Unlocking consistent, well-paying brand deals is crucial for creators who aspire to go full-time with their businesses. The journey begins with landing that first sponsorship, a significant milestone that marks the start of your path to financial freedom. Picture this: partnering with brands you love, offering your audience top-notch products and services, and generating substantial income along the way.

Whether you’re a creator, influencer, podcast host, or newsletter writer, sponsorships should be a cornerstone of your business strategy. However, the biggest challenge many creators face is the unpredictability of securing consistent deals. From lowball offers to uncertainty about where the next partnership will come from, navigating the sponsorship landscape can be daunting.

Most creators mistakenly believe that securing sponsorships involves just a few simple steps. But in reality, the process is more complex and involves eight distinct stages. Understanding and mastering these stages is key to establishing long-term, profitable partnerships.

Introducing the Sponsorship Wheel

The Sponsorship Wheel is a proven, eight-step system designed to help you land consistent, lucrative brand deals. By following this system with a long-term mindset, you’ll be well on your way to going full-time with your creator business and building the life you envision.

At its core, the Sponsorship Wheel is a method for tracking the stages of your various partnerships. Many creators make the mistake of slowing down after signing a contract or delivering content. However, the key to ongoing success is to keep the wheel turning, even after publishing sponsored content.

The 8-Step Sponsorship Wheel

Step 1: Pitch

The pitch phase is where you reach out to a brand to propose a collaboration or respond to their inquiry about a partnership. When crafting your pitch, it’s essential to use the ROPE method:

• Relevant: Tailor your pitch to align with the brand’s current or past campaigns.
• Organic: Connect the pitch to your previously published work.
• Proof: Demonstrate how you’ve helped other brands achieve results.
• Easy to Execute: Make it simple for the brand to say “yes.”

Even if a brand approaches you first, you still need to convince them that you’re the right choice. If they don’t respond immediately, persistence is key—follow up consistently to keep the conversation going.

Step 2: Negotiate

Once the brand shows interest, you’ll enter the negotiation phase. This stage involves agreeing on the deal terms, which can involve multiple stakeholders on the brand’s side. Understanding the brand’s goals—whether it’s raising awareness, converting customers, or using your content on their platforms—is crucial. Your pricing strategy should reflect the value you’re providing, and you must be prepared to address any objections the brand may have.

Step 3: Contract

After agreeing on the terms, it’s time to finalize the contract. This step includes aligning on timelines, content delivery, and revision expectations. Clear communication at this stage can prevent misunderstandings and headaches later on.

Step 4: Concept

In this phase, you’ll review the brand’s creative brief and submit your content concept for approval. Even if the brand doesn’t ask for a concept, providing one can prevent misalignment and save time on revisions later.

Step 5: Produce

Now it’s time to create the content and deliver it to the brand. Consolidating all deliverables in a single document can streamline the review process and make it easier for the brand to provide feedback.

Step 6: Feedback

The feedback phase is where the brand reviews your content and requests any necessary revisions. It’s important to differentiate between reasonable requests and those that may warrant additional charges, especially if they fall outside the original agreement.

Step 7: Publish

Once the content is finalized, you’ll publish it and share the live links with the brand. Following a detailed checklist can help ensure that everything goes smoothly from contract signing to content publication.

Step 8: Analyze

The final step involves invoicing the brand and providing a post-campaign report. This report should summarize the campaign’s success, highlighting key metrics and insights. It’s also an opportunity to pitch your next idea to the brand, keeping the Sponsorship Wheel in motion and nurturing your existing relationships.

Next Steps for Creators

Now that you understand the Sponsorship Wheel, you can start applying these strategies to secure consistent, well-paying sponsorships. To help you further, we’ve developed the Sponsorship Wheel Snapshot. This personalized report will highlight your strengths and areas for improvement across all eight steps, guiding you towards making more lucrative deals consistently.

Take the Sponsorship Wheel Snapshot for free and start your journey towards sustainable success with brand partnerships. Good luck with your next sponsorship!