How to Leverage Your Strengths as an Influencer to Get Paid What You’re Worth (Featuring Oneika Raymond)

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HOW TO LEVERAGE YOUR STRENGTHS AS AN INFLUENCER TO GET PAID WHAT YOU’RE WORTH

GUEST-STARRING ONEIKA RAYMOND

Everybody wants to get paid more, but negotiating that pay increase is easier said than done- unless you’re Oneika Raymond.

Nobody knows the art of the deal better than Oneika, who’s turned her small travel blog into a multiple six figure brand, and she’s here to teach you how to negotiate your way into getting PAID to live your best life!

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Building a huge social media following is no doubt a prerequisite for becoming an influencer - but strong negotiation skills go without saying.

If you’re ready to ramp up your sponsored content and finally get paid, it’s time to negotiate for more. Today, we’ll be chatting with Oneika Raymond about monetizing brand collaborations - and what it takes to charge more. Oneika is a Television Host, Travel Influencer, and Writer who’s transformed her small travel blog into a multiple six-figure brand with a combined following of 200k. She’s proof that you don’t need an audience of millions to make this an ultra profitable career.

1. Attract the right kind of audience

Most aspiring influencers believe that follower count is the most important factor to getting noticed. However, smart brands know that a large audience doesn’t necessarily equate to image amplification or increased sales. That’s why it’s more important to focus on attaining a valuable following.

Oneika suggests thinking about the demographics of your following as you navigate sponsorships. Ask yourself, “Who do I speak to as a creator and how is that audience valuable to a particular brand?”

Brands work with Oneika because her audience is educated women in their 30’s who reside in the USA. The North American market is huge for brands, especially when they have a vested interest here. So, the fact that 70% of Oneika’s Instagram audience is American means that brands are able to access more households that are likely to spend money on their products and services when they work with her.

2. Have a strong point of view

In a world where everyone is doing and saying the same thing, it’s more important than ever to have a strong point of view. That means knowing what you stand for and being consistent in your key content verticals. It’s not enough to post pretty photos - you need to have a unique perspective. That also means interacting with your audience so that you can expand your network. Over time, you’ll gain valuable information about their values and interests and can evolve your brand to include them.

Oneika has been contracted as a brand ambassador, TV host, and spokesperson because she has a voice that empowers and educates her audience. That voice allows her to snag bigger brand partnerships that pay more. In fact, Oneika landed her first five-figure brand deal at less than 10k followers because of this.

3. Focus on community

Social media is all about community - people want to connect with real and authentic people who are just like them. Oneika says it’s to have strong storytelling skills. You can do this effectively by opening up and showing others what your life is really like. It could be sharing a behind-the-scenes process or your stance on important topics. This will allow for more opportunities for potential followers and fans to resonate with you and follow your journey. It always helps to think about how you can be of service to your audience.

4. Put yourself out there

Negotiating better brand deals isn’t just about having an audience. You also need to have a dedicated space that allows brands to find your work. Although you can share most of your content on Instagram or other social platforms, you’re limited in how you can package and relay your brand. Oneika believes in having a website where you can upload projects, blog posts, and more, in ways that reflect your brand. This also ensures that you’re not at the mercy of others' social platforms.

5. Be on the right platforms

Sometimes, negotiating for more is all about being on the right platforms. Oneika says that most brands reach out via Instagram these days, but she’s able to increase her earnings by leveraging other social media platforms. In addition to a robust Instagram, Oneika will upsell her blog, YouTube channel and Facebook page. She firmly believes that YouTube is one platform to watch because it’s the second largest search engine, behind Google. Since it is more time consuming to create video content and the brand deals from YouTube wind end up being more lucrative.

6. Don’t accept lowball offers

It’s easy to get discouraged at the beginning of your journey when brands are offering very low rates - or don’t want to pay you at all. But, it’s important to remember that all brand partners will try to pay you the least amount possible. It’s not personal. If a brand doesn’t see your value or doesn’t have the budget, keep it moving. Don’t respond emotionally - and don’t accept lowball offers or you’ll regret it. This will only keep you tied up so you don’t have the bandwidth to work on bigger and better projects that may come up.

7. Stop being an empire of one

Once brand deals begin rolling in, it’s time to outsource in order to scale. Oneika says you know you need a manager or assistant when you’re constantly overwhelmed. Having someone to manage your inbox and respond to brands will free up your time to be more productive and focus on creative strategies to expand your business.

Running a business as an influencer is multifaceted and requires massive effort unlike anything else. However, the sky is truly the limit when it comes to your earnings opportunity - and you don’t need a huge audience to make it happen. With the right ingredients, consistency, and a voice, you can easily clear six figures and beyond.