How to Get Brand Deals As A Social Media Influencer

The latest research tells us that 89% of marketers are still down to work with social media influencers to promote their brands. Whether you’re a nano influencer or a mega one, it doesn’t matter. The chance is there. But now, how to get brand deals as an influencer?

That’s probably why you’re here, right? You want to know if brand deals for influencers are still a good way to make money from your social media content. 

Even though there are opportunities, it doesn’t mean it will be easy. It takes precise steps and strategies to get the best results. And that’s what we’ll explore in this article. 

Here, we’ll talk about how to attract more influencer brand deals to increase your earnings as a content creator. Can’t wait to find out? Read on!

How to Get Brand Deals as an Influencer

Here are steps to attract more brand deals as a social media influencer. You can use them in order or change them as you want.

1. Know Your Worth

Knowing your worth is the first step to getting a brand deal. To do this, you need to understand who you are and what you can offer your brand partner.

In simpler terms, it should always start with having the right mindset. For example, if you think being a social media influencer is only about having lots of followers, you’d better think again.

Even if you have under 10,000 followers, you can still be a good nano influencer. Interestingly, nano influencers get more engagements than mega influencers. A study showed they have a 4% engagement rate, while mega influencers only have 1.4%.

Simply put, if you’re a small influencer, your value comes from the chance of more interaction. But if you’re a mega influencer, your worth lies in reaching millions of followers. 

Tips to get brand deals:

• Use tools like Instagram follower trackers to understand your value
• Do competitive research and think about your unique skills or talents
• Check how much influencers in your area usually earn

2. Optimize Your Social Media Profiles

Think of your social media profile like an online business card, especially if you’re an influencer. It’s the first thing brands see, so it’s the first impression they have of you. So, make it look good.

A good profile brings more followers and makes brands want to work with you.

Now, how to get brand deals on Instagram with an awesome profile? Start with a good profile picture that shows what you’re all about. Your Instagram bio should tell people why you’re unique and why they should work with you. 

Need an example? Just take a look at @Ninja‘s profile. He’s all about gaming and streaming, as you can see in his bio. Because of his friendly personality, many brands also want to work with him, including Turtle Beach, Mixer, Uber Eats, Red Bull, and even State Farm.

Tips to attract brand deals:

• Use a high-quality profile picture
• Write a compelling bio with keywords
• Add a professional email for business inquiries
• Link to your portfolio or other social media accounts

3. Build a Standout Portfolio

“What? A portfolio?” Yes, you need a good portfolio to get brand deals as an influencer. This is especially true if you are an expert in a certain niche.

Why? Because your portfolio can show who you are and what you’re good at with real examples. This helps brands understand why they should work with you.

Look at @devonrodriguezart, an artist from New York City who paints people on the subway. He’s popular on TikTok with over 32 million followers. Big magazines like Forbes and The New York Times Style Magazine have written about him.

He made a portfolio website to show his best work and for brands to contact him for professional work. Until now, he’s been getting brand deals with Chipotle, Cheetos, and others.

Tips for getting influencer deals:

• Use high-quality images and describe them well
• Put in good testimonials from past work, if you have any
• Keep it up to date with new work or achievements

4. Keep Up with Industry Trends

The social media world keeps changing, customers’ buying habits always shift, and people crave new creative content. With all this, doing the same old thing just won’t cut it. 

Simply put, staying up-to-date with the latest trends is recommended on how to get brand deals as an influencer. For brands, working with influencers who understand what’s happening recently means they’re ahead of the competition. 

Keeping up with the trends helps you understand how to get good deals. For instance, a recent study by Oracle found that 37% of customers trust social media influencers more than brands. This means even nano influencers who fit the products can make the promotion strategy work.

Tips to attract brand deals:

• Follow top brands in your niche to see what they post
• Use tools to track trending hashtags
• Read reports and studies about your niche or audience
• Adjust your social media strategy based on new trends

5. Find the Right Brand for Your Niche

How can influencers secure brand deals that boost their personal brand? It’s all about picking the right brand. Bear in mind, your partnership with a brand can build or break your career as a social media influencer.

