5 Essential Tips for Collaborating with Brands as a New Influencer
So, you’re ready to take your influence to the next level and start collaborating with brands. First of all—congratulations! This is such an exciting stage in your journey as an influencer, and trust me, those brand deals are out there waiting for you. But I get it—it can feel a little intimidating at first. How do you get brands to notice you? What do you say in that first email? And how do you make sure you're delivering value while still staying true to yourself?
Well, friend, I've been there. I remember the early days of my career when reaching out to brands felt like sending messages into the void. But here's the good news: You don’t need to have a million followers to start working with brands. You just need to know how to approach it the right way. Today, I’m going to walk you through five essential tips to help you collaborate with brands as a new influencer.
These are the same tips I wish someone had handed me when I was getting started 15 years ago.
1. Build Your Value First
Before we dive into the nitty-gritty of brand collaborations, here’s one big truth: Brands are looking for value. And no, that doesn’t mean you need to have 100k followers to offer value. What brands want is engagement. They want to know that the people who follow you trust you and listen to what you have to say. So, before you start reaching out, focus on building that connection with your audience.
I always say, the numbers are nice, but trust is everything. If your followers feel like they can relate to you, they’ll be more interested in the products you recommend. Engage with them in the comments, answer their DMs, and share your authentic experiences. That’s the real currency when collaborating with brands. Remember, influence isn’t just about the number of people who see your content—it’s about how many people act on what they see.
When I first started, I didn’t have a massive following, but I made sure the followers I had were loyal and engaged. Brands started noticing that, even with my smaller audience, I was consistently driving results.
2. Research Brands That Align with Your Niche
Here’s the deal: Not all brands are going to be a good fit for you, and that’s okay. To land your first collaboration, you want to be intentional about the brands you approach. Take the time to research companies that fit your niche and your values. If you’re a wellness influencer, you probably shouldn’t be reaching out to a fast-food chain. (I mean, it’s obvious, right?)
This is where your niche comes into play, and I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to know what space you want to live in as an influencer. If your audience follows you for your plant-based recipes, target brands that offer sustainable, plant-based products. When I was starting out in home renovations, I didn’t send pitches to fashion brands. I focused on home goods, and that focus helped me land collaborations that were a perfect fit for both my audience and the brand.
When I first got a brand deal, it was with a lighting company that aligned with my home style. I didn’t wait for them to find me. I researched companies that aligned with my style and reached out to them. It was a small project, but the fit was perfect, and it led to more significant opportunities down the line.
3. Perfect Your Pitch
Alright, so you’ve found the brands you want to work with—what’s next? The pitch. This is the part where many influencers freeze up. But don’t overthink it! Your pitch doesn’t need to be complicated, but it does need to show how you can offer value to the brand.
The key is to keep it short, sweet, and specific. Start by introducing yourself, share a little about your audience, and then explain how a collaboration would benefit the brand. Highlight what makes you unique. Maybe your audience has a high engagement rate, or you create high-quality content that resonates. Whatever your strengths are, play them up.
Here’s a quick formula I like to use:
Introduction: Who are you and what do you do?
Audience Info: Share a couple of metrics about your audience—engagement rate, demographics, etc.
Why Them?: Explain why you want to work with this brand specifically.
Your Idea: Provide a short idea of how you’d collaborate. (Trust me, brands appreciate when you come with ideas!)
For example: “Hi, I’m Ashley! I’m a home design influencer focused on minimalist interior design with an audience of 50,000 highly engaged followers. I love your brand’s commitment to eco-friendly home decor, and I’d love to explore a collaboration where I create a room makeover using your latest collection. My audience is passionate about sustainability, and I believe this could be a fantastic fit.”
Brands love hearing about concrete ideas that relate directly to their goals. Keep your email concise, personable, and professional.
4. Be Open to Creative Compensation
When you’re just starting, some brands may not offer cash upfront. And while it’s important to know your worth (we’ll get to that in a sec), it’s also smart to stay flexible. If a brand doesn’t have the budget to pay you just yet, consider accepting product exchanges or other creative forms of compensation, especially if it’s a brand you genuinely love and want to build a long-term relationship with.
A good rule of thumb: If the product is something you’d buy anyway and it aligns with your content, it might be worth starting with a product-only collaboration to build your portfolio. As you gain experience and grow your audience, you can start negotiating for financial compensation in future collaborations. As a rule of thumb, I recommend 2-3 product trades before insisting on compensation.
Early in my career, I worked with a small company that couldn’t offer payment but sent me product of value. It was something I’d wanted for a long time, so it was a win-win! That collaboration turned into a year-long partnership, and eventually, they started paying for my content as their business grew and we’re still working with them today.
5. Stay Professional and Overdeliver
This might sound obvious, but once you’ve secured your first collaboration, you need to bring it. Brands appreciate influencers who are easy to work with, reliable, and professional. Make sure to follow the deadlines, deliver the agreed-upon content, and go above and beyond where you can.
If a brand asks for one post, consider creating an additional story or a behind-the-scenes reel as a bonus. Little things like that make a big difference. Brands are more likely to continue working with you (and recommend you to others) if you overdeliver. I’ve had brand partnerships extend for years simply because I built a reputation for delivering more than what was asked.
I remember my first big collaboration with a home decor brand. I created the content we agreed on, but then I also threw in a mini home tour featuring their products because I knew my audience would love it. The brand was thrilled, and that partnership grew into something much larger, spanning multiple campaigns.
Collaborating with brands as a new influencer doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. With the right approach, a little creativity, and a lot of passion, you can start landing brand deals that feel aligned with your content and values. Remember, it’s not about how big your following is—it’s about how you show up, how you engage, and how you deliver value.
So, what are you waiting for? Get out there, start researching those dream brands, perfect your pitch, and take that first step toward becoming the influencer you’ve always wanted to be. If you want to dive deeper? Check out our Working with Brands course on Good Influence(r) and take the next step in your influencer journey!
