There’s no doubt that when it comes to negotiating brand collaborations as an influencer, it’s one of the hardest parts. “How much should I charge for this?” followed by massive imposter syndrome that leads to accepting a far too-low rate is all too common.
That’s why I am so proud to say that today on Her Life By Design, I am bringing my manager to YOU to answer the most common questions that come up around negotiating brand collaborations and working with a manager.
Josh Watson is the founder of Boost Society, an influencer management agency that represents myself and many other top influencers, such as @SaltyLuxe, @Haylsa, @LisaHomsy, and @Explorrasaurus_. Josh has worked closely to negotiate deals with brands like Olay, Lululemon, Michael Kors, Amex and many more.
What I love about working with Boost Society is that the agency is built on the idea of community over competition, and provides personalized attention for all it’s members, understanding that the one-size-fits-all approach won’t work in this industry.
What is a manager is and what are the benefits of having one?
A manager is “a human scheduler to help you keep on track,” Josh summarises. This means partnerships through from beginning to end, including handling rates, jumping on phone calls, discussing contracts and chasing payments.
All in all, a manager ensures that partnerships run smoothly and allows the influencer to have more time to focus their energy on what they love.
When is the right time to get a manager and how do I find one?
“It all depends on how you feel and every situation is different,” Josh explains. “If you’re swamped with opportunities and you’re struggling to find that time to be the creator you started out as, then yeah – I’d say it’s time. If you feel you’re being underpaid or a contract has a lot of legal jargon that makes you nervous, then that might be the time.”
In the episode, Josh goes into detail on the preparation and steps you should take before seeking management and steps to take to gauge whether an agency is right for you or not, including having conversations with other talent they represent and more. He also explains the pros & cons of large and small agencies and how to decide which would be better for you.
If I’m not ready for a manager, what should I look out for in contracts?
Josh shares the two most important things to look out for and familiarise yourselves with in contracts.
- Usage rights. There’s nothing worse than signing a contract and realizing after that in the contract, they specified that they own full rights to the images you can create. This means that they can use your images in marketing materials (print & digital) and this is something you can charge more for.
- Exclusivity. Let’s say you land a deal with Shampoo Company A and a month later, another shampoo company (B) approaches you for an even larger (and more high paid campaign) . You’re so excited about the opportunity with Shampoo Company B, but then learn that in the contract with Shampoo Company A, they added an exclusivity clause for 60 days after the partnership is over.
You missed the clause because you didn’t thoroughly read the contract, but you signed it so… this clause means you can’t work with any of Shampoo Company A’s competitors. An exclusivity clause is something you need to charge extra for. Josh recommends $500 per 30 days of exclusivity, but he explains in the episode that every situation is different.
Tips for negotiating brand collaborations and how to get paid more by brands
“Always try to make the opportunity bigger and always try to pitch for more than the brand is initially looking for.” Josh explains that doing this will not only bring you more money from collaborations, but it will also ‘wow’ the brand because it shows that you are excited about working with them and have innovative ideas.
For more about how to do pitch unique ideas, put together package rates and get paid more by brands than what they initially offer, be sure to listen in on the episode!
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RELEVANT LINKS:
Grab the FREEBIE – “12 Things to Include in a Pitch Email”
Follow Boost Society on Instagram
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