It’s okay to decline if a brand doesn’t align with your values or resonate with your audience. This might seem counterproductive. But it’s one of the best strategies on how to get brand deals in the long term.

Francesca Willow, also known as @ethicalunicorn, is a blogger who cares about the environment and has many followers on Instagram. She turned down a brand partnership offer from an oil and gas company because it didn’t match her audience and mission.

Tips to find the right brands:

• Make a list of brands you like
• Look into their previous partnerships with influencers
• Think about who the brand is trying to reach

6. Create Irresistible Brand Pitches

Your online profile, what you post, and how you interact with your followers show who you are as an influencer. If you think that’s not enough, make a plan for an influencer outreach. Yes, you need to be the one to start talking to them.

If you really want to do that, you need to make it irresistible. Don’t get it wrong. Brands get lots of pitches, so yours must be special. The key is to be clear and convincing, and show what makes you unique.

Tips to apply for brand deals:

• Don’t use mass emails; make each pitch personal
• Use facts to support your points
• Keep it straightforward, short, and convincing
• Simplify how you create a pitch by using a template

7. Join Influencer Platforms

Don’t want to ask for brand deals on your own? You can join an influencer platform. This strategy for getting more brand deals can make a big difference.

These platforms connect influencers with brands, making it simpler to find opportunities that match your niche. Some of these influencer platforms include Upfluence, Mavrck, and Klear.

To make these platforms work for you, make a good profile and join the websites. Pick the right opportunities that fit your brand and audience.

Tips to get more brand deals:

• Research platforms that focus on your niche
• Understand their terms and fees
• Update your profile thoroughly on each platform
• Be active in applying for projects
• Don’t depend only on certain platforms

8. Negotiate Win-Win Deals

How to get brand deals as an influencer, even if you’re new to this? Negotiate well when a brand offers a partnership. This not only makes you valuable to the brand but also proves you’re a pro influencer worth their attention.

A brand deal should benefit both sides, just like any partnership. If you ask for too little, you won’t earn much. But if you ask for too much, the brand might decline. When you’re not paid well, you might not want to promote the brand seriously. Over time, this can harm your reputation.

One of the best ways to get endorsement deals for a content creator is to be open to different rewards like products, exposure, or long-term partnerships, not just money.

That’s what TheGrefg did when he got influencer deals as a pro gamer with Red Bull, a famous energy drink brand.

Tips to attract influencer deals:

• Know what’s most important to you
• Be clear about what you need to do
• Think about long-term benefits
• Be professional in your communication
• Take time to consider the offer.

9. Understand Your Contracts

No matter how much you want brand deals as influencers, never collaborate without a clear contract. It’s vital if you want to become a professional social media influencer.

Contracts might seem tricky, but they’re necessary to keep everyone safe. So, it’s a good idea to understand everything, like how much you’ll be paid, what you need to do, and when it’s due.  If unsure, ask for help or talk to a legal advisor.

What should you consider in a contract when entering into a brand deal? Here are some of them:

• Contract Duration — how long does the contract last before you can work with other brands?
• Payment Terms — how much does the influencer get paid from the brand deal, and when?
• Intellectual Property — who owns the content the influencer creates
• Exclusivity Clause — are you allowed to work with other brands?
• Disputes — how disputes will be solved?

Tips to deal with a contract to get brand deals:

• Read every clause carefully
• Consult with a legal advisor if possible
• Keep a signed copy for your records

10. Plan Your Content Calendar

Getting a brand deal isn’t just about signing a contract. It’s about doing what the contract says. To keep the paid promotion deals running smoothly, you should plan your actions based on the contract.

Planning ahead keeps you organized and helps you meet brand partnership deadlines. This is even vital when you handle multiple deals. 

Don’t fret. Many social media scheduling tools that can help you work more efficiently. What’s even better is that most of these tools can handle all social media platforms and various types of content.

Even if you plan your content ahead, don’t make everything rigid. Leave room for spontaneous posts related to trending topics or timely events.

