TIPS ON SUCCESSFUL BRAND PARTNERSHIPS

*Outfit Details with affiliate links: Top (Chelsea and Walker), Strappy Heels (Alexandre Birman), High Waisted Pants (Bar III), Bag (DVF), Sunglasses (Quay Australia) 

We all know that bloggers make money off of sponsored posts and I wanted to talk about this topic since it’s not something that people like to talk about. I have done a handful of sponsored posts and I have learned some important lessons from both positive and negative experiences. Rather than diving into details about my personal experience, I rather give you tips on how to have a successful partnership with a brand.

I cannot reiterate the importance of building relationships. I remembered when I was first approached for a sponsored post, it was such an odd feeling because I didn’t know I can monetize off of my social media. However, looking back I am very grateful for that initial shock because I know that I fell into blogging simply for the love of it rather for the money. During those few opportunities, I was excited and said yes to a lot of them. Yes, to be frank there were some brands that I regret working with because I know now that they didn’t benefit my brand or online presence. Nonetheless, I take every experience as a learning opportunity and my motto in life is “Now you know.”

Two years later, I have come to terms of who I am and what I value. I am extremely picky when it comes to the brands that I work with now and I am hoping these tips will be helpful when you make your decision of partnering with a brand or not.

• Make sure the brand is something you’re happy about partnering with: I have seen too many people promote products that I know they don’t use and it’s heartening to see what people will do for money. At the end of the day, your followers can see whether the product or brand aligns with your lifestyle. The main question to ask yourself is, “Would I post about this brand if I weren’t getting paid for it?” If the answer is yes, then the partnership makes sense. And if the answer is no, then you should pass for it.
• Find your happy price: I have gained negotiating and business skills through blogging and I highly recommend you all to find your happy price when it comes to sponsored posts. Don’t undervalue yourself and don’t be afraid to set your price. You would regret settling if you realize that you did more work than anticipated. I always look at the deliverable and try to quantify how much time I will dedicate and price my post through that calculation.
• Do your best and even overdeliver: Now that you’ve secured a partnership, make sure you put 110% in your content and feel free to even overdeliver. At the end of the day, the brand wants to be happy about partnering with you and they will decide whether to work with you again depending on your work ethic. Always remember to keep it professional because you can turn a one time partnership to a long term and who doesn’t want that?

I hope these tips were helpful and I wish I knew about them when I started my blogging journey. I still go back to these three tips whenever I am unsure about proceeding with a partnership or not. Let me know if you have any more tips and what else you’d like me to touch base on for my next post!