Insert Presentation here.
Approaching Deals
If you're a Creator, you might think deals are just about making content and getting paid. But the most successful Creators approach deals like startups approach sales. They’re strategic, metrics-driven, and relentless about building scalable systems.
Thinking about deals as a “sales” funnel requires for Creators to establish systems and teams internally to keep this funnel going; in comes In-House Management.
Deals are A Funnel
Deals, for most Creators, are outsourced to external management. Startups think of sales as a funnel, with prospects moving through predictable stages: awareness, interest, decision, and closing. As a Creator, your funnel might look like this:
- Awareness: Brands hear about you. Maybe it’s through your content, your audience, or another Creator recommending you.
- Interest: They reach out (or you pitch them), and they start considering you for a campaign.
- Decision: They’re weighing whether to work with you. This is where your proposal matters.
- Closing: The deal is signed, and you’re off to deliver results.
The best sales teams don’t wait for customers to come to them. They actively build pipelines. A pipeline is just a list of leads: people or companies who might buy what you’re selling.
For Creators, your pipeline is brands. The simplest way to build one is to start with brands that are already working with Creators like you. Look at your competitors or Creators in your niche. Which brands are they working with? Add those to your list.
Next, qualify your leads. Not every brand is worth pursuing. Do they have a budget? Are they aligned with your audience? If not, move on. Time is your most valuable resource.
Finally, keep your pipeline moving. Follow up with brands regularly. The best salespeople know that deals don’t close on the first try. Persistence wins.
Sell Outcomes, Not Content
Amateur Creators think they’re selling content. Pros know they’re selling outcomes. Brands don’t care about your video or your post; they care about what it does for them. More awareness? More trust? More sales?
You need to figure out what the brand actually wants, then show them how you’ll deliver it. This is where metrics matter. Engagement rates, audience demographics, and case studies from past campaigns are your proof points. If you don’t have these yet, start tracking them now.
Make it Easy to Say Yes
In sales, friction kills deals. The more work a brand has to do to figure out if they want to work with you, the less likely they are to say yes. Your job is to remove as much friction as possible.
Have a media kit ready. Include your stats, audience breakdown, and examples of your best work. Create proposal templates so you can quickly send a polished pitch. And always make your ask clear. If you want a meeting, say so. If you want a decision by a certain date, ask for it.
Every Deal has a System
You have a system. Whether it’s messy or not, it’s still the normal way that you do your own business. Being a Creator Founder means that you run your business like a startup. Startups are obsessed with metrics. They don’t just sell—they track how many leads they contact, how many turn into customers, and how much each deal is worth. You should do the same.
Here are the metrics that matter:
- Outreach: How many brands are you contacting? What’s your response rate?
- Conversion: How many leads turn into deals?
- Deal Size: What’s your average payout per deal?
- Retention: How many brands work with you again?
Once you start tracking these, you’ll see where you’re strong and where you need to improve. You’ll also notice patterns. Maybe your conversion rate is higher when you pitch smaller brands. Or maybe it’s easier to close deals when you propose longer-term partnerships. Data will show you what’s working and what doesn’t.
Add content here
← Previous
Add link here
Next →
Add link here