So You Want to Work with Brands?
Raise your hand if you’ve spent countless hours scrolling through Instagram, seeing people partnering with brands you like and saying to yourself, “I can do that.”
You are not really pressured for money, but you hate that you’re not putting together photos, videos and content for brands that you use everyday.
Why should you settle for influencers being the only ones to work with your faves when you know you could put together something more polished, creative, and beautiful if given the opportunity? And you could finally be the influencer that your friends know you to be, the ambassador you know you can be and the creator you’ve been dreaming about becoming.
You probably follow a lot of Instagram accounts where the location says: “Paid partnership with _________”
You’ve even probably spent time creating fake commercials in your mind thinking, “This is what I would do if _______ partnered with me.”
There’s just one problem: You have no idea how to get started.
You are either saying, “I don’t have enough followers.” or “How would I even contact them?”
Not to mention how much would you even charge? That’s why I’m so excited to put everything I’ve learned over the 8 years as a brand strategist, digital marketing guru and creative director to help you every step of the way.
Presenting.....*insert drumroll here*
I know how hard it is to feel inadequate or less than when comparing yourself to other influencers because I also have experienced this feeling. I got into the branding & tastemaking game before being an influencer was even a thing. Even though I was already confident in my skills and abilities, I wasn’t sure if any company would want to partner with me because I was black, fat and not famous.
The only influential people I had seen was Kim Kardashian, Paris Hilton and Nicole Ritchie. But I knew that if I could equip myself with the skills to pitch, I could be successful too. Contrary to popular belief, influencers aren't just models, celebrities and reality stars.
I understand that the most fruitful brand-influencer relationships are birthed when a brand trusts their influencer in the early stages of their career. This is good news for you if you have 100-10,000 followers on Instagram right now.
More sales are made through friend-to-friend conversations and recommendations. If I recommend product X to my friend, she’s more than likely going to purchase it because she trusts my opinion. But in order to secure that purchase, brands have to learn how to be engaged in that conversation between friends.
I have learned how to bring brands into that conversation in a “non-commercially” way and insert myself and my clients in the childhood game of telephone - for money. If I can do it, then so can you. And once you’ve gotten the first taste of being flown out to Napa Valley (or Jamaica) and having the ability to generate awareness and create fresh content for brands you love - plus collect your coin - you will keep going back for more!
