How to Write a Brand Partnership Proposal: Complete Guide for Creators in 2026

Introduction

Writing a strong brand partnership proposal is your ticket to landing better deals. In 2026, brands are more selective than ever about which creators they work with. A great proposal shows them exactly why you're the right fit.

This guide walks you through how to write brand partnership proposals that actually work. You'll learn the structure, strategy, and execution needed to win partnerships. Whether you're on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, or multiple platforms, these steps apply to you.

We'll cover everything from research to contract signing. You'll discover how to present your value clearly and negotiate fairly. By the end, you'll have a template and framework ready to use immediately.

What you'll learn: - How to research brands and prepare your pitch - The exact structure of a winning proposal - How to price your services confidently - Legal protections you need - Real examples and actionable strategies

Understanding Your Audience: Pre-Proposal Research and Preparation

Researching Potential Brand Partners

The best proposals start with research. Before you write anything, find brands that actually fit your audience.

Start by identifying five to ten brands your followers already use and love. Check which brands your competitors partner with. Look at their Instagram posts, TikTok videos, and YouTube content to spot patterns.

Use tools to find these opportunities faster. Search hashtags like #brandpartnership and #sponsored in your niche. Follow brand accounts and note their posting patterns and campaign timelines.

According to Influencer Marketing Hub's 2026 research, 73% of brands prioritize audience alignment over follower count. This means a smaller, engaged audience beats a large, uninterested one every time.

Create a spreadsheet with brand names, contact info, and partnership history. Note what types of creators they typically work with. This research takes time but saves you from pitching brands that don't fit.

Gathering Your Data and Metrics

Brands want numbers. Prepare yours before you write anything.

Collect your key metrics: engagement rate, audience demographics, average reach, and follower growth. These numbers tell the real story of your influence.

Your engagement rate is crucial. To calculate it, add likes and comments, divide by your follower count, then multiply by 100. According to 2026 social media data, engagement rates above 3-5% are considered strong across platforms.

Creating a professional media kit for influencers takes about an hour but makes your proposal ten times stronger. A media kit shows your best data in a visual format that brands can quickly scan.

Document past partnership successes. If you've worked with brands before, gather the results. How many clicks did you drive? How many sales happened? Did their followers grow?

Many creators use influencer rate cards to document their pricing by content type. This reference point helps when negotiating with brands and shows you understand market rates.

Competitive Analysis in Your Niche

Understanding your competition helps you stand out in your proposal.

Find three creators similar to you in your niche. Check their follower counts, engagement rates, and partnership history. This gives you a baseline for pricing and positioning.

Look at what makes them unique. Maybe they have higher engagement. Maybe they create specific content types. Maybe they have better audience demographics for certain brands.

Identify the gaps. What are you doing better? Perhaps your audience skews younger, or they're more located in a specific geographic area. Maybe your engagement rate is higher, or you create video content competitors don't.

Document your differentiators. These become key selling points in your proposal. When you can clearly explain why you're different, brands pay attention.

Structuring Your Brand Partnership Proposal

The Essential Components of a Winning Proposal

Every strong brand partnership proposal needs the same core sections. Think of it like a recipe—skip an ingredient and it doesn't work as well.

Start with an executive summary. This is a short paragraph (three to five sentences) that captures the entire partnership opportunity. A brand rep might only read this part initially. Make it count.

Next, include an "About You" section. Share your background, your audience size, and what makes your platform valuable. Keep this to one page maximum.

The deliverables section is critical. Specify exactly what the brand gets. List every platform, every post type, and every usage right. Be specific: "Three Instagram Reels, five Stories, one carousel post, and one long-form TikTok video" beats "social media content."

Add a timeline and milestones section. Show the brand when they'll get content, when it posts, and how you'll measure success. Include dates for approvals and revisions.

Your investment section shows pricing and payment terms. Break this down by deliverable. Show exactly what each piece costs and when payment is due.

End with a clear call-to-action. Tell them what happens next. Include your contact information and preferred communication method.

