So your page or brand already has some presence on Instagram, but it's not enough. Getting sponsors may be one of the few ways to improve that presence—thereby expanding your business and revenue.
Of course, it might seem funny trying to get people to sponsor your business growth. "Who would be interested? And how do I go about it?" The good news is, it's very doable.
Mind you, these sponsors might also be looking for avenues to promote themselves or their brands. So it's kind of a symbiosis relationship.
Back to the real question: how do you go about achieving this? This guide is here to show how simple it can be.
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Grow your followers—organically
This is the first step to take if you need to convince any sponsor to look your way. Having a good number of followers on your page shows that you're serious, ambitious, and know what you want.
You can’t have merely 150 followers and expect a big brand to endorse you. No, you and I know it doesn’t work that way.
The key takeaway here is to grow your followers (plus engagements) and do it organically. Once you have that going, you need to pinpoint two groups of people.
One, the niches of sponsors you would love to partner with. And two, the target audiences that your anticipated sponsors sell to.
You then start by posting content that will attract both parties. Once your content attracts the right amount of engagements from the target audiences, sponsors are bound to consider a collaboration.
And let your content be of quality and a good standard. Publish thought-provoking things that will enable you to engage your followers to attract other followers.
Hashtags are one way to achieve organic growth as they expand your reach. You'll be seen by more people, with the opportunity to be on the Explore page—which maximizes your post's exposure on Instagram.
Well, the bottom line is to have a good number of followers before looking for sponsors.
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Tag your sponsors in your posts
That is, the next step to take.
If you're able to generate followers into the thousands, it shows you have some original and top-notch content.
At this point, you're ready to look out for sponsors that will be interested in your niche or line of business. And it's advisable to start small.
Imagine you're into skincare. You can easily tag small, medium, or start-up businesses in the field. Don’t jump to Estee Lauder, a big beauty line that might not want to work with you.
Of course, you can approach these bigger corporations later in your marketing career. You just need to have what it takes—the audience, the influence, the response, and all sorts.
Hence, we recommend that you start small and grow from there. Again, if you want any apparel brand to sponsor you, you could just take some creative or meaningful shots in one of their clothes, upload it, and tag them.
Otherwise, you can comment on a post and ask if you can DM them for partnership purposes—sending them to the tagged post.
If they like your page, they can decide to have a deal with you. But you have to start by letting them know that you're interested in what they're doing and who they're selling to.
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Update your page regularly
Your sponsors would want to see what you're up to on your page. They'll constantly evaluate the quality and engagement rages of your content, and how regularly you post. This is to keep a tab on their partner; it's marketing 101.
The truth is, no one will like to work with a boring or non-engaging brand because their money is on the line. You need to show them that you're worth their sponsorship.
So you need to keep posting to grow your audience. Of course, you need to keep reaching higher numbers than you started with. This is why there’s always a need for growth and improvement, to keep your viewers and sponsors hooked.
All the same, it boils down to consistency in your content, delivery, and community.
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Reach out to your sponsors
You wouldn’t be wrong if you go contacting your supposed sponsors on Instagram. With the right approach, you can still get some sponsors without waiting for them to contact you first.
Look for sponsors with a solid Instagram presence. You can then find out if they have existing partnerships and if they're interested in adding you to their list (or starting with you).
Some businesses leave their contact info on their page. You can use this or send them a direct message on the platform.
Again, let them know…
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who you are
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what brand is doing
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why you need a sponsor
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your achievements so far
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and most importantly, what they'll benefit from sponsoring you
Don’t forget to add your engagement rates and follower count. Plus, your offer should be enticing enough to interest them.
As for your side of the bargain, be ready to keep to it by all means possible. Sponsors wouldn’t hesitate to cancel the contract if you're all talk and no result. In the long run, you must go all out with your promises.
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Negotiate properly
This is like the wrapping up of a deal. To avoid surcharging yourself, you should be sure of your offers and what you would be receiving.
This is all about knowing your worth and negotiating to get the very best out of the contract.
Don’t settle for peanuts; please, don’t do the hard work of driving sales for only them to make all the money. Hint: know your strength; if you can do better, then you have to charge above average.
You don’t need to get only a sponsor, though. If you need more partnerships, you could reach out to as many sponsors as possible—provided your contracts allow it.
Also, be wary of sponsors with similar products or services. This might bring a little bit of conflict for your followers.
Final thoughts
Instagram is a great platform to attract sponsors and businesses for your brand—whether you're a business owner, influencer, or social media marketer.
Lots of businesses on Instagram need someone to help them promote their products and services to the right people.
You don’t have to be big to get a sponsorship from them because they also need organic patronage.
The idea is to leverage this, approaching like-minded businesses for paid partnerships.
