Brand partnerships from the A to the Z! What goes on behind the scenes, and what’s the exact step-by-step on every brand partnership, from the moment you land a paid deal, until you get paid, let’s talk about it!
Hey rockstar! My name is Ana, and I’ve been a full-time content creator MOM for the last almost 3 years, and have worked with more than 150 brands to date, including Amazon, Allegiant Airlines (please pinch me), Baby Tula, and Days Inn.
In this article, I’m going to bring you along on a journey so you can learn exactly what happens during every stage of a brand collaboration, how to prepare for each one, and, in short, how to rock any Creator Mom partnership like a champ.
Now, I’m convinced that the very first step for any successful brand partnership is to be prepared for the YES, even before it happens. It’s like calling it in, you know? The last thing you want is for a brand to want to work with you, and you having no clue on what to do next. It’s less about “if it happens”, and more about “when it happens”. That’s the energy I’d love for you to start playing in.
With that said, I’m gonna share 6 things, aside from the certainty of a YES, that you should have ready BEFORE you start any work with any brand. Having these set up beforehand will make your collaboration run a lot smoother and keep you away from “amateur-like” bumps in the road. They’re all very easy to complete and will save you a lot of headaches in the long run, now that you’re dipping your toes into the brand world.
6 Things to have ready before your first Paid Brand Partnership
1.Your Rates: You want to have a clear idea of a starting number because it is one of the very first questions that a brand is going to ask you. It is potentially also one of the reasons they may or may not decide to work with you. Remember that rates are negotiable and that not every partnership will look the same, but having a number in mind is going to be a great starting point.
2. A contract or an agreement: This is non-negotiable because it is how you’ll protect your time and your work. It’s also a way for you to have in writing everything that you and the brand agree on. Many brands, and especially marketing agencies, do have agreements in place, but if you ever encounter a brand or an agency that doesn’t work with them, you wanna have yours ready.
I created mine using Canva and AI, and now that you’re in the pregame before the actual game of brand partnerships, it’s the perfect moment to craft yours. (More on what to include in it below)
3. A way to collect payments: The last thing you want is to go through an entire brand partnership and get to the point where you’re expecting payment, and then have absolutely no clue on how this money is going to come your way. Some brands will have their specific payment platforms and may ask you to create an account so you’re all set up. Some may even be open to doing bank transfers and will most likely ask for your bank info and W-9. If the brand doesn’t have any preferred payment methods, Stripe is a great platform to get familiar with.
4. Content Tools: And I’m not only referring to your phone 😉 As a Creator Mom, the single most important thing I recommend you get before starting is a Tripod. I currently use this one for all of my work. You can set it up to film overhead shots, which is pretty neat. If you’re looking for a smaller budget option, I recently got this one while on a trip. It’s very easy to bring along and doubles down as a selfie stick.
5. A way to share content: I’ve used Google Drive for this since I started. It’s very easy to set up if you have a Gmail account or if you are creating one for your content creation business. Your content will go from your phone to your computer and into your Drive. From there, you’ll just copy the file or folder link and share it with the brand.
6. Editing Tool: I use CapCut and have been using it on my phone for the longest time. It’s one of the easiest editing platforms to get comfortable with, and you can also use it on your computer. Knowing your way around how to edit your brand videos is essential before you start your first collaboration.
If you’d love to get some help figuring CapCut out, I created a quick tutorial with everything you need to start editing your first brand videos. It includes a Bonus Training on how to create a UGC Creator Portfolio on Canva, and you can grab it right here.
Now that we’ve talked about the 6 things that you should have in place before your first brand collaboration, we can dive right into the step-by-step on what goes on behind the scenes in every brand partnership, from beginning to end. In other words, exactly what happens (and in what order), from the moment you land a deal until the moment you get paid.
Knowing this workflow will help you identify where in the process you are at any given point, what steps come next, and what to expect during your time working with a brand or marketing agency partner.
1. Brand Partnership Kickoff
Most brand collaborations start in one of these two ways:
- Brand Outreach: It includes reaching out directly to a brand through pitching, maybe via email or through a social media platform, as well as applying to creator opportunities through UGC/Creator Platforms or sites like Upwork. As a starting creator, brand outreach is most likely how you’ll kickstart a partnership.
