How to pitch brands and get more sponsorships

Your channel has been growing. You’re hopeful that brands will eventually line up to sponsor you. But honestly, what are you waiting for?

Take your business into your own hands and unlock more brand collaborations. The best way to do this is by reaching out to brands.

Why reach out to brands

Just because you’re a “small” creator, doesn’t mean you aren’t a valuable one. It just means sponsors might have a harder time finding you. Don’t forget the individuals who make sponsorships happen are working in 9 to 5 jobs with a strict marketing budget. They need to find the right partnerships in a small amount of time. Rather than looking for small needles in a haystack, they go for larger creators right in front of their eyes. If you make yourself found you’ll make their job easier for them by presenting them with value. By reaching out to brands that align with your content and values, you are not only demonstrating your proactive approach but also increasing your chances of being noticed. Remember, it's not just about the size of your following, but the quality of your engagement and the authenticity of your voice that can truly resonate with potential sponsors. So, don't underestimate the power of self-promotion and networking in the digital landscape.
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Pitching yourself to brands has many benefits:

• It's a great way to get leads by helping partners discover you (more collaboration requests)
• You develop relationships that are unique and useful to you by pitching brands directly.
• You don’t have to give away a +20% cut to a marketplace
• You are developing a skill that will serve you continuously throughout your creator business
• It saves brands the time of having to source creators for their influencer marketing campaign and influencer outreach - you’re doing them a favor

Lloyd George launched his creator business in 2022. He jumped into reaching out to brands and landed a collaboration with Acast. His splash on the scene caught our eye and led to us sponsoring his newsletter. All this, with only a few hundred subscribers started by pitching to a brand! Lloyd's story serves as a testament to the power of proactive outreach. By taking the initiative to pitch himself to brands, he not only secured a valuable collaboration but also showcased the potential for growth and success as a small creator. This proactive approach not only benefits creators like Lloyd but also streamlines the process for brands seeking partnerships. So, if you're a small content creator looking to make your mark in the digital landscape, remember that your value is not determined by your size but by the unique opportunities you create for yourself through strategic pitching and relationship-building.

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How to reach out to brands in 3 Steps

Outbound sales is both a science and an art. However, the actual work is surprisingly easy - it just requires some persistence and niftiness, which most creators seem to possess anyway. Follow the 3 steps below to kickstart your outbound sales.

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Build a target list

Before shooting out DM’s to everyone you can think of,  take a step back. Do a quick match and feasibility test:

Remember, quality over quantity is key here. Make sure your target list consists of brands that align with your values, target audience, and overall mission. Research each brand thoroughly to understand their products, target market, and current marketing strategies. This will not only help you tailor your outreach messages but also show the brands that you've done your homework and are genuinely interested in collaborating.

Look into their products, services, recent campaigns, past work and any partnerships with a social media influencer they have been involved in. It also shows the brand that you have taken the time to understand who they are and what they stand for.

Now, let's move on to the next step.

Match

Ask yourself these 3 questions for every brand you consider:

1. What topics do I cover and what topics does this brand cover? Is there any overlap?
2. Who is my audience? Will this brand want to reach them?
3. Am I excited to work with this brand?

Feasibility

While we all want to work with Nike - unfortunately some brands just aren’t easy to get a hold of. Here are some quick questions you can use to assess the likelihood of being able to land one of these brands:

• Do they do a lot of creator marketing with similar creators and channels?
• Do they have regional leads for marketing? (Big plus if they do!)

 If the answers to these questions align well with the brands on your list, then you're on the right track. It's important to ensure that there is a natural fit between your content, audience, and the brand collaboration you want. This alignment will not only make your outreach more compelling but also increase the likelihood of a successful partnership. It's important to know that, collaboration should be mutually beneficial, so aim for a a brand partner that resonate with your values and goals. 

Find your point-of-entry

Once you have a target list together, identify who you will reach out to. Contacting the right person is just as important as contacting the right type of company. One way to do this is via a quick search on Linkedin for the marketing departments of each company and who manages it. Once you have found the right person, consider whether you’ll contact them via e-mail, Linkedin, DMs, phone, or any other means.

Bonus tip: Many companies divide their marketing teams into countries/regions - try to find the ones working in your region to increase your chances of converting.

Personalizing your outreach and showing that you have done your research on the company and their marketing needs can go a long way. Be concise, professional, and make it clear why you are reaching out and how you can add value to their team and brand work.

Reach out

Now it’s time for cold outreach! We’re not going to lie, this is easy to get wrong. There’s nothing worse than messaging someone and hearing nothing but crickets in return. Your goal is to write message that won’t get ignored. Check out this thread on cold DMs from Shounak - it’s fantastic. Also, one great superpower that you have is your Passionfroot Storefront. Make sure to link to your Passionfroot page in your cold email to show them how amazing you, your content, and community are.

Here's a tip to help you stand out: personalize your message to the recipient. Mention something specific you admire about their work or their company. This extra effort can make a big difference in catching their attention.

“I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times, I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” - Michael Jordan

Building relationships and connections takes time and effort. Stay focused, stay authentic, and keep refining your approach. Each outreach is a step towards your goals, even if it doesn't yield immediate results. Even if you do all of the above, nobody gets a yes on their first shot. Take that into consideration. If you want 2 conversions, do 10 outreaches. If you want 5, do 25. Be diligent, persistent, and positive - all you need is one yes!
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Bring them into your world

You got your first reply - life is frooty! It’s time to go all in. Take them out of the cold and bring them into your world as quickly as possible by understanding their needs and presenting the products you think are best suited for their needs. Here your investment in your Passionfroot page will come in handy. Once you are aligned on a setup, quickly send them a proposal that matches your discussion - try to make the time between their reply and them getting a proposal as short as possible - this will increase your conversion rate and get you brand deals. This is because people are more likely to take action when they are still engaged in the conversation. Additionally, by sending a proposal quickly, you show that you are responsive and eager to work with them.

Using the Passionfroot Proposal Feature

Once you have a partner on the hook, make it as easy as possible for them to book you. Marketers may have the money, but they don’t always have the time. By using Passionfroot’s Proposal feature, you can tie the knot on your current conversations in a professional way that easily converts. Simply create the package or product you discussed with the partner, send over the proposal, and if the partner likes it, you’ll get a booking instantly!

In the end, there’s no right way to reach out to get a brand partnership. It’s just about taking the initiative. The worst that can happen is that they say no, but the best that can happen is pretty amazing. Take the first step towards securing those collaborations and watch your business soar to new heights.