Influencers of every size from 1,000 to one million followers share one common fear when it comes to working with brands: rejection. In this post I share 5 surprising techniques that will have you pitching brands and landing campaigns/sponsorships in no time.
Thousands of new bloggers and millions of pieces of content pop onto the social media scene every day. Landing sponsorships becomes highly competitive at every level. The answer to a campaign proposal isn’t always going to be yes. Sure, influencers with one million followers might be more likely to land partnerships with larger brands, but that isn’t always the case.
There are a number of ways influencers can land sponsorships, and there is one secret marketing weapon that many are unaware of. In the public relations world, this phenomenon is known as “cold pitching”: the ability to become your own publicist.
I have worked nearly a decade in the public relations industry and partnered with more than 450 consumer and hospitality brands. Below I am sharing five common cold-pitch practices that influencers should implement when marketing themselves:
Be Intentional
Before you even hit the “send” button, make sure you’ve done your research. Become familiar with the style and tone of a brand, including what their target audience is. Examine their social media pages over time, take note of other brands they partner with and any unique quirks in their aesthetic. This will help with content development should a collaboration arise in the future.
What to Avoid: Mass or “blanket pitching” to brands that don’t compliment your target audience. Sending copious amounts of generic e-mail templates comes off as impersonal and unprofessional. Brand representatives get hundreds of e-mails from influencers each day, you don’t want one or all of yours to end up in the trash bin.
Recommended: Internet Marketing Resources for Content Creators
Related: 10 Influencer Marketing Networks to enable you make over $5000 monthly Blogging
Ensure a Mutually Beneficial Partnership
Lay the foundation of the partnership and why you are interested in partnering with the brand up front. Explain how an exchange of product or monetary investment will not only benefit you, but how it would help their brand. Interested in partnering with them long term? Have you used the brand before and loved it? These are all things that should be included in a pitch up front.
What to Avoid: Partnering with a brand simply because they offer you money or a chance in the spotlight. Know your target audience and get to know the type of content they like to see. No matter the amount of money or recognition of a particular brand, if your followers don’t engage with it, it will not be seen as a successful partnership.
Show Off Your Skills (Just a Little)
Influencers sometimes get a bad rap for acting entitled, but one can still be confident without being over-confident. If you’ve worked with many big name brands in the past, you can certainly allude to that in your cold pitch. Did one of your blog posts on hair care go viral? Were you the recipient of a prestigious award in the influencer community? Mention it! It’s ok to toot your horn a bit to establish respect and expertise.
What to Avoid: Coming off as entitled or over-confident in an e-mail. Brands get hundreds of e-mails a day from influencers, so you need to keep the pitch brief while still promoting your work in an accurate and professional manner. Self-promotion without appearing self-absorbed can be tricky, but that’s why it’s an art. It takes practice.
You can also read: 5 Ways Instagram influencers can help you grow your brand
Unlock the secrets to success in business, digital marketing, personal finance, and more by subscribing to our newsletter from Business and Life Tips
Expect Nothing but Be Open to Almost Anything
While no one likes to be rejected, it is sadly a part of business. Not every brand you pitch will want to work with you right away, if at all, but that’s OK. Sometimes the answer might be yes with a few caveats thrown in.
What to Avoid: Accepting a paid sponsorship opportunity for the sake of making a quick buck. It is easy to forget that you have just as much power to turn down a proposal for sponsorship as brands themselves. If you don’t think a collaboration will help lead you towards your ultimate goal of increased growth and visibility, it’s likely best to turn it away.
Know Your Tribe – and be Proud of It
Is your tribe full of fun-loving moms that work 9-5 jobs? Maybe your main demographic is full of eclectic 20-somethings that enjoy head banging concerts and the newest trends in grunge fashion. Either way, identify your tribe and own it. All content that is produced should aim to appeal to them first, while everything else is secondary. One of the easiest ways to identify your target audience is to regularly review your social media stats to monitor shifts in engagement.
What to Avoid: Putting the wants and needs of a brand first. Yes, it is important to uphold promised deliverables and signed contracts, but make sure the brand guidelines work for you and your followers. Regardless of popular belief, influencers are not beholden to any brand for any amount of money or product. Ensure the requested deliverables are fair and fit the interests of your audience. Always remember why you’re an influencer in the first place: them!
About the Author:
Alexandra Booze is the Editor and co-founder of East Coast Contessa, an international digital publication. For nearly a decade, she has provided public relations and influencer marketing strategy services to companies world-wide. You can find her on Instagram at @eastcoastcontessa.
