Are Brand Partnerships a Good Biz?

Not quite.

Ian Duncan, a seasoned Kenyan content creator, has been working with brands since 2022. With hundreds of videos and collaborations to his name, he has learned what really goes on behind the scenes.

From payment issues to tricky contracts, Ian shares what every creator should know before diving into brand deals. This guide is drawn entirely from his personal experience; what has worked, what hasn't, and the lessons he has picked up along the way.

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One of the first questions creators ujiuliza ni: should I pitch kwa brands ama nitegee wajilete? According to Ian, while pitching inakuwaga encouraged, it rarely yields results kwa wasee wenye ni beginners.

Ana’recall aki’spend months akituma emails weekly, na only deal aliget ni moja na ni low-paying. The game-changer? Sare works ijiongelelee. Alipo grow platform yake na ku’polish content, brands zilianza kum’approach directly.

In fact, ana estimate 99% ya successful partnerships zili’come kutoka kwa inbound requests. Advice yake: focus na ku’build a strong brand na consistent content. The deals zitajileta

Brand ziki’reach out, yo’ ulizaga your rate card. Most deals ukuwa na flat fee-based, with Ian aki note payments ya single video inaeza range between KSh 5,000 and KSh 40,000, depending na your reach ama production quality.

Some campaigns zo’ hu’include affiliate models; design unaget a discount code ya kushare na audience wako na una’earn a commission per sale. Ian ame’find success kupitia hii structure, especially na ile brand ya Oraimo.

However, ako clear na kitu moja: creators should not rely on commission-only deals. “You’re not a salesperson,” he says. “You’re charging for your time, your following, and your effort.”

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Negotiation ukuwa pia part ya hii process. Saa ingine brands ukuja na a lower offer than your listed rate.

Hii haimaanishi wana ku’undervalue, ni biz. Pia zile smaller brands ukuwa hawawezi afford your full rate. Uki land moja ya hizi big brands, ume hit gold. The real goal ukuwa ni ku’build lasting relationships. One-off campaigns ni fiti, but recurring work na brands zenye zina value your craft ina provide consistent income na trust.

Ian ana’emphasize importance ya kuji’surround na other creators. Hii circle is vital sio tu kwa emotional support but pia transparency. Sio uncommon ku’discover that wasee wengine with similar stats wanalipwa 10 times more for the same job.

Ian explains. “They’ll make you create so much content for very little pay.” Ukiwa na support system itakusaidia ku’compare rates, ku’avoid exploitation, na ku’learn vile ya ku’charge based na value yako.

One of the biggest red flags Ian ana warn ni kuhusu hidden contract clauses. Some contracts ukuja na conditions kama “minimum views required for payment,” na zingine kuwa na delayed payment terms kama Net 30 or Net 60; meaning utalipwa after 30 ama 60 days after delivery.

Even worse, usiposoma the fine print unaeza jipata ume unknowingly give up the rights to your content. Bila clear licensing terms, a brand inaeza tumia video yako in ads for months ama years bila ku’compensate tena Ian’s solution ni simple: always read the contract. Kama ni possible, request a 50% deposit upfront, na receive the remaining 50% after usha’complete ama ku’post. Hii ni structure yenye ina protect both parties na ku’insure the creator hayuko left hanging.

Absolutely; kama unarada what you are doing.

Ian sees brand partnerships kama a valuable na sustainable source ya income, but uki approach na professionalism. Creators wanafaa ku’learn ku’negotiate, ku’read contracts carefully, na ku’price themselves fairly.

Ian says. “And once you do this, more brands will come.”

You don’t need kuwa famous ku’land great deals, una need kuwa tu consistent, clear about your value, na cautious with contracts. Kama una build your creator journey, learn from those ahead of you, like Ian, and protect your craft kama biz.