5 Influencer Don’ts When Working With a Brand

As a full-time blogger for several years, I have worked with hundreds of brands. Today I’m going to share some basic tips I have learned about how best to collaborate with brands. Here are my FIVE don’ts when it comes to partnering with a brand.

By the way, I know I have quite a few bloggers / influencers that read my blog so I’m thinking about sharing some more general tips about blogging.

1. Don’t accept free products. In general, if you are a blogger interested in making this a part-time or full-time job, don’t accept free product as compensation. There are a few exceptions, however, to keep in mind. If you’re new to the industry, if you don’t have many followers on social media or if you’re really excited about a high-value product, then you may choose to accept free product. However, over time, you’ll see that it’s smart to require a cash payment for all promotions. How much you charge is another topic and one that requires consideration of a number of factors, including number of deliverables, social media reach, engagement rate, and experience creating sponsored content.

2. Don’t assume anything. At some point, you’ll be negotiating the terms of the agreement with the brand. Do not make assumptions. Have everything written down in clear form. While a contract is ideal, having all expectations written out in an email is the bare minimum.

3. Don’t go MIA. Make sure you respond to all emails in a timely manner. It’s highly unprofessional to ignore emails for a week at a time. Strive to respond to all business emails within 12-24 hours, even sooner if possible.

4. Don’t underdeliver. When you are negotiating the details of a brand collaboration, you will agree to a certain number of posts. If you promise 4 social media shares, make sure you follow through on those deliverables – and then some! When feasibly possible, I like to overdeliver: to provide more value to the brand than what was agreed upon. For example, this can mean something as simple as an extra mention in my Instagram story.

5. Don’t lose contact after a collaboration. Even after all the posts have been delivered to your brand contact and payment has been received, don’t lose contact with your brand liaison. It’s a good idea to touch base with them a few times per year. An additional collaboration is possible if you’ve developed a working relationship with the brand contact.

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