Forcing brand messaging on an influencer leads to inauthentic content that fails to resonate. A better approach is to educate them on your product and collaborate on an angle that aligns with their established voice and topics. Authenticity drives distribution and engagement, making the partnership more effective than a boilerplate promotion.

Lemlist's influencer philosophy is to never sell a feature directly. Instead, they brief creators to teach a valuable method that solves a real pain. The product is positioned as a tool that makes executing the method easier, but isn't required, which leads to more authentic content.

Amateurs film a video and then struggle to package it. Professionals reverse this. They first craft a compelling promise (the title) and visual hook (the thumbnail concept). Then, they create content specifically designed to fulfill that promise, ensuring perfect alignment and a stronger final product.

TikTok creators are visual learners who consume video content, not long documents. Instead of providing a detailed written brief, brands see better results by sending 3 examples of high-performing videos. This gives creators inspiration and direction without stifling their unique style.

To achieve genuine endorsements, brands must trust creators. Instead of providing rigid scripts, give them key message points and the freedom to tell the story in their own voice. This creative liberty results in more authentic advertising that resonates with the creator's audience.

Transform a creative department from a production house into a strategic partner by changing how you brief them. Instead of giving prescriptive directives, present the business problem that needs to be solved. This empowers creative minds to contribute to strategy and deliver more impactful solutions, not just executions.

Generic emails asking to "collaborate" are easily ignored. Instead, pitch a specific content idea, outlining the format (e.g., one Reel, three Stories), the creative angle, and the exact deliverables. This shows you've done your homework and makes it easy for the brand to visualize the partnership.

Most marketers jump straight to finding influencers. The crucial first step is aligning on what success looks like with all stakeholders (marketing, sales, C-suite). Different departmental goals, like booked demos versus brand awareness, fundamentally change the campaign's strategy and creator selection.

Vector's marketing lead found success by giving influencers high-level messaging points but allowing them to create content in their own voice. The only request was to review the post 24 hours in advance to ensure product accuracy.