This is probably the post that you have all been waiting for. How to approach a brand, and how to get those campaigns. Let’s start with the brands that are always looking for people to review their products.

Brand Advisor

Sign up and create a profile on Brand Advisor . You can sign up for campaigns that catches your eye and give feedback. Now these campaigns are not paid for, you get paid in product. This a is good way to start

Everywhere you look, brands scream “buy me!”
We make it easier to know what you should buy,
and what you should pass on by. But how?

That’s where you come in.

Brands give us stuff.
We give it to our advisors.
For free. Mahala. Gratis.

Ruby Box

Ruby Box also works on a similar concept as Brand Advisor. You sign up and create a profile and “apply” for campaigns and you are sent products to review.

Making contact

Making contact with a brand, should not be where you ask for free products to review. A lot of local brands especially, have suffered major losses, because they are inundated with DM’S of people asking for free products. A good way to start is to actually invest and buy some of the products you love first. Test it out and if you love it, tag the brand and write a post about it. Brands are much more willing to work with someone that they know share the same love for their brand. You can also start practicing creating content to get noticed by a brand. When you make contact with a brand, you need to be able to present them with a concept or idea. Something like, ” I want to show people on my feed your brand” is unfortunately not going to cut it. You need a marketing plan in place. There needs to be something in it for the brand as well, and this is where you will need some marketing skills by proposing some content to the brand. I usually sit and brain storm ideas before approaching a brand. I also look at my audience to see if it would be of interest to them to feature this brand. A brand wants to know what they will get in return for working with you. You need to have those answers up front and ready.

PR companies

The easiest way to get in touch with PR companies is to use GOOGLE. It is really that simple. Once you have a list start sending out emails. In your email include what your interests are (remember no free products) and include that you would like to be included on their PR List for press releases and future campaigns that align with your interest. If you have just started out, call yourself a “micro influencer” if are able to take decent shots, call yourself a “digital content creator”. That is the first step into landing those paid for campaigns. It took a LONG time before I even landed my first paid for campaign, and even then, it was not as easy as just posting. Brands want to know what your concept is going to be, before they even sign off. Remember the industry is growing, so you need to be able to stand out with the ideas and content that you can offer. Also look at your feed. Does it show the PR company what your niche is?

Are you following the right people?

Follow people that you can learn from. Follow people that inspire you. Information on blogging and starting your brand is freely available online. I have learned so much from following the right people. Follow the following accounts and see how they do it:

Instagram :

https://www.instagram.com/tokelomotsepe/

https://www.instagram.com/modernzulumom/

https://www.instagram.com/xxkhanyaxx/

Their success lies in the content they create and the brands that they work with. I will say this again, if you think this is something that you want to do. Then you have to work hard and put the time in. Engagement is so important as well. Practice taking photographs, invest in a few flat lay boards from Backdrop Shop . Most importantly, this has to be something that you actually find joy in. I hope that this series has helped some of you to take that leap. Can you make a business out of this, yes, you can, but it takes a lot of hard work and determination.