- Brand/Agency Inbound: This is when a brand or agency reaches out to you after having bumped into your content, your work, or your SM profiles online. This is my favorite way of working with brands because it’s based on magnetism, and it’s 100% dependent on the Personal Brand you’ve built as a Creator Mom.
I have a FREE class, which is a great tool if you want to build a Personal Mom Brand from scratch. Unlock what it is that makes you —and your brand— truly unique and irreplaceable with my juicy 4-step framework. Grab your set inside Moms Who Create right here. ⬇️
2. Negotiating
Usually, after this first interaction with a brand or agency partner, it is time to negotiate. And I know (I know!), this may feel a little “eeky”, it may make you feel uncomfortable, but it is a very important piece for both parties to agree on the terms of this partnership. This is where you’ll discover more about the brand and when they’ll share more about what they have in mind. They’ll probably ask about your rates, you’ll learn about their budget, and in short, this is when you’ll decide if the collaboration will be a good fit.
In full transparency, this negotiation step will take a bit. It will usually involve a couple of emails. It’ll most likely take some back and forth, and you’ll lock in things like final rate, deadlines, number of videos, type of content, payment terms, and usage of the content.
I have a whole module on Negotiating like a boss inside my UGC Creator Immersion “The Experience”, which is my full 8-week program that breaks down my journey as a Creator Mom, from $0 to over $76k, and the strategies that landed me partnerships with brands like Amazon and Allegiant Airlines. “The Experience” is currently on Sale at a crazy 85% off, and you can gain full access to everything right here.
3. Contract signing
We briefly talked about this in the section where we discussed what to have ready beforehand, and right now we’ll dive a little deeper. As I mentioned earlier, some brands or agencies may have their contracts and will send them your way once your partnership is a go. It should include everything that you’ve agreed on during negotiation, but you always wanna make sure you’re triple-checking everything before you sign.
If a brand doesn’t have one, make sure to send them yours. This is exactly why you want to have a template ready before you start. Include everything that you have discussed, sign it, and send it over for the brand to sign.
Two last things to consider, one, you may encounter a brand partnership that includes a list of shots for you to film, as opposed to a fully edited video. If this is the case, review the full list of “raw content”, and confirm that everything looks BEFORE you sign. The last thing you want is to have “agreed—in writing” to a concept, and then realizing (too late) that you have to shoot 40 different clips for that concept.
And two, don’t get any product delivered until AFTER you have signed the contract. If a brand offers to send it, I would suggest politely asking about their agreement, or offering to send yours instead.
4. Product Delivery
The next stage in our brand partnerships step-by-step is product delivery, unless you’re working with a digital product (like an app). Most products will get delivered within 5-7 days. Keep in mind that the brand/agency should always cover the full product cost and shipping.
While you could sit and relax while waiting for the product, there is something very clever and useful that you could do in the meantime. Doing this will help you save a lot of time in the next steps. Something that, as a mom, you will definitely want 😉
5. Concepts/Scripts
In the window when you’re waiting for the product to arrive, you could send your video ideas to the brand for approval. This could include locking in the whole concept for the video as well as sending your scripts (which I highly recommend). When I say scripts, I mean any spoken word that will be part of your video, whether that is through straight-to-camera videos or voiceovers.
The great thing about having your concepts and scripts revised and approved is that they will serve as a guide when it’s time to film and when you’re ready to edit. It will also minimize your revisions, as the brand will have a clear idea of the content you will create.
6. Filming
This is a fun one and probably THE STEP that you’ve been looking forward to. It’s finally shooting time! And thanks to your already approved concepts and scripts, you’re going to rock this stage like a champ. Once the product arrives, I suggest grabbing your script to plan your shoot. I usually divide the filming by types of shots. For example, one day I do all of the straight-to-camera videos, and on a different day, I take care of the product shots, lifestyle shots, or any shot that involves my kids.
Your script will act as a shot checklist, it’ll keep you focused, and it’ll prevent you from losing time shooting things you are probably not gonna need. It will also act as your compass, for when you bring everything to life, in the next stage.
7. Editing
Once you have all of your raw content shot, using your script, you’re going to go straight into CapCut and put your video together. This is where you’ll build the storyline, from beginning to end, and add any needed text, voiceovers, transitions, and music. Editing will be a big part of what you do as a Creator Mom, and something you’ll get better at, the more you do it. Once you’re video is ready, you’re going to export it to your phone, and you’ll jump into the next stage.
