Once a brand shows interest (“We’d love to hear more/what are your rates?” or “We have a campaign, would you be keen?”), it’s time to define deliverables and scope. This is basically: what do you need to do, by when, and what do you get paid. - Understand the campaign goal: Is it awareness? Clicks to a link? App downloads? Sales using a discount code? Knowing this helps you tailor your content to meet those goals (and later possibly prove your content was effective). - Deliverables: Common ones include: a certain number of Instagram feed posts, a set of Stories frames (with swipe-up), a dedicated YouTube video or an integrated mention in a video, a blog post, a TikTok video, a tweet series, etc. It could be one-off or a package (like 1 IG post + 3 Stories). Brands might have their ask; you can negotiate if you think something else would work better or to adjust workload. - Creative Brief: Many brands provide a brief with key messages, do’s/don’ts, and content guidelines. Read it carefully. For example, some industries (like finance or health) have legal disclosures you must include. Or a brand may forbid certain other logos appearing in your shot. Ask clarifying questions if anything is unclear. It’s better to get it right than to reshoot later because you missed a detail. - Deadlines: Know when content needs to be submitted for review and when to post. Many brands require draft review – factor in time for that (and potential edits they request). Professionalism here is meeting deadlines; if you foresee a delay, communicate ASAP (life happens, but be upfront). - Usage rights: This is big. Will the brand want to repost your content on their channels? That’s usually fine and standard (but you can ask for credit). More importantly, do they want to use your content in paid ads or on their website? That’s usage beyond organic sharing. Common practice is to charge extra for whitelisting (allowing them to run ads using your post) or content licensing. For instance, you might say “my rate covers organic usage; for paid advertising usage, it’s +50% fee for X months” – (impact.com suggests some use ~50% of base rate per month of usage as a rule). If you don’t discuss it, a brand might assume they own the content fully. So if it’s not brought up and it matters to you, bring it up (“Do you need any paid usage rights? If so, we can discuss those terms.”). - Exclusivity: Brands sometimes want you to not work with their competitors for a certain time window. This could be reasonable (like a beverage brand asks you not to promo another beverage for 1 month around the campaign). But it could also limit you. Short exclusivity (a few weeks to a month) might be often included, which is fine if you plan accordingly. If they want longer (say 3-6 months or more) or very broad category exclusivity, consider charging more for that exclusivity because it potentially costs you other deals. Or negotiate it down (“I can agree not to promote [direct competitor] specifically, but not all beverage brands, as I do regular reviews”). Always get clarity: which competitors, and what time period. - Tracking & Metrics: They may provide a custom link or code to track results. Use them properly. If it’s a code, mention it clearly in content. If link, ensure swipe-ups or description links use it. Brands love influencers who drive results – it can lead to repeat deals or higher pay later. Sometimes they might ask for a post-campaign report (like story views numbers, or link clicks screenshot). Be prepared to share some metrics (within reason) – it demonstrates accountability. - Contract: Once agreed verbally/email, they often send a contract. Read it (yes, even the fine print). Ensure it matches what you agreed – deliverables, timeline, payment amount and timing, exclusivity terms, usage rights, cancellation terms, etc. If something’s off, speak up and request an edit. If a contract seems overly restrictive or rights-grabbing, don’t be afraid to negotiate. It’s standard for creators to suggest modifications, especially around usage or term length. If you can consult a professional for big contracts, even better.
In summary, clarity at this stage avoids headaches later. A good collaboration is one where both you and the brand know exactly what to expect from each other.