Using Professional Templates and Formatting

Your proposal's appearance matters. A messy, unprofessional proposal suggests messy work.

Use consistent fonts and colors throughout. Stick to one or two fonts maximum. Use your brand colors if they're professional, or stick with black and white if they're too bold.

contract templates for influencer partnerships provide ready-made structure you can customize quickly. These templates save hours and ensure you don't miss legal requirements.

Include visuals strategically. Add a photo of yourself or your best content. Use screenshots of your top-performing posts. Charts showing engagement trends are powerful.

Keep margins and white space clean. Dense text is hard to read. Use bullet points instead of paragraphs wherever possible. Break up long sections with subheadings.

Save your proposal as a PDF. This preserves formatting across devices and looks more professional than Word documents. Make the file size reasonable (under 5MB) so it downloads quickly on mobile.

Proposal Length and Format Best Practices

How long should your proposal be? Five to twelve pages is ideal for most brand partnerships.

Shorter proposals work for smaller brands or short-term deals. A brand might need only a one-page overview for a single Instagram post partnership.

Longer proposals work for bigger, longer-term deals. A three-month campaign with multiple deliverables might need twelve pages.

Whatever length you choose, every page should add value. Remove anything a brand doesn't need to know. Every sentence should earn its spot.

Mobile optimization matters in 2026. Many brand reps review proposals on phones during lunch or commutes. Ensure your PDF reads well on small screens. Test it on your phone before sending.

Crafting Your Value Proposition and Benefits Section

Articulating Your Unique Value

What makes you different from the hundreds of other creators pitching brands? Your proposal needs a clear answer.

Your value isn't just your follower count. It's your engaged audience, your authentic voice, and your ability to drive results. Start with audience quality, not quantity.

Describe your typical audience member. Instead of "100,000 followers," try "100,000 active followers, 62% female, aged 18-34, interested in sustainable fashion and living."

Highlight audience trust. According to Influencer Marketing Hub's 2026 data, 62% of consumers trust influencer recommendations more than branded content. This trust is your superpower.

Show your reach. If your average post gets 50,000 impressions, that's a real number to include. Real numbers beat vague claims every time.

Identify your unique angle. Maybe you're the only creator in your niche focused on eco-friendly beauty. Maybe you have the highest engagement rate in fitness content. Maybe your audience is highly concentrated in one profitable city. Highlight what's genuinely unique about you.

Creating Compelling Benefit Statements

Features are what you offer. Benefits are what the brand gets. Transform every feature into a benefit.

Don't say "I post three times weekly." Say "Consistent posting keeps your brand top-of-mind with my audience three times weekly."

Don't say "I have 50,000 followers." Say "Reach 50,000 engaged potential customers who actively purchase in your product category."

Don't say "My engagement rate is 4.5%." Say "My 4.5% engagement rate means 2,250 interactions per typical post—that's real conversation about your brand."

Connect everything to what brands actually want: awareness, consideration, purchase, or loyalty. Which one does your partnership deliver?

If a brand wants awareness, emphasize your reach numbers. If they want conversions, emphasize your audience's purchasing power. If they want loyalty, emphasize your audience's engagement and trust.

Differentiating Your Proposal from Competitors

In 2026, brands get dozens of pitches monthly. What makes yours stand out?

Include a brief case study from a past partnership. Show specific results: "Increased clicks by 340%," or "Generated 15,000 impressions on first day," or "Achieved 6.2% engagement rate vs. industry average of 3.1%."

Propose a unique content angle competitors didn't mention. Instead of a standard product photo, pitch a specific story format: "Behind-the-scenes day in my life using your product" or "How I use your product in my morning routine."

Highlight insights only you can provide. "My audience is primarily eco-conscious Gen Z females in California's Bay Area" is more useful than generic positioning.

Reference something specific about the brand's recent work. "I noticed your new product launch last month and think it aligns perfectly with my audience's sustainability values." Brands notice when you've done your homework.

