Influencers Don’t Hesitate to Ask for More—Why Should You?

howdy! happy friday! gearing up with some travel in a few weeks to finally kick off the year. if you’re going be at etail in palm springs at the end of the month, let me know. i might also be at expo west as well, but we’ll see!

in the meantime, i’ve been gearing up to launch some cool brands that are coming your way in february (here’s one) and march. stay tuned.

today’s newsletter was prompted by an insane email I got from an influencer asking me for $35,000 for just one single instagram reel. it reminded me of some key topics that are so important to remember if you’re a brand marketer in 2025.

we’re chatting:

• why influencers confidently ask for big money—and why you should too

• how brand marketers can secure more budget, resources, and support

• the power of negotiation and advocating for your value if you’re on a social media team to leadership

Before we get into it, I know I have said it approximately 1,000 times, but if you aren’t investing in Youtube and you have a DTC-friendly product, you are truly missing out.

With the impending Tiktok ban (again), Youtube is only showing to be more of a platform where creators, but also brands are going to start putting their budget and resourcing. So, if you aren’t testing, you’re kind of falling behind right now.

YouTube creator partnerships are one of the most powerful marketing channels for brands today and have been for years. I tested my first Youtube partnership in 2023 and saw an instant return (20X return at this rate) for Graza and never looked back.

In fact, it actually allowed me to show why investing more into influencer marketing was important for the sales of the company so much and that I needed a way to scale them faster to be able to keep driving strong results on top of my own efforts.

That’s where Agentio, my secret Youtube partnership weapon comes in.

However, you might be wondering why Youtube partnerships are the bee’s knees and here’s why:

• They drive long-tail conversion. Videos can convert for years like how this one has. Plus, SEO is the name of the game. A video can pop and then pop again when you least expect it.  

• The community of a YouTuber is unmatched. They tune in. They care. They are spending hours a week watching their favorite creators vs. scrolling past 50 creators within 60 seconds. They take their recommendations seriously. 

However, getting these partnerships going and scaling them over the course of time can be time-consuming. Just like any partnership on any platform, they require:

• Endless outreach of manually finding and negotiating with creators which can take weeks, especially dealing with agents. 

• Inconsistent pricing since you’re stuck guessing what rates to pay without data-backed benchmarks or insights that aren’t detailed enough. 

• Scattered and chaotic campaign tracking with managing content approvals, analytics, and licensing across multiple platforms

My solution to all of this has been Agentio for the last 5+ months. Agentio streamlines the entire YouTube creator partnership process in one platform. Like literally here’s what it has helped me with so that I can set 10+ partnerships live per month:

• Creator Matching: Set your objectives, budget, and timeline, and Agentio connects you with high-performing, brand-fit creators based across the verticals you want to test and more. With the list they provide, you can see their demographic split, creators that they might be similar to in terms of creation, examples of videos that they have created for other brands, and so much more. Plus, their network is crazy. I have been able to get in contact with creators that I have emailed and dm’ed hoping for answer to simply working with them in one click.

If you want to see some of my personal favorite campaigns that I’ve set live you can see them: Sam The Cooking Guy and Life by Mike G 

• Simplified Negotiations: No more 50+ message threads back-and-forth. Agentio runs on a CPM bid model (aka prepare to save some $).

• Easy Briefing: Attach the brief you want the creators to focus on for your campaign simply to avoid any confusion and get content you are actually looking for.

• Simple and Clean Reporting: Track creator performance, conversions, and ROI so you can optimize campaigns as you go. Their dashboard also integrates with your Shopify data so that you can see ROAS (Return on Ad Spend), CVR (Conversation Rate) and more all in one place.

• Effortless Content Approvals & Licensing: Get video approvals and secure licensing rights without chasing creators. Creators simply upload their drafts for approval into the platform where you can have direct conversations with them, approve videos, give feedback, or request licensing, which allows you to use their content for other outlets.

I’ve been using Agentio for Graza and just saw some brand friends like Cody from Jones Road join, and it’s completely transformed how we approach YouTube partnerships - saving time and money while scaling reach. Best of both worlds, right?

If you'd like to check out Agentio for yourself, either go to their website HERE to book a demo or email their co-founder and CEO, Arthur, directly at [email protected] and tell him you came directly from my newsletter for the VIP treatment. 

If an influencer can look you in the eye and ask for $35,000 for one Instagram Reel, you can ask for the resources you need to make your life and job easier.

A few days ago, I received a price quote from an influencer requesting $35,000 dollars for just one reel with no exclusivity or paid usage.

It taught me a few things that we all sometimes need to remember whether you work in marketing or not. Today’s newsletter is one if you just need that little friendly kick in the butt to go get and ask for what you need.

At first glance, it’s easy to roll your eyes at a number like that. But the reality? That influencer and their agent isn’t afraid to ask for what they believe they’re worth (even if the numbers usually make no sense - just being honest.)

So, what’s stopping you from asking for what you need to do your job better?

If you’ve ever been hesitant to ask for a bigger budget, higher pay, or more support at work, you’re not alone.

I’ve been there so many times, but somehow this one email reminded me what we all need to remember especially heading into the new year.

Today, I’m breaking down why marketers must advocate for the resources they need and why brands need to listen and trust their teams if they want to achieve the goals for their social media and influencer programs.

