How to Ace Brand Collaborations: 8 Tips from Industry Leaders at h+h americas

Collaborating with brands can be a fantastic way to expand your reach, share products you love, and grow your business. 

To help you navigate this journey, we gathered insights from industry leaders, at this year's Content Creator Summit created in partnership with h+h americas, on how to make the most out of your brand collaborations. Here are some key tips and common mistakes new creators make along with how you can overcome them and ensure success.

Margaux Hufnagel, the Marketing + Creative Director at Berroco, Inc., emphasizes the importance of having a clear vision when pitching to brands. When reaching out, don’t just express your interest in collaboration; present specific ideas for how you can work together. 

A detailed proposal shows that you’ve thought about the partnership and have a plan in place, making it easier for the brand to see the potential value.

To make your pitch stand out, include links to your social media profiles, your portfolio, and where you currently sell your designs. Tools like gosadi's Designer Landing Page (DLP) can streamline this process by allowing you to share all relevant information in one link.

Learn more about crafting your pitch in The Art of The Elevator Pitch! Brand Mix & Matching at h+h americas 2024

Nick Hagen, the Marketing Director at KnitPicks.com & Crochet.com, advises creators to stay true to their style and audience when considering collaborations. It can be tempting to say yes to every opportunity, especially from larger brands, but it’s crucial to choose collaborations that resonate with your personal brand and audience. 

Authenticity builds trust, and your audience will appreciate your genuine enthusiasm for the products you promote.

Similarly, Maria Elena Velardi, the Marketing Director at Benartex, notes that constantly posting sponsored content can undermine your credibility with brands and with your audience. 

Balance sponsored posts with organic content in your feeds to maintain authenticity. A collaboration shouldn’t feel like a money grab.

Consistency is key in all aspects of collaboration. Maria Elena Velardi highlights that brands value creators who are reliable in both their social media posting schedules and their email communication with the brand. 

Regular, timely updates help build a strong working relationship and ensure that both parties are aligned on goals and expectations.

Anthony Venezia, the Head of Marketing at Knitting Fever Inc., reminds creators to treat every brand interaction with professionalism. 

When reaching out to a brand, present a clear vision but also be prepared with backup options in case your initial idea isn’t a fit. Viewing collaborations as business deals can help you make a strong, lasting impression.

Alexis Wilson-Castaldi, the Brand Director at crochet.com, believes that your most significant asset is the authentic connection that you have with your audience. A brand can never replicate that. And another creator can not bring exactly what YOU bring to the table. 

If you share authentically and passionately about the products you love, then your audience is more likely to respond positively. 

Your unique voice and perspective are what attract your followers and what brands want to tap into through your collab.

As a creator of any size, it is important that you have a clear picture of what you’re bringing to the table whether that’s a large engaged audience or a smaller audience but the ability to create incredible user-generated content (UGC).

Allison Williamson, the Digital Marketing Manager at Yarnspirations, says she regularly works with creators of all sizes. Brands like Yarnspirations, often look beyond follower counts to metrics like engagement rates, email list strength, and affiliate sales to estimate the ROI of a sponsorship. 

Don’t be afraid to ask for what you’re worth! A well-crafted, professional pitch can open doors, even if you don’t have a massive following. At the same time, be honest about what you can bring to the table (with the brand and with yourself), and don’t overpromise.

Kristin Oldach of KraeO emphasizes the importance of relationship-building, especially with smaller brands and indie dyers. 

Investing time in building genuine relationships can lead to more meaningful and lasting collaborations. If a brand decided to gift you a product that you love, show your appreciation for the brand that supports you and provide value in return. This could be through social media posts or crafting a design using the gifted product.

A gifting campaign is the brand investing in the relationship with that creator. If you want to keep that relationship going for longer than that one gift and as long as it aligns with your values/brand, make sure that you are then bringing something back to the brand itself.

Understanding the potential return on investment (ROI) that your collaboration will bring to the brand is crucial. 

Tara Swiger, the Marketing Coordinator at SewTites, advises creators to ensure they can show potential sales or engagement that justifies a brand’s investment in them. She shared that she has had to turn down collaborations in the past when the ask was too large in comparison to the creator's reach.

Now, this doesn’t mean that brands only work with large creators. A small but engaged audience that converts to sales is more valuable to the brand than a large but passive following.

If your audience will not convert to sales that cover the cost of the gifted product then you are asking the brand to take a loss. When considering the ask, make sure that you can back up that gift with an ROI that leads to future gifting and even sponsored campaigns. 

Want to learn more about collaborating? Learn how you can start collaborating with Local Yarn Shops today!