“Collaboration, like any good marriage, takes effort from both sides.”
I have had the honor in my two years of blogging to collaborate with some great brands and businesses. Some have been amazing and others, not so much. In the past year, I’ve learned to ONLY say yes to opportunities that I think are worthwhile or that I use anyway. I refuse to push something I myself would not use. So, in this post, Im giving my tips on how to collaborate with different brands as well as some tips on how you, as a business can reach the right brand ambassadors and bloggers.
Niche:
As a business owner, find the bloggers that have the audience you are trying to reach. If your business sells heels, you don’t want to necessarily use a beauty blogger to send items to for them to blog for you. So, find the people who have an audience that matches the audience you want and set up a collaboration contract with them.
Likewise, if you’re a beauty blogger, find some beauty producers and business and NEVER be afraid to reach out to them for a collaboration. Rejection is such a 4-letter word for some of us. But, if you look at a ‘NO’ as a path to your next yes, you aren’t afraid to shoot your shot. If you’re a fashion blogger, join influencer/affliliate programs such as Amazon, CJ, Shopstyle, Liketoknowit and many more. Make a list of brands you want to work with and start reaching out to them. If you never knock on the door, it will never open.
Media Kits:
As a blogger, put together your media kits to shop out to businesses. It doesn’t matter if you have 2K or 200K followers, it’s good to have this kit. Melissa Griffin has a great post on how and why you need a media kit HERE! She also has a media kit template so go get it.
Product Placement:
How you shoot and style a businesses sweat, blood, tears and hard work is soooo important. Businesses collaborate with you because they believe you have a voice and they love the way you use your voice to reach an audience. Always make sure their products are placed in the best light. When styling an item of clothing for a company, I don’t over stylize it. I do put my flair to it, but I want the clothes to speak for themselves, so I keep it as simple as possible. Rule of thum: If I don’t know what you’re selling, I won’t buy it.
Reliable:
As a business, If you choose a blogger and reach out to them to work with your company, get the products to them. As a business, stick to what you say and don’t change the rules of the collaboration every week. As a blogger, If someone send you something, do it in the time frame they directed and don’t take their product and then stop answering their calls and emails. Your word and work ethic is what will get you to the top of this heavily saturated industry.
Organic:
Bloggers, keep your head down and keep working on building an authentic and loyal following. Business owners, keep putting out great products and building that empire and those buyers will come. Don’t worry about what one person is doing to your left or to your right, don’t even worry about who is ahead of you, just keep your eyes on your goals, your grind and your God and success will come.
This month I had the pleasure of collaborating with a company based out of Africa called SGTCClothing. Their ready-to-wear Ankara items have been such a hit with me and so many others all over the world. They sent me 5 pieces to style and shoot for them. I kept the styling as simple as possible so the clothes could speak for themselves. This print-mix Bolani dress was one of my favorites out of the bunch. I wore it to a wedding yesterday and it was a HIT. Ankara is so fun and full of life and color so I played up that vibe by adding even more colors and textures.
Now, The dress spoke for itself but the shoes added spice and funk and the earring took it over the top. Shop the look here:
CLICK ON LINK TO PURCHASE:
FIND ME ON INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK AND MESSAGE ME TO ORDER THIS DRESS! (sizes 2-24)
If you don’t remember anything else from this post, remember that when collaborating with others, be authentic, be reliable, be yourself and always shoot your shot. Reach out to the bloggers with 500K and send them products, reach out to those BIG businesses and send them media kits. Don’t take no for an answer, try again. Keep your eyes on your lane and your brand and grow it authentically.
To check out my other collaborations with SGTCClothing, Click HERE and HERE! Find me on Instagram at Oluwafunmifly or on Facebook at Houseofodara to get your Bolani Dress today.
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