How I Get Brand Deals: My Proven Strategy for 2024

How I Get Brand Deals: My Proven Strategy for 2024

Author

Arnulfur Hakonarson
August 22, 2024

Hey everyone!

As of 2024, the global influencer marketing industry is estimated to be worth around $25 billion (yep, that’s a B), with a big chunk coming from brand sponsorships on social media.

That’s a lot of dough… and I don’t know about you, but when I see this, I immediately think: how do I get a piece of that cake?

Now, I’m no master, but I made quite a bit of money last year through brand partnerships, and today I want to share how I land those deals—and how you might do the same.

So, my friends, let’s dive in. 👇

🛠 Entering the Advertising Industry

First, understand that when you’re dealing with brand partnerships, you’re stepping into the advertising industry.

And what you’re selling is attention.

After ten years of creating online content, I’ve found a few ways to land sponsorship deals, and I want to share what’s worked best for me.

📊 Know Your Value

Before reaching out to brands—or responding to their emails—it’s crucial to know your value.

This means understanding your audience, engagement rates, and the unique perspective you bring.

In my experience, brands aren’t just looking for big follower numbers. They want creators who connect with their audience in a meaningful way and align with their values.

I know this is mad nerdy, but take time to analyze your stats.

What’s your average engagement rate? What content resonates most with your followers? Why is your content a good fit for the brand?

These insights are gold when pitching yourself to potential sponsors.

🤝 Building Relationships

Landing brand deals isn’t just about sending cold emails and hoping for the best.

It’s about building relationships.

When I find a brand I love and want to work with, I start by engaging with them—commenting on posts, sharing content, or tagging them when I genuinely use their products.

You get the idea—it’s about grabbing their attention.

This doesn’t always work, but when it does, it’s powerful.

It’s how I started working with Sony, and how Peter McKinnon began with James Coffee.

✉️ The Best Tip I’ve Gotten

My friend Teppo Haapoja gave me one of the best tips I’ve ever gotten: find the right person within the brand when sending a cold email.

Use LinkedIn to find the person responsible for working with creators and connect with them. It makes everything simpler and better.

Also, when pitching to a brand, don’t just say, “Hey, I’m That Icelandic Guy, I have followers, and I want to work with you.”

That sucks, and it puts the work on them.

Instead, explain why their brand is a perfect fit for you and your audience, and then pitch a concrete idea of what you’d like to do and how you’ll execute it.

Lastly, as you grow, brands will find you more often. So, make sure it’s easy for them to connect with you.

Hope this makes sense! If you’ve never landed a deal before, don’t worry—I’ll soon be writing a guide on how I landed my first-ever sponsor deal, so keep an eye out.

Catch you guys next week!

Best,
Arnúlfur

🤝 Let me help you create better content!