For a quick fast-pass on how to edit with the CapCut app directly from your phone, make sure to grab my CapCut Tutorial for just $9.99 right here.
8. Sending Content
Once your content has been exported, you’re going to transfer it to your computer, and then you’ll move everything into your Google Drive, which you’ll already have ready because you did the 6 things I told you at the beginning of this article 😉. Make sure to keep everything as organized as possible. If you’re doing multiple videos or if you’re sending the raw content too, always label everything, create folders, and make it as easy to navigate for the brand. Brands and agencies love and appreciate organization, and they will never overlook how organized you are as a creator.
Once you have everything ready, copy the Google Drive link and share it with the brand. Most brands expect content to be delivered within 5 to 7 days from product delivery, but if you need longer than that, always mention it during the negotiation stage, and check that it’s been included in the agreement.
9. Revisions
It’s expected for the brand to have at least one revision after content has been submitted. Some brands will request two rounds of revisions, while others are particular about the revision timelines. In other words, how many days after the revision the content would need to be resubmitted. To protect your time and your work, the amount and specifics about revisions should be agreed upon beforehand and included in the contract.
Some minor revisions can include updates in the text, the voiceover, and sometimes clip reshoots. I’m a firm believer, though, that if you take the extra step to share your ideas, concepts, and scripts with the brand in advance, the revisions should be minimal.
10. Approval
Once you’ve sent your revised content, you’re ready to move on to the exciting part of getting your content approved. There’s nothing quite like witnessing a brand loving your work, especially the first couple of times it happens. Generally, once your content has been approved, you have the green light to submit an invoice so you can collect payment. Cheers to that!!
Don’t sweat it if it takes a bit for you to receive the approval. A couple of days is the standard to get a final confirmation. If it’s been 5 days or more, I would politely follow up.
11. Payment
Ok, maybe a little more exciting than getting your content approved is the moment when you get to receive your payments!! This is the moment where you see it happening in real life! You are being paid to create content, and to partner with brands AS A MOM! You envisioned it, you took action, you created your samples, you posted your work, you pitched, you applied, you reached out, you landed your first partnerships, and now the payments have started rolling in, auuu!!
When I first started, it took me a couple of days to get my first $12 payment, then a month to get my first $203 payment, and by month 3, I was making more than $1000. Now, content creation is my full-time business, and I get to write brand partnerships step-by-step emails so I can help you do this too =) All it takes is starting and staying in the game long enough for results to start to compound.
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Now back to payments! If the agency or brand you’re working with doesn’t use a preferred payment platform, you can send them an invoice and choose how you’d like to receive payment. I have been using Stripe since starting because I can include an online payment link on the invoice.
If an ACH transfer is an alternative, or if the brand has a preferred payment platform, I create an invoice in Canva and send that version instead. The main reason I do this is that Stripe takes a commission from collected payments. Every time you create an invoice, Stripe takes a small percentage in fees. My way to avoid it is by creating a PDF invoice in Canva.
Keep in mind that payment timelines can vary a lot. Some brands pay as soon as your content has been approved, some do 7 days, some do 15 days, some 30, and even 60 days. Again, all of this should be in the agreement and negotiated in advance.
12. Wrap up
The last stage in this brand partnerships step-by-step is often overlooked, but it’s something very important when you’re playing the long game in the content creation world. Here are 3 things I want you to do every time you wrap up a new partnership with a brand:
- The first one is, of course, thanking the brand/agency for the work together. Point out what you enjoyed the most and how they made it very smooth on your end as a creator.
- The second thing I want you to do is ask for a testimonial. This is, right next to your content, one of the most valuable pieces you’ll take out of every collaboration because every testimonial will act as social proof and help you with future collaborations. Put these testimonials in your portfolio, share them in your content, and keep them organized somewhere in your phone or laptop for easy access.
- The last thing I’d love for you to do is leave the door open to work with this brand or agency again. Let them know you’re available, ask about future opportunities, and if you see space in the conversation to mention it, talk about ways in which you could continue working together long-term.
I hope this training has brought massive clarity and value on what goes on behind the scenes in every brand collaboration. Use it as a guide, as you’re going step-by-step during your very own brand partnerships.
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The safe choice is waiting, but you know what the bold choice is 😉
See you inside The Experience rockstar!!
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