How to Land Paid Deals as an Influencer (Even with Under 10K Followers)

When I first started creating content over a decade ago, I had zero idea what I was doing. It felt like the Wild West out there (and honestly? Still kinda does.)

I posted outfits I loved and travel photos I took with my DSLR. I didn’t know what a brand deal was, let alone how to get paid brand deals on Instagram, and I definitely wasn’t making money. I landed by first ever paid brand deal with about 3000 followers (it was for $100 and I was thrilled). 

Fast forward to today: I’ve negotiated over $1M in paid brand partnerships, worked with household names like United Airlines and Sephora, and even landed a Times Square billboard feature (!!) And here's the thing: I didn’t get here by luck.

I got here by learning exactly how to get brand deals as an influencer and turning it into a repeatable system.

Whether you're just getting started or you're looking to level up, I’m breaking down everything I’ve learned about working with brands so you can finally figure out how to get paid brand deals and grow a real income stream from content.

Step 1: Build A Personal Brand (Not Just A Feed)

You don’t need 100,000 followers to land brand deals for small influencers. What you do need is a solid personal brand. That's not the same as just going viral by following trends. Followers don't equal a brand. 

What this means is clarity on what you talk about, who you’re talking to, and what makes you different. I always tell my students inside Brand Deals 101, the more clear your niche and value is, the easier it is for brands to say “yes.”

When a brand lands on your social media, they should instantly understand:

• Who you are
• What kind of content do you create
• Why your audience trusts you

This is especially true if you’re a smaller creator wondering how to get brand deals as a small influencer. Clarity and consistency will do more for you than flashy follower counts ever will.

Step 2: Organically Tag Brands Before You Pitch

Before I landed my dream PR package from La Croix just last week because I tagged them in YEARS of branded content. Not once expecting anything in return. I was just genuinely obsessed.

I've gotten on the radar of Cupshe, my favorite swimsuit brand who has paid me over $50k in brand deals over the years, by first owning a Cupshe swimsuit and tagging them. 

That’s what I teach creators all the time: tagging brands you love builds a relationship. It shows your audience you genuinely use the product and signals to brand partners that you’re already a fan (aka low lift for them to work with you). It’s not “giving away content for free”, it’s laying the groundwork for future paid brand deals.

And yes, this applies whether you’re just starting out or already working with brands. Some of the best brand deals for content creators start from unpaid organic mentions.

Step 3: Pitch Yourself (You Don’t Need to Wait For “When a Brand Reaches Out”)

Let me say this loud for the creators in the back: you do not need to wait for a brand to DM or email you first. Learning how to ask brands for money and how to get sponsored by a brand is one of the most important skills you can learn as an influencer.

Inside Paid To Travel, I teach you exactly how to pitch yourself for travel-focused campaigns. But the core lessons apply to everything from skincare to snacks.

The most successful brand deals for influencers usually happen when creators are proactive:

• You send a short, custom pitch email highlighting your stats and why they should work with you

• You attach your media kit and it's full of helpful data to make the brand fall in love with you

•  You propose a campaign that aligns with the brand’s goals

If you want to get sponsored by brands, you need to put yourself out there. Be specific. Be strategic. And always follow up. And no, this does not mean pitching over DMs. DMs are for connections, emails are for pitches. 

Step 4: Sign Up For Influencer Platforms (Let the Brands Come to You)

Another way to land paid brand deals, especially while you’re building confidence pitching, is through influencer platforms.

These are marketplaces where brands list campaigns and creators can apply. Some platforms even let brands find you directly through profile search, meaning you can land a paid brand partnership without sending a single email (yes please).

I have a whole list of 21+ influencer platforms to join, but here are a few types of platforms to check out:

• Affiliate & brand marketplaces (like LTK, Shop My, and Impact)

• Campaign networks (like Aspire, Influencer.co, and Social Cat)

• Paid-to-post deal boards (like #paid, Fohr)

Inside Brand Deals 101, I include my full list of recommended platforms (including ones that pay well and don’t waste your time). Signing up for even just 2–3 platforms can help you tap into more brand deals for small influencers and build a consistent income.

This is also how I got some of my very first sponsored posts, I didn’t wait to be discovered. I signed up, applied, and got paid.

Step 5: Know Your Worth (And Use A Rate Calculator)

Let’s talk money. If you’re Googling things like how much do influencers get paid for brand deals or influencer brand deal rates, you’re not alone.

It often feels like you're throwing food at the wall and seeing what sticks. I see creators undercharge themselves all the time. They forget to include things like:

• Travel costs
• Time costs
• Prop costs
• Usage
• Link in bio
• and more

I spent a decade learning how to price myself fairly, and then decided my peers shouldn't have to do the same, so I made a tool called Rate Magic.

Before I created Rate Magic, I wasted so much time trying to guess what to charge. Stories, Reels, usage rights, exclusivity, it was overwhelming.

That’s why I built Rate Magic as a done-for-you tool to help creators figure out exactly what to charge for their sponsored posts based on platform, engagement, and deliverables. If you want to finally feel confident when a brand reaches out (or when you pitch them), this tool is your new BFF.

It's perfect for creators asking:

• How to get brand deals on Instagram

• How to work with brands and get paid

• What to charge for a paid brand partnership

No more guesswork. Just pricing based on industry logic and real numbers.

Step 6: Treat Your Brand Deals Like A Business

Landing paid partnerships is exciting, but repeatable success comes from treating this like a business.

Whether you’re negotiating a new paid brand partnership or managing multiple campaigns, you need systems. Inside Brand Deals 101, I walk you through:

• How to respond when a brand reaches out

• How to read contracts and negotiate terms

• The difference between a brand deal vs gifted sponsorship

• How to deliver high-quality branded content that gets rebooked

Because how to get brand deals is only half the equation. The other half is keeping them.

If you're serious about growing your income with influencer marketing, learning how to negotiate brand partnerships is what takes you from one-time collabs to long-term paid work.

Final Thoughts: Small Influencers Can Land Big Brand Deals

If you’ve been stuck wondering how to get paid brand deals on Instagram and thinking you missed you chance and can't be a full-time influencer,  this is your reminder that it’s never too late to start.

You don’t need 100K followers. You don’t need to be full-time. You just need a strategy.

Start with these:

• Paid To Travel: For travel creators who want to land press trips and hotel collabs

• Brand Deals 101: For creators ready to pitch, negotiate, and scale their income with paid brand deals

• Rate Magic: For creators who want a done-for-you tool to price their content properly

These are the tools I wish I had when I was just starting out, Googling how to get brand deals as an influencer with zero clue where to begin.

You’re not too small. You’re not too late. And you don’t have to figure this out alone.