Offer something extra competitors probably aren't offering. Maybe you'll share the campaign across Stories, feed posts, and Reels. Maybe you'll create comparison content. Maybe you'll do a discount code for your followers.

Financial Terms, Deliverables, and Pricing Strategy

Defining Clear Deliverables

Vagueness about deliverables causes partnership problems. Be specific.

Break deliverables down by platform. Specify Instagram Reels vs. Stories vs. feed posts. Specify TikTok videos vs. YouTube Shorts vs. long-form content. Each platform has different performance characteristics.

State usage rights clearly. Does the brand own your content forever? Can they use it in ads? For how long? Can they use it only on social media or in other marketing?

Specify revision limits. "Two rounds of revisions included" is clearer than "unlimited revisions." This protects both you and the brand.

Set approval processes in writing. "You have 48 hours to approve content or it posts as-is." Without this, brands can delay indefinitely.

Document content rights timeline. When does the brand stop using your content? Can they repost one month later? Six months? A year? Set these limits.

Include exclusivity details. Are you restricted from posting competing brands during the campaign? For how long after? Being clear avoids costly conflicts.

Pricing Negotiation Frameworks for 2026

What should you charge? This depends on your follower count, engagement rate, and niche.

According to Creator.co's 2026 influencer rates, typical pricing ranges are: - 10,000-50,000 followers: $200-$2,000 per post - 50,000-100,000 followers: $2,000-$5,000 per post - 100,000-500,000 followers: $5,000-$20,000 per post - 500,000+ followers: $20,000+ per post

But engagement rate matters more than follower count. A creator with 50,000 highly engaged followers might charge more than a creator with 200,000 disengaged followers.

Calculate your baseline rate using influencer rate cards formulas. A common formula is: (follower count ÷ 1,000) × engagement rate × $1-5. The exact multiplier depends on your niche and experience.

Use tiered pricing to encourage larger campaigns. Maybe one post costs $1,000, but three posts cost $2,700 (saving them $300). Bundle discounts make your rates more flexible.

Negotiate from your published rate, not from zero. "My rate is $1,500 per post" gives you negotiating room downward. Negotiating upward from $500 feels wrong.

Use this script when brands push back on price: "I understand budget constraints. Here's what I can deliver at $X. What specific deliverables could we adjust to fit your budget?"

Never undervalue your work. According to a 2026 creator survey, underpricers earn 40% less over time than appropriately priced creators because they attract lower-quality brands.

Payment Terms and Invoice Management

Clear payment terms prevent disputes. Specify everything upfront.

Decide between upfront payment, milestone-based payment, or payment after delivery. For new brand partnerships, 50% upfront and 50% upon delivery is standard.

For longer campaigns (three months or more), break payment into thirds: one-third upfront, one-third at the midpoint, one-third upon completion.

Specify your payment method: bank transfer, PayPal, or check. Let brands know which you prefer.

Set invoice terms. "Payment due within 14 days of invoice" is standard. Some brands negotiate 30-day terms. Decide your limit.

Using influencer invoicing and payment tools through InfluenceFlow streamlines this process. Automated invoicing sends reminders automatically, and brands can pay directly through the platform.

Document late payment consequences. "Invoices unpaid after 30 days incur 1.5% monthly interest" protects you.

Keep all agreements in writing. Never start work based on a verbal agreement or casual email. Use a written contract every single time.

Building Credibility Through Metrics and Key Performance Indicators

Selecting the Right Performance Metrics

Different metrics tell different stories. Choose metrics that matter for your partnership.

Engagement rate is your most important metric. It shows how many people actually interact with your content, not just how many follow you. Calculate it monthly and track the trend.

According to Hootsuite's 2026 social media report, average engagement rates are 1.5% on Instagram, 3.2% on TikTok, and 2.1% on YouTube. If you exceed these, highlight that.

Reach shows total people who see your content. Impressions show total times your content was viewed (one person viewing twice counts as two impressions).

