Creators who dedicate their platform to talking about issues important to them often sacrifice potential work with many traditional brands – but not all of them!

Here are some tips for thinking through collaborations with values aligned companies/ brands:

Be Strategic About Brand Partnerships

The truth is that you probably wouldn’t want to work with many of the major companies that are heavily investing in creator work, like Target or Amazon. In order to maintain trust with your audience, and feel good about the things you are being paid to promote, it’s important to pursue brand partnerships that align with your values.

Start With Brands You Already Support

A great place to start would be brands that you already use and love because of their commitment to progressive values. If you are already using their products and supporting their mission, your genuine enthusiasm will shine through & make the partnership more authentic!

• TIP: If you really love a brand’s mission, you could make a video talking about a product/service (even if it's not sponsored) to try and build the relationship!
• Here are some values-aligned brands/ companies we’ve seen invest in creator partnerships!
  • DeleteMe: Focused on privacy and data security
  • Nuuly: A more sustainable fashion rental service
  • Trashie: A recycling
  • Blueland (Affiliate Program): Offers environmentally friendly, refillable products
  • Pela: Makes compostable phone cases
  • Patagonia (Affiliate Program): Known for their environmental activism and ethical production practices
• Other places to look would be B Corps and 1% for the Planet participants!
• Some companies are also looking for UGC that would not be posted to your page, which could be another avenue for partnership!

Tips for Reaching Out

Once you’ve found a brand that fits your values, it’s time to reach out and express interest in collaborating. Here are a few tips for getting in touch!

• Leverage LinkedIn to find the right connections!

  • Follow brands you admire, comment on posts, and engage with professionals in the industry.
  • Find folks working in a brand’s digital, social media, or influencer marketing teams. This gives you a direct line to the people who are responsible for managing brand partnerships.
    • Look for titles like “Influencer Marketing Manager,” “Brand Partnerships,” or “Digital Marketing”
  • LinkedIn can also help you stay informed about the brand’s recent updates and achievements, giving you insights you can reference in our outreach.

• DM the brand on their most active platform

  • If a brand is active on social media, this is often an informal and fast way to express interest and make a connection.
  • It also doesn’t hurt to strategically engage with their content, especially in their comments section!
    • A brand’s LinkedIn is often one of their least engaged platforms, so it’s easier for your name to stand out.

• Craft a personalized outreach message

  • Your outreach should be direct, clear, and professional while showing your enthusiasm for the brand and explaining why it’s a good fit for both of you.

    Here’s an example of what you could say!

    Hi [NAME],

    I’m reaching out because I admire the work you and your team do at [BRAND NAME] and would love to explore the opportunity to collaborate on some content. I believe [BRAND]’s mission and products would resonate with my audience [because xyz], and I’d love to help spread the word on my platform. Are you currently sourcing for any influencer partnerships?

    I’ve attached my media kit and links to my platforms for your review. I look forward to hearing your thoughts and hope we can connect soon!

    You can reach me here or at [email].

    Thanks,

    [Your name]

• Personalization is key here!

  • Be specific about why a brand aligns with your values and would resonate with your audience!

• More on Media Kits

  • It’s not a bad idea to make a separate media kit for brand partnerships! While nonprofits and political orgs are often looking for link clicks to a call to action, brands are looking for different ROI.
  • A media kit should include: your audience demographics, engagement rates, past successful collaborations, and any other info about you that you’d want them to know!
    • It could be helpful to include conversion metrics for other products you’ve promoted, or even values-aligned calls to action!
    • Include specific data points that align with the brand's goals (e.g., if a brand prioritizes sustainability, show your audience’s interest in eco-friendly content).