Best influencer talent manager advice

In the rapidly evolving landscape of social media and digital marketing, influencer talent managers play a pivotal role. We shape the success of both brands and influencers alike. As the bridge between talent and opportunity, these professionals navigate complex negotiations, foster meaningful relationships, and strategize for long-term growth. And now I bring you the best Influencer Talent Manager advice.

In this comprehensive guide, we delve into the realm of influencer talent management, offering invaluable advice and expert insights. I’m here to empower both aspiring and seasoned managers in maximizing their impact and effectiveness in this dynamic industry. From cultivating talent to navigating brand partnerships and crisis management, this article serves as a roadmap up and coming influencers.

As professionals entrenched in the fast-paced world of influencer talent management, we understand the nuances and challenges that come with closing deals worth millions and orchestrating successful paid collaborations. Our wealth of experience isn’t just a testament to our expertise; it’s a treasure trove of invaluable insights waiting to be shared. 

Listening to the advice of social media influencer talent managers isn’t merely a suggestion; it’s a strategic advantage. Our first hand encounters with various scenarios, from negotiating contracts to navigating complex partnerships, offer a unique perspective that can’t be gleaned elsewhere. 

Learn from our collective wisdom to gain a competitive edge, sidestep common pitfalls, and unlock pathways to unparalleled success in the dynamic realm of influencer marketing. You ready? Let’s get into it. 

Influencer Talent Management Tips

• Include your location in your IG bio – Christie Childers, Best Day Ever

Hands down these are two elements that come up every single time I ask this question. Talent managers and people who work brand side all agree the importance of including location and contact information in your social media bio. 

You might not necessarily lose a campaign because you have your location listed but you could absolutely be overlooked for a campaign. There are often campaigns that are geographic dependent. Maybe a business  is opening up a new store in a new city so they want to partner with local people. Perhaps a brand can only ship to certain cities or parts of the country so knowing where you, the influencer lives is very important. 

• Include your contact information on your social media platforms. Make sure it’s an email that you regularly check AND that you wrote it correctly. – Christina Brennan, The Digital Renegades

A HUGE pet peeve of a brand, rightfully so, is when they’re trying to get in touch with you but you’re not responding to your DMs or emails. Don’t create some fancy email for brands that you never check. Ensure it’s an email address that you have frequent eyes on. Also make sure you check the inbox (and spam folder) a couple times per week. 

I’ll often see influencers discussing if they should put their email into their social media platforms. What kind of question is that?  You want business right? You want to partner with brand collabs? Absolutely put your contact info into your bio. How else will they reach you?

Pro tip : Put your email directly into your bio. As of writing this, the email button on one’s IG bio is only accessible on mobile, not on desktop. 

• Treat your work as an Influencer as a business. Because it is. – Emily Adams, Dulcedo Management

Before you begin working with brands in any capacity, you have to have a great sense of what your business is, how you add value & who your audience is.  In very business-like terms, you, the Influencer are the product. That’s what the brand is buying – access to your creativity & your audience.  In order to ensure that a brand wants to work with you, the product, you absolutely positively have to nail your brand platform & purpose.

You can NOT and I repeat, can NOT just think that because you have a social media presence & a smart phone with a great camera, that you are an Influencer.  That’s not how it works.

When you treat this work as a business, there are certain things that come with the territory. It’s not all fun, creative photoshoots, getting hair and makeup done or traveling to exotic places. The hardest working people I know are entrepreneurs, which is you as an Influencer if you do this full time. 

Treating your Influencer work as a business means the expectations are high, your quality must be on point every single time and sometimes things don’t go as desired. When you’re working with a brand on a collaboration, there are deadlines, messaging briefs, edits and contracts. You are serving as their brand spokesperson & will be expected to follow a certain set of guidelines in a timely manner.

You will have people you hire to help you such as an accountant, an editor, an assistant, perhaps a manager. There’s boring admin work that nobody likes to do and there’s late payments that you will have to track down. 

• Know your niche and know your audience – Tami Nealy

Understanding your influencer niche is paramount in building a strong foundation for success in the dynamic world of digital marketing. By identifying and honing in on a specific niche, you can establish credibility, authenticity, and resonance with your target audience. This deep understanding allows you to create tailored content that resonates with your  followers, fosters engagement, and ultimately drives conversions. 

Moreover, knowing your niche enables you as an influencer to effectively collaborate with brands. Not just any brands, but ones that align with your values and audience, resulting in more meaningful partnerships and long-term success. In essence, niche expertise empowers influencers to carve out their unique space in the saturated digital landscape and stand out amidst the noise.

Successful Influencers and content creators know exactly who they are speaking to when they create content. They intimately know their audience’s problems, challenges & greatest joys. They are very focused on speaking to those elements with every single piece of content. Successful influencers, including the ones that you look up to, give reasons for people to come back to their platforms over and over again. They inspire their audience to like, share