Brand Marketers: Why You Need to Ask for More

Brand marketing—especially in today’s landscape—is not always a cost center. It’s a indirect (and sometimes direct) revenue driver. Yet, so many marketers get stuck fighting for budgets, hiring approvals, and the tools they need to execute at a high level to get the brand more reach and impressions.

Meanwhile, influencers are confidently securing five and six-figure brand deals with not a ton of data to prove why they should be paid that. I am not saying creating content isn’t a hard job, but we can all agree that some of these fees are insane.

So, anyway, here’s why you need to get better at asking for more:

1. Underfunded Teams Can’t Deliver Strong Results

When marketing budgets get cut, brands still expect top-tier execution. But that’s not how it can always work. I’ll even agree that being scrappy is one of the best skills someone can have. I didn’t have budget for years on some projects, but the key there was level-setting around what can be done and what something could turn into if the support was provided via a budget, a freelancer, or a platform addition.

At the end of the day, when asked “well, why can’t we do this?” by a C-Suite member, sometimes we all just need to sit down and remember that:

• Influencer marketing requires testing. You need budget flexibility to find what works when it comes to paid partnerships and/or how much product you need to be gifting to influencers every month.

• Social media success requires focus, volume and iteration. If you’re running accounts solo, you’re already stretched too thin. One person can do the job of graphic designer, content creator, strategist, and manager.

• Great creative costs money. Content can drive massive ROI, but you need the right investment upfront. All brands want a community, but you have to create great content for the community to find you. Invest in it.

If leadership wants results, they need to fund the team appropriately. It’s your job to advocate for that and show what can happen if they do and what will remain if they don’t. That’s my piece of advice.

2. More Budget = Smarter, More Strategic Influencer Deals

Influencers aren’t afraid to ask for what they think they’re worth.

Nonetheless, brands don’t push back or negotiate effectively because their budgets are already squeezed. Too many brands are still taking the number at face value and simply walking away at first glance without trying to see how they can still make it work.

• More budget allows for better deals. Instead of transactional one-off posts, you can build long-term, deeper partnerships that deliver ongoing ROI.

• You can secure exclusivity and better terms. Without budget, you risk influencers promoting your competitor next week.

• You get access to higher-tier talent. The best creators prioritize brands that invest in them properly. You also have more flexibility to negotiate these offers and move faster vs. feeling like you always have to find the best fit and only that person.

3. The Best Marketers Know How to Sell Their Value

Marketers, especially those in organic social media and influencer/community, are constantly proving the value of their work to leadership since you can’t always put a $ sign next to them. The thing that leadership sometimes forgets?

Not all marketing impact is instant or easy to measure. If it’s not instant, it doesn’t mean it’s not working. If it’s not easy to measure, it doesn’t mean it’s not worth investing in.

Paid ads have instant results. It’s a sprint to get people in the door. You know how much is going out and what is coming in.

Organic social, influencer marketing, and brand building take time. It’s an ultra marathon of awareness.

That doesn’t mean they don’t drive massive revenue over time.

The best marketers know how to:
- Frame their work as a long-term growth driver
- Show past wins and clear ROI examples
- Make the case for why more investment = more impact

So, once again, if a micro influencer can ask for a premium rate that a celebrity would charge with confidence, you can make a data-backed case for the budget, team, and tools you need to succeed.

The Takeaway: If You Don’t Ask, You Don’t Get

So here’s my challenge to you: What’s one thing you need to ask for? You can even hit the reply button and let me know so I can be a sounding board. Are you looking for…

• A bigger budget for influencer marketing to explore a new niche? More product inventory so that you can test influencer gifting more?

• A higher salary because you’re stretched too thin?

• A new hire to support your workload? If you’re a social manager, you might be asking for a part-time content producer or graphic designer. If you’re an influencer manager, you might ask for an intern to help with sourcing.

Whatever it is, ask for it. Ask clearly, ask confidently, and back it up with logic. Because the people who succeed—whether they’re influencers, marketers, or brand leaders—are the ones who know their worth and don’t hesitate to advocate for it.

2025 is truly the year that brand marketers step up and that C-Suites need to listen instead of investing in the random billboards at a stage where you have a team asking for those dollars could be driving thousands of sales back to your website or product.

A run-on sentence was appropriate for that one.

It’s time for Ahead of The Trend.

A quick, snappy ode to the fun things I’m seeing online across creators, social, and brands. Sometimes, it’s a trend. Sometimes, it’s just a tip I want to share about marketing. TL;DR: just cool things I’m loving right now or things you should know.

Brand of the Week: Crushing on this new campaign from Sakara Life as seen here on Instagram around Health being the best accessory, getting (nutrient) rich quick here, and that green looks good on everyone here. and Simple, clean, and perfect IMO.

Products of the Week That I Can’t Stop Using, Eating, and/or Drinking: Saie’s Slip Tint Concealer, the new Spicy Dill Pickle chips from Siete, this Milky Cake espresso from DAK

Creator of the Week: @ColdCutz20. Truly the human race is fascinating. This guy claims to have the strongest shins and therefore puts them to the test. It’s giving modern-day Jackass/Johnny Knoxville energy.

A Random Mix of Things You Should Definitely Know About: Graza is hosting a huge Soupapalooza in McCarren Park in Brooklyn this weekend (sign up here!)

That’s a wrap, folks.

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Peace, Love, and KPIs,

-KD

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