how to get brand deals to research typical rates for someone within their follower tier. Agencies and brands will want to lock down compensation early in the brand deal process.

Platforms like Clara for Creators are great resources. They help influencers connect with other creators. They also dive into pay transparency and talk about brand deal opportunities. 

Pro Tip for the Girlies: Create a Rate Card to share with brands and agencies! Make sure to have fun with it and let your personality shine through! We suggest using Canva to look up templates or start from scratch and create your own rate card. Here’s an example for our besties below.

Tip #3: Up Your Bio Game ASAP

One of the most underrated things an influencer can do is take 10 seconds to do the following:

Put your location in your bio! More often than not, brands and agencies want to work with influencers in certain areas.

Brands don’t need to know your exact address. However, adding your location to your bio can be a game-changer. 

The second most powerful thing to put in your bio is your business email. This may seem like an obvious one, but campaign managers can spend countless hours searching for an influencer’s email if its not directly in their bio.

A word to the wise: Be sure to include these two key pieces of information your bio to avoid the risk of being overlooked by the campaign manager.

If you take anything away from this tip, remember that visibility is key!

Tip 4: Community is Everything

As we touched on before, brands can be just as lost in navigating the influencer marketing world. That's why it’s so important to make it a (Branding) Brat Summer and tap into communities where you can pitch yourself. 

You should reach out to influencer marketing agencies like OpenInfluence, CreatorIQ, and Captiv8. Tell them who you are, show them your best work, and let them know what types of brands you want to work with. And don't forget your rate card!

Agencies and their platforms are built for brands. But, agencies are still an influencer’s bff. They are always on the hunt for influencers to partner with their brands (a win-win situation)!

Email Template for the Girlies: Agency Outreach Edition

"Hi [Agency]!

I am [name], a [niche] and [niche] micro-influencer! I’ve seen [Agency] do incredible work with brands like [Brand 1], [Brand 2], and [Brand 3].  I'd love to be connected with the campaign managers who contract for these brands and other [niche] partnerships! 

I’ve attached my rate card which includes videos from my Instagram and TikTok that showcase my ability to create stellar [niche] content, as well as my average engagement rates (87%) for these videos.

Please let me know if [niche] partnerships are available or if there is an in-house network I can sign-up for to stay top of mind for future collaborations!

Best,

[Name]"

Another, but more saturated method is to reach out directly to brands on Instagram and TikTok. 

Pro Tip for the Girlies: Use the following template to help your DM stand out!

Tip #5: Communication is Key

So you’ve reached out to agencies and your dream brands. Now what?

Send follow-ups to the agencies and brands you already contacted!

The squeaky wheel does get the oil in this case. But don’t bombard their DMs to show your eagerness.

Influencer marketing agencies and brand partnership teams are working in a fast world. Even though you may have been ghosted with your initial message, keep shooting your shot! Your contact was likely too busy at that moment to reply.

Reaching back out at least once a month is a great way to stay top of mind. It shows the right people that you’re interested and passionate about your work.

Please Please Please Keep Communicating: A Letter from Every Campaign Manager

Being a great communicator doesn’t stop after the outreach process. We’re going to hold your hands while we say this - keep this same energy once a brand or agency reaches out for a brand deal.

We know we sound like a broken record, but influencer partnerships and campaigns move extremely fast. It’s going to be in your best benefit to reply quickly and be transparent with the campaign manager about when you can provide updates or realistically submit your deliverables. 

The person from the brand or agency who contacted you for a brand deal will love you if you're on it with your replies. They’re more likely to remember you and keep you in mind for future campaigns if you're a great communicator.

Conclusion

Now that you know how to get brand deals, it’s time to start shooting your shot!  We can’t wait to hear how these 5 exclusive tips work for you. 

Best of luck, bestie!  

✍️ Written by Sophia Martinez