Include audience demographics. Age, gender, location, and interests matter. If your audience skews toward a brand's target customer, that's powerful proof.

Highlight your top-performing content. Show which post types, topics, or formats get the highest engagement. This tells brands what performs best.

Include audience sentiment data if available. Does your audience feel positive about your content? Are comments supportive and engaged? Screenshot a few quality comments to show.

Setting Measurable Success Criteria

Before starting a partnership, agree on what success looks like.

Work with the brand to define their key performance indicators (KPIs). Do they want awareness? Set impression targets. Do they want clicks? Set a click goal. Do they want sales? Set a conversion target.

Set realistic benchmarks. If your average engagement is 3%, don't promise 10%. If brands expect unrealistic results, they'll be disappointed regardless of your actual performance.

Specify how you'll measure results. Will you use link tracking? Promo codes? Direct message tracking? Affiliate links? Different measurement methods give different numbers.

Create a post-campaign report template before launching. Agree on what metrics you'll report and when. This prevents surprise expectations later.

Many creators use analytics tools for tracking influencer performance] to monitor campaign metrics in real-time. This shows brands immediate results and builds trust.

Presenting Data Effectively

Numbers alone don't persuade. Present data in a way that tells a story.

Use charts and graphs. Visual data is absorbed faster than tables of numbers. A line graph showing engagement growth over months is more powerful than a list of monthly percentages.

Create before-and-after case studies from previous partnerships. "Before partnership: 2% engagement. After partnership with Brand X: 4.8% engagement." Real results matter.

Include screenshots of top-performing posts. Seeing actual content that drove results is more convincing than descriptions.

Use audience sentiment. Share positive comments and messages from your followers. This proves your audience cares, not just follows.

Highlight specificity. "Reached 127,000 people" beats "reached over 100,000 people." Specific numbers feel more real and credible.

Personalization Strategies and Brand Research

Researching Individual Brands

Generic proposals fail. Personalized proposals win.

Spend 30 minutes researching every brand before proposing. Follow their account, read their recent posts, check their website, and review their product line.

Note their current campaigns and recent launches. Reference these in your proposal: "I see you're launching your summer collection in April. My audience aligns perfectly with this timing."

Identify their audience demographics. Look at their follower comments and see who engages. Do they attract similar people to your audience?

Check out their previous influencer partnerships. Many brands tag creators they work with. See what styles of creators they typically choose.

Read their brand values and mission. If they emphasize sustainability and you create eco-conscious content, mention this connection explicitly.

Customizing Your Proposal for Specific Brands

One proposal template doesn't fit all brands. Customize key sections.

Start your executive summary with something specific to them. "I noticed your new sustainable fashion line, and it aligns perfectly with my audience's values around eco-friendly shopping."

Reference their specific goals. If they're launching a new product, emphasize reaching new customers. If they're building loyalty, emphasize your audience's repeat engagement with partner brands.

Propose content angles that match their style. Some brands want polished, professional content. Others want raw, authentic creator content. Match their brand voice.

Highlight your audience overlap. Show data proving your followers match their target customer. Use specific demographics and psychographics.

Personalized proposals take longer to write, but they work. According to Influencer Marketing Hub's 2026 data, personalized pitches have a 40% higher response rate than generic ones.

Personalized Outreach and Email Strategy

How you send your proposal matters as much as its content.

Find the right contact. Don't send to a generic brand email. Look for the marketing manager, influencer manager, or campaign coordinator on LinkedIn. A personal name beats a generic inbox.

Craft a compelling subject line. Test different approaches: - "Partnership opportunity with your target audience" - "[Your niche] creator—127K engaged followers" - "Proposal: [Brand name] x [Your name]"

Keep your email short. Attach the proposal but include a one-paragraph pitch in the email itself. Don't make them open the attachment just to understand what you want.