Tips on how to get brand deal by planning the content:

• Use tools like Google Calendar, or dedicated tools like Later or Hootsuite
• Plan at least a month in advance
• Set reminders for deadlines.
• Coordinate with any team members or collaborators

11. Create High-Quality Sponsored Posts

Brands pay you because you can make interesting content that connects with your audience. So don’t get it wrong. Brand sponsorship is not about putting ads on your platform, like display ads on your blog.

If you make a poor sponsored post, your brand won’t be happy, and your audience won’t be as interested. This isn’t good for your reputation as an influencer, and it’s not a good thing to keep getting influencer deals in the future.

Instead, try to focus on creating great storytelling and authenticity in your posts. Use clear pictures and well-written captions. Match your usual style to keep your audience’s trust.

Tips on how to get brand deal with great content:

• Plan your content ahead to avoid rushing and making low-quality posts
• Disclose sponsored posts transparently to keep your followers’ trust
• Stay true to your style to make it feel like your own posts
• Use relevant hashtags to make your paid promotion posts more effective
• Interact with your audience’s responses to leave a lasting impression.

12. Use Data to Your Advantage

Creating content just like your brand deal says isn’t everything. You must also see if it’s effective. To do that, you need to use data.  

To be sure your data and insights are accurate, do it regularly. It helps to see how many people interact with your posts and how many new followers you get when you post sponsored content. You can rely on social media management tools that match your niche and follower count.

Analytics tell you what works. After that, you can change your plan or discuss a new way to promote the product with the brand. For example, you can try posting at different times to reach different users who might be potential customers for the brand.

Read More:

• The Best Time to Post on TikTok
• The Best Time to Post on Instagram

Tips to attract more brand deals with data:

• Get familiar with using data to attract more brand deals and show you’re a pro
• Try new things for better results, but ask the brand first
• Watch out for any unusual changes in how your followers interact
• Save your data to show you’re doing well and get more brand deals

13. Follow Up After the Deal

How to get brand deals after the contract ends? You should let them know what you achieved and how everything went during your partnership. 

Sending a thank-you note and sharing your content’s success can do wonders. This shows you’re professional and ready for more work together.

Here’s the fact: 67% of brands are investing more in influencer marketing. Also, 92% of people trust advice from friends and family more than other ads. How do these facts connect?

Well, the influencer industry still has potential. If you deliver good results as agreed and keep a good relationship with brands, you’ll have a big chance to get more brand deal offers. 

Tips on getting more brand deals by doing follow-ups:

• Seek feedback to show you care about the promotion’s success
• Suggest ideas for future collaboration
• Inform the brand about any extra attention the campaign receives
• Be quick with any post-campaign tasks

14. Keep Good Relationships with Brands

What if the brand isn’t happy with the partnership and wants to end it? It happens. Things don’t always go as planned. Just do your best and explain things well to the brand.

The key is to maintain good communication and a relationship with the brand, whether they want to work with you again or not. It’s all about having a professional influencer mindset. 

If it’s your path and you have long-term partnerships with brands, you’ll find it’s better than one-time deals.  It brings a stable income, especially if you become a brand ambassador. These brand deals often bring in more money.

Take a look at how Kaby Lame became a brand ambassador for Hugo Boss while continuing to do more brand deals with other companies.

Tips to get brand deals by building strong relationships:

• Keep communication lines open
• Be proactive in maintaining the relationship
• Offer new collaboration ideas
• Celebrate and share mutual successes

How to Get Brand Deals for Influencers?

Influencer marketing is on the rise, offering many chances. But, getting the right brand partnership isn’t easy. So, how do you get brand deals to make more money as an influencer?

The answer is clear. As a social media creator, you need a good plan. And in this article, we’ve listed how to get brand deals properly. It starts with understanding your value, making strong pitches, and doing follow-ups to maintain good brand relationships.

You can see these as helpful tips or even powerful tools to become a successful social media influencer. It all depends on how well you recognize your potential and grab the right opportunities.

So, what’s stopping you? Pick the strategies that match your style and niche. Then, go out and get those brand deals. 
And if you’re thinking about making money from membership or donations from your audience, great platforms like Gank can help you out with awesome features and 0% platform fees.

FAQs on How to Get Brand Deals as an Influencer on Social Media