Comments
57 responses to “How to Land Blog Sponsorships Like a Pro (And What to Avoid)”
This is going to be my year of success blogging and I’m hoping this helps!
Hi Joi, I wish you all the best. Thanks for dropping by.
I love this article and appreciate the suggestion of ensuring a mutually beneficial relationship.
Hi Pantea, glad to get your feedback.
This is a very timely article for me since I am still so very new at blogging. Thanks for the valuable info.
Hi Ann, glad you found this useful!
These are all great tips and they came along just as I’m starting to investigate sponsored articles 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Welcome!
These are fabulous tips on how to land blog sponsorships like a pro and also what to avoid. I’ve only done one collaboration where someone approached me, so your tips are so useful to me. Thanks for sharing your expertise!
Hi Julie, glad that, you found this a useful resource!
Great article. Thanks for putting all of the pros and cons to consider what fits your goals.
Hi Amber, welcome.
[…] You can also read: How to Land Blog Sponsorships Like a Pro (And What to Avoid) […]
I have so little knowledge about this type of thing, making your post really helpful. Thanks!
Hi, I appreciate your feedback.
For me this is really handy as it is tough finding sponsors.
Hi, thanks for dropping by.
Great and important tips before we decide to move forward with a blogging partnership. Thank you for sharing.
I Vanessa, thanks for the feedback.
Very helpful tips, I enjoyed reading it. Thanks for adding all pro-s and cons…
I appreciate your feedback.
Great tips here. I so resonate with the being intentional part you mention!
Great tips! There is a lot of chatter as of late about the number of influencers that are just asking for free product (meals, hotel stays, etc) and failing to see that it has to be a bigger picture than that. If you’re going to collaborate, it needs to benefit the brand and contribute to their marketing efforts, or it isn’t worth the investment for them.
True! thanks for your insightful feedback.
Thanks for such informative articles, really helpful to bloggers like me
Hi, I appreciate your visit.
This is really helpful information. I have noticed a lot of people who will jump at any offer that is made to them. I don’t want to do that at all. I am fine with slower growth and sharing products with my audience that I think will actually benefit them.
Hi Brooke, I totally agree with you. Thanks for visiting.
Thanks for the insight. I have been struggling with finding a good match for my blog.
Hi, thanks for reading!
This is one of the best posts I have read about reaching out to brands for sponsorship. I am bookmarking it to refer back to.
Hi Marie, I really appreciate your feedback. You are welcomed.
Great, very helpful tips for Blog Sponsorships. The tips are very helpful for new bloggers like me.
Am grateful for your feedback.
Very helpful tips, thanks for sharing them. Will try to use them next time I apply for a sponsorship ?
Thanks Elisa for visiting.
So many ways to make money as a blogger and an influencer! Thanks so much for sharing another idea to make money! I’ll certainly come back to this post when my social following grows to “influencer” level.
Hi Corinne, thanks for your feedback.
Really interesting tips! I think it’s so lazy when people do general pitches. You have to be brand specific! It’s a goal of mine to start pitching more and see what happens so this was a helpful read x
Sophie
Hi, true, these are tips every blogger should be in practice to win more sponsored posts in this new year!
Thanks John for providing a valuable article. Really needed this .
I appreciate your feedback Jamie.
What a fantastic guide! Extremely helpful to get started with blog sponsorship!
Hi Taylor, happy to learn that you found this tips helpful. Thanks for your feedback!
[…] How to Land Blog Sponsorships Like a Pro (And What to Avoid) […]
Hi John,
Congratulations! Your post won the Inspire Me Monday Linky Party!
You’ll be featured on my site tomorrow!
Janice
Hi Janice, appreciated, looking forward to the next party.
Yes, thank you, John for sharing this on Traffic Jam Weekend! It has been chosen as a fave feature for this week’s party going live on Thursday at 5:00 pm CST.
Hi, am happy to learn that, looking forward to the next link party! Thanks
Thanks for the info. Visiting you from the global blogging link up. laurensparks.net
Hi Lauren, I do appreciate your visit.
These are all great tips because brands are getting more selective when working with influencers and bloggers as the market is becoming over saturated! Thanks for sharing at the Traffic Jam Weekend Linky Party.
I really appreciate your feedback!
Thank you for publishing! I hope your readers find the article useful 🙂
Hi Alexandra, thanks.
Great tips! Especially for a newbie(ish) blogger!! Being intentional and doing research first is so important! I always expect to hear crickets and am so shocked (and thankful) when I get a response lol!!
Hey Steph, thanks for your feedback.