Use this email structure: 1. Personalized opening (reference something specific about their brand) 2. Quick value statement (why you're perfect for them) 3. Your numbers (follower count, engagement rate) 4. Call-to-action (suggest a meeting or next step) 5. Professional closing with contact info

Follow up after one week if you don't hear back. Follow up again after two weeks. Follow up one more time after three weeks. Then stop. Some brands just aren't interested.

Use email templates to stay organized. brand partnership proposal templates help you send personalized emails faster without reinventing each one.

Timeline, Milestones, and Project Management

Creating a Realistic Project Timeline

Timeline issues cause partnership stress. Plan carefully.

Break partnerships into phases:

Approval phase (1-2 weeks): Brand reviews your proposal and provides feedback. Build in time for back-and-forth.

Strategy phase (1 week): You and the brand finalize content angles, messaging, and requirements.

Content creation (1-4 weeks): You create content. Time needed depends on deliverable quantity and complexity.

Approval and revision (1 week): Brand reviews content and requests changes. Build in two rounds of revisions.

Publishing phase (1-4 weeks): Content publishes according to agreed schedule.

Reporting phase (1 week after completion): You compile metrics and share results.

Add buffer time to every phase. Content creation takes longer than expected. Brands request more revisions than planned. Platforms have technical issues. Plan for these delays.

Create a written timeline your proposal. Show exact dates for each phase. This sets expectations and prevents scope creep.

Setting Milestone-Based Deliverables

Break long campaigns into milestones to maintain momentum and manage risk.

For a three-month campaign, create monthly milestones:

Month one: Create and publish three pieces of content. Measure initial response.

Month two: Adjust based on month one results. Create three more pieces. Show improvements.

Month three: Finalize content. Compile full campaign results and create report.

This approach protects both you and the brand. If month one performs poorly, you can adjust month two. If month one performs great, you can double down.

Specify deliverables for each milestone. "By March 15, deliver three Instagram Reels and two TikTok videos for approval." Clear deadlines prevent delays.

Include content approval checkpoints. Brands shouldn't wait until everything is done to see work. Show them content mid-creation and incorporate feedback.

Managing Multiple Partnerships Simultaneously

As you grow, you'll handle several partnerships at once.

Use a spreadsheet to track all active partnerships. Include brand name, timeline, deliverables, payment terms, and contact person.

Use InfluenceFlow's campaign management tools for influencers to organize multiple partnerships. This prevents missed deadlines and conflicting deliverables.

Create a content calendar showing all partnerships visually. See when everything posts and ensure you're not overwhelmed on any single day.

Avoid brand conflicts. If you're promoting a brand selling running shoes, don't simultaneously promote a competing shoe brand. This damages your credibility with both.

Build buffer time between partnerships. Don't start one the day another ends. You need time for content creation, revisions, and posting.

Never start work without a written contract. This protects you legally and prevents misunderstandings.

Your contract needs these sections:

Scope of work: Exactly what deliverables the brand gets. Be specific: "Three Instagram Reels, minimum 30 seconds each."

Usage rights: How the brand can use your content. Can they edit it? Can they use it in ads? For how long?

Exclusivity: Are you restricted from competing brands during the campaign? Usually 30-90 days is reasonable.

Payment terms: Total price, payment schedule, and method. Include consequences for late payment.

Intellectual property: Who owns what. You usually own the content; the brand gets usage rights.

Confidentiality: What information must stay private. Some brands have confidential product launches.

Termination: What happens if someone wants to exit early. Build in penalties for brand cancellations.

Dispute resolution: How you'll handle disagreements. Arbitration is usually faster than lawsuits.

Having a lawyer review your contract is ideal but expensive. Using influencer contract templates] provides legal-reviewed boilerplate you can customize.

FTC Compliance and Disclosure Requirements in 2026

The FTC requires clear disclosure of sponsored content. Not following these rules can cost you money and reputation.

Every sponsored post needs a clear disclosure. Use #ad or #sponsored at the start of your caption, not buried at the end. Make it obvious.

