Collabs 101: How to Get Brands to Notice Your Blog

A few months after I started my blog, a brand I had never heard of emailed me asking for my size, address, and to describe my style. At the time I had no idea this was my first brand collaboration nor did I know how to respond. My first feeling was excitement of course – a brand finally noticed me!

Then after I received my “gifts” I realized they were so far from “on brand” that I didn’t know what to do. So, I made the best with what I was given and still posted to Instagram since I gave my word.

Ever since, I’ve tried, failed, and succeeded at all kinds of ways to get brands to notice my blog that I actually want to notice my blog. And if brands don’t notice me, I know exactly how to contact them for collaborations, which I’m going to share with you today.

how to get noticed by brands

Tag them on Instagram

Instagram is the best platform for discovering so many things: food, picture locations, decor, clothes, and bloggers. The best way I’ve found to do this is by searching hashtags, location tags, and tagged pictures.

So, if you want to get brands to notice your blog you have to do just that. You want to use their brand’s hashtags, use their store’s location tags, and tag them in pictures. That’s it!

When you tag brands on Instagram they’re notified. If the brand happens to click your picture and like what they see, they’ll reach out if there’s the potential for a collaboration. Hashtags such as #forever21 #f21xme are also great for trying to reach a brand like Forever 21. Hashtags definitely increase your chances of being “discovered”.

Now, if a brand likes or comments the picture you tagged them in, the brand’s followers can see that, which is an added bonus. Anytime someone with a large following likes or comments on my picture, my followers spike.

However, you can’t just tag brands a few times and expect them to reach out immediately, if at all. You have to stay consistent and establish a long-term blogger/brand relationship, (aka chill out, everything will happen how it’s supposed to).

Engage with other bloggers

I’ve gotten a number of collaborations from brands through referrals from other bloggers and by commenting on other bloggers’ Instagram pictures. If you have a few supportive blogger friends, they’ll have no problem sharing the spotlight with you and telling brands to invite you to events, recommend you for collaborations, etc. Blogging can be so inclusive with the right people.

Anyway, brands know how valuable Instagram is as a search tool, so once they find one blogger with a target market they’re looking for, they’re going to find 50 other bloggers with a similar following and one of them may be you. They can find you from Instagram’s “suggestions” or by browsing the comments section of other bloggers’ pictures so make sure you’re highly engaged in the Instagram blogger community!

Work with influencer companies

Since the popularity of blogging sky rocketed in the last few years, a ton of boutique influencer businesses have emerged. There are Pinterest influencer companies, Instagram star companies, brand managers, etc. Even Bloglovin’ started their own influencer program that connects brands with bloggers.

I think the concept is great but influencer companies are getting almost as saturated as the blogging market itself so you’d really have to do your research in terms of what company is the best for you and how much time you’d be investing in signing up with them. You also want to know what brands they work with because you want to make sure all your collaborations are true to your brand.

how to contact brands for collaborations

If all your attempts fail at getting noticed by brands, you can reach out to them yourself through a cold or warm email. The worst that could happen is they turn you down and in that case, you’re in the exact same place you were before you asked.

For those who don’t know the difference between a cold and warm e-mail – a cold email is when you email someone you’ve never had any contact with before, a warm email is something you would send to an acquaintance or friend of a friend. You have a common denominator with warm emails whereas cold emails are a shot in the dark.

Either way works if you do your research but I personally prefer a warm email because I find the person on the receiving end is more likely to agree with whatever you propose. You can still send a warm email even if you’ve never met the person by establishing a rapport with the brand via social media.

You want your initial e-mail to be as unique as possible, so remember that no script is guaranteed, no matter what other bloggers, “coaches”, or “consultants” tell you. Sure you can have guidelines but every brand will receive your message differently so you really want to speak the brand’s language right off the bat.

Leading up to the “ask”, I’d give a genuine compliment, show that I’ve done my research by naming specific things the brand has done that I admire, and offer something of value. Brands, companies, bloggers, or whoever you’re targeting want to know what’s in it for them so as soon as you establish that up front, the more likely they are to work with you.

The thing to keep in mind about collaborations is patience. You must, must, must be patient and consistent across the board. Keep tagging, keep emailing, keep the conversation going and keep your faith that something will come of all your hard work.

How do you contact brands for collaborations? Comment below or shoot me an email brittany@notanotherblonde.com. 

xx

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want more?

Week 1: How to Prepare for Your First Collaboration

Week 2 (this week): How to Get Brands to Notice Your Blog

Week 3: How to Price Yourself & Your Work

Week 4: Secret Negotiating Tricks No One Talks About

Week 5: How to Get More Collaborations