How to land your first brand deal. It’s a new year and as the influencer marketing world continues to grow, it is time for you to make your mark. We’re breaking down how to land your first brand deal in 2020. Believe it or not, having an online presence can be very lucrative! As a creator who brings in well over 6 figures annually (solely from this side hustle), we wanted to share a few tips to get you going.

One of the focuses for our website this year is to not only share what we love (fashion, beauty, travel and life) but to also be a resource for you in the areas of your life that matter most. Ready to dive in? Let’s go!

Create quality content consistently.

Once you discover your niche, creating quality content consistently is so important. Remember, you need to establish yourself as a creator in this space before expecting to immediately be paid for your content. This does NOT mean that your work is not worthy of being monetized very early on or that you need a certain following to bring money in, we simply want you to be sure to bring your A game.

Strategize what value you will bring to your audience, and then commit to BRINGING IT every single day. Keyword here is VALUE. Pretty pictures will only take you so far if you really want to grow in this space.

In terms of the consistency of your content, if you can’t post every day, that is totally fine! You have to start somewhere. We recommend keeping track of your data to know when your audience is reading/watching you the most. This will vary from audience to audience. For us, Friday nights starting at 6PM are great for STEPHTAYLORJACKSON.COM!

Here are a few great ways to keep track of your audience:

• WordPress JetPack
• Google Analytics
• Instagram Insights

We also recommend creating a content calendar to keep yourself on track and organized. If you can, plan your blog content at least 1-2 months in advance. Remember, as you start to book more collaborations, you’ll need to plan further out to ensure you have proper spacing between your regular content vs. your sponsored content. Steph uses Google Sheets and a planner, but find what method works best for you.

You can check out our How To Get “The Shot” Without An Instagram Husband post for additional photography tips to keep churning out content consistently.

Pitch yourself.

Sending that first pitch to a brand is terrifying. There is absolutely no way to sugar coat it. But it’s the only way to introduce you and your ideas to the brands you desire to work with. Three tips to keep in mind before you send that first email:

• Always come from a place of SERVICE. This pitch is not about YOU, it’s about what you can do for the BRAND.
• Don’t forget to include all of your contact information. I learned this while reading Brittany Hennessey’s INFLUENCER book (highly recommend by the way) – Seems like a no brainer, but make it as easy as possible for the brands you contact to get in touch with you.
• Do your research and make sure that your pitch is in line with the company’s current direction. Think about how you can be a part of their story for new product launches, National “XXX” Day, etc.

Researching PR companies is also important. Many large brands are represented by PR firms that send out campaigns on the brands behalf. While we’ve worked directly with brands many times, more times than not, we are working with PR firms that work for brands.

Influencer Platforms

There are also a number of Influencer Platforms that are great ways to connect with brands. As a creator, you can sign up your social media and/or blog page to be considered for campaigns. I’ve listed a few platforms below that are great places to start. Always make sure you read the Terms & Conditions on these sites and ensure that you are comfortable with any usage rights mentioned.

• Whaler
• AspireIQ
• #paid
• rewardStyle
• Collectively

Tag, tag, tag.

Tag the brands you use on a daily basis. This simple, yet effective action is a great way to get in contact with brands. It is also a great way to stay in contact with brands that you have already worked with previously.

Keep in mind, as this industry continues to grow, it’s crucial for your brand to grow and evolve as well. Don’t be like the rest of them, darling!

Creating “scroll-stopping” content that stands out will also help your tags stand out. If we create something that is truly amazing, we ALWAYS tag the brands! Remember, getting reposted can also lead to new paid opportunities.

DMs go a long way too. Often times, we message brands on Instagram if we are having trouble finding a contact email or if we want to make a quick introduction. Believe it or not, the response rate is generally high.

However, even if you do not get a response, do not let that stop you. Most information you need is available online or through fellow blogger contacts via trade.

We hope you found this post helpful! Please share if any of these tips resonated with you or if you know someone who could use them. This year is going to be our best yet, claiming it now! Thank you for being here and get excited for more content just like this.

XO – Steph