According to FTC guidelines (updated in 2026), "Creators should use clear and conspicuous disclosures that don't require followers to click 'more' to understand the relationship exists."

Platform-specific requirements: - Instagram: Use "Paid partnership" label or #ad at start of caption - TikTok: Use branded content toggle and #ad - YouTube: Use "Paid promotion" tag and mention sponsorship in video - All platforms: Comply even if not required by the platform

Keep records of all sponsored content. Take screenshots showing the disclosure. Save the original contract. Maintain these for at least three years.

Understand industry-specific rules. Health claims, financial advice, and beauty products have special disclosure requirements. Violating these costs serious money in FTC penalties.

Using Professional Contract Templates

Building contracts from scratch is risky. Use templates instead.

contract templates for influencer marketing partnerships provide legally-reviewed structure. Customize them for your specific situation.

InfluenceFlow provides contract templates free. Download them, customize the key details, and use them for every partnership.

Your contract should include: - Deliverables (specific content types and quantities) - Timeline (exact dates for each phase) - Payment (total amount and payment schedule) - Usage rights (how brand can use content) - Exclusivity (restrictions on competing brands) - Termination clause (what happens if either party wants to quit) - Dispute resolution (how disagreements get handled)

Have a lawyer review your template once. Then use that same template repeatedly with customizations. This saves money and ensures consistency.

Send the contract to the brand before you start any work. Don't create content "pending contract approval." Written agreement must come first, always.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Writing Brand Proposals

Mistake #1: Generic, Mass-Produced Proposals

Sending the same proposal to every brand screams low effort.

Brands can tell when you've copied and pasted. They see the same language other creators use. Your response rate plummets.

Spend 15 minutes personalizing each proposal. Reference something specific about the brand. Mention their recent launch or campaign. Show you know who they are.

Mistake #2: Underestimating Your Value

Many creators price themselves too low out of insecurity.

Don't apologize for your rates. Own your value. If your audience is engaged and aligned with their target customer, you deserve fair compensation.

Underpricing hurts the entire creator economy. It trains brands to expect cheap rates. You end up attracting low-quality partnerships.

Mistake #3: Failing to Specify Deliverables

Vague proposals cause conflicts during execution.

"Social media content" is too vague. "Three Instagram Reels, five Stories, one feed carousel post, and two TikTok videos" is perfect.

Include specs: length, platform, posting dates, revision limits, usage rights. Everything.

Mistake #4: Missing Key Sections

Weak proposals skip essential elements.

Always include: executive summary, about you, deliverables, timeline, pricing, and call-to-action. Don't skip any.

Skipping contracts seems fast but costs you money later.

Get everything in writing. Always. Use templates if hiring a lawyer isn't affordable.

How InfluenceFlow Simplifies the Proposal Process

InfluenceFlow makes writing brand partnership proposals faster and easier.

Media Kit Creator: Build a professional one-page media kit in minutes. No design skills needed. This becomes your proposal foundation.

Rate Card Generator: Calculate fair pricing based on your metrics. Compare rates across your niche. Negotiate confidently.

Contract Templates: Access free, legally-reviewed contract templates. Customize for each partnership. Both parties sign digitally.

Campaign Management Tools: Organize multiple partnerships simultaneously. Track deadlines, deliverables, and metrics in one dashboard.

Payment Processing: Process brand payments securely. Automatic invoicing sends reminders and tracks payment status.

Creator Discovery: Brands find you through InfluenceFlow's platform. Get partnership opportunities without cold pitching.

Proposal Builder: Use templates to create professional proposals in minutes. Customize them for each brand.

All of this is completely free. No credit card required. Sign up today and start creating winning proposals immediately.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I include in my executive summary?

Your executive summary is a three-to-five sentence overview of the partnership opportunity. Start with what value you offer the brand, mention your key metrics, reference their recent work or campaign, and end with a call-to-action. This section alone often determines if a brand reads the rest of your proposal, so make every word count.

How do I calculate my influencer rate?

Use this formula: (follower count ÷ 1,000) × engagement rate × multiplier ($1-5). Your multiplier depends on niche, experience, and market rates. Micro-influencers (10K-100K followers) typically multiply by $1-2. Mid-tier creators multiply by $2-4. Macro-influencers multiply by $4-5+. Always research current rates in your specific niche.

Should I include past partnership examples in my proposal?

Yes, absolutely. Case studies showing previous partnership results are incredibly powerful. Share metrics like engagement rates, reach, or conversions you achieved. If you don't have past partnerships, include your best-performing organic content instead. Real results beat promises every time.

How long should brands take to respond to my proposal?

Most brands respond within one to two weeks. Give them a full week before following up. If they don't respond after three follow-ups spaced one week apart, move on. Some brands have slow approval processes. Others simply aren't interested. Respecting their silence saves your energy for responsive brands.

What's the difference between engagement rate and reach?

Reach is how many unique people see your content. Engagement rate is the percentage of people who actively interact (like, comment, share). If 100,000 people see your post and 3,000 engage, your reach is 100K and engagement rate is 3%. Brands care about both, but engagement rate shows audience quality.

Can I negotiate rates with brands?

Yes, negotiation is normal and expected. Never state your price as a final offer. Build in 10-20% negotiating room. When brands ask for lower rates, offer to adjust deliverables instead of lowering price. Use scripts like "At $X, I deliver these items. What could we adjust to fit your budget?"

What FTC disclosures do I need to include?

Every sponsored post needs #ad or #sponsored clearly visible in the caption, preferably at the start. Use platform-specific labeling: Instagram's "Paid partnership" label, TikTok's branded content toggle, or YouTube's paid promotion tag. Violations cost money in FTC penalties, so always disclose.

How many revisions should I allow in my contract?

Include "two rounds of revisions" in your contract. This prevents endless back-and-forth that wastes your time. Additional revisions beyond two should cost extra or require written approval. Define what counts as a revision (content changes, not posting schedule changes).

Should I use a template for every proposal or customize each one?

Use a template as your foundation but customize key sections for each brand. Your executive summary, benefits section, and content angle should be personalized. Deliverables, payment terms, and contract language can stay consistent across proposals. This balance saves time while maintaining customization.

What should my proposal file format be?

Save your proposal as a PDF. This preserves formatting across devices and looks professional. Keep the file size under 5MB so it downloads quickly, especially on mobile. Test it on your phone before sending to ensure good readability on small screens.

How do I follow up if a brand doesn't respond?

Send three follow-ups spaced one week apart. Use this schedule: initial proposal, week one follow-up, week two follow-up, week three final follow-up. After three follow-ups, stop. Some brands move slowly. Most slow responders simply aren't interested. Don't waste energy pursuing unresponsive opportunities.

Your contract must include: scope of work (deliverables), payment terms, usage rights, exclusivity terms, and a termination clause. These five elements protect against the most common partnership problems. Have a lawyer review your template once, then reuse it with customizations to save money.

Conclusion

Writing a strong brand partnership proposal is a learned skill that gets easier with practice. The structure you've learned here works across platforms, industries, and partnership types.

Key takeaways from this guide:

  • Research brands thoroughly before proposing. Personalization drives higher response rates.
  • Structure your proposal with: executive summary, about you, deliverables, timeline, pricing, and call-to-action.
  • Calculate fair pricing based on your metrics and market research. Never undervalue your work.
  • Get everything in writing. Use templates to save time on contracts.
  • Personalize each proposal. Generic pitches fail. Customized pitches win.
  • Include specific deliverables, clear metrics, and realistic timelines.
  • Always include FTC disclosures and legal protections.

You're ready to start pitching brands. Create your free media kit creator] account on InfluenceFlow today. Build your first proposal using our templates. Then reach out to brands confidently.

The best partnerships come from clear communication and fair agreements. By following this guide, you're setting yourself up for long-term success in influencer marketing.

Start now. Your next brand partnership is waiting.