{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"How to Respond to Brand Deal Inbounds, Spot Scams & Stop Undercharging: The Reality of Working with Brands","description":" We showed up late, hadn't washed our hair, and had 696 unread emails between us. Welcome to Q&A day. In this episode, we're answering the questions we see most from creators trying to land brand deals and sponsored content \u2014 and being fully honest about what's actually happening in our own businesses right now. We break down a real UGC inbound Kate received from a brand she loves \u2014 why the offer was way off, why she said no even after they doubled the rate, and what the face association risk in UGC deals actually means for your personal brand. We also get into Tea's current $30K long-term brand partnership pitch, how to respond to inbounds without the "happy to be here" energy, and the exact red flags that tell you an inbound is a scam before you waste a single minute replying. Plus \u2014 we get real about content slumps, creative burnout, and the batch filming vs. same-day posting debate. Spoiler: we are complete opposites and it works for both of us. What We Cover: How to evaluate a brand deal inbound fast \u2014 and when to just say no Why doubling a lowball rate still doesn't make it a good deal UGC deals and face association risk: what creators don't think about Tea's $30K long-term partnership pitch and the retainer strategy behind it Red flags that signal a scam before you even respond Why the first email a brand sends tells you everything about what working with them will be like How to get out of a content slump without doom scrolling for "inspiration" Batch filming vs. same-day posting \u2014 which works and why it depends on your brain Balancing sponsored content with your own business content when burnout hits LinkedIn brand partnerships \u2014 a first for both of us Episodes We Referenced: Episode 13: Why Retainers Are the Secret to Scalable Creator Income \u2014 the strategy behind Tea's $30K pitch Episode 14: How Honest Content Builds Loyal Fans ft. Ryan from Side Hustle Review \u2014 on UGC and face association risk Episode 2: Hot Audience > Huge Audience \u2014 why engagement rate matters more than follower count when evaluating a deal Episode 5: What You Should Actually Charge \u2014 the 4R Pricing Framework for when an inbound comes in low More From Us: Join the Creator Club Waitlist \u2013 Want coaching, templates, audits, and direct help pricing & pitching? Our membership is built just for creators like you. Follow us on IG & TikTok: @notaninfluencerco   ","author_name":"Accidentally Influential","author_url":"https:\/\/sites.libsyn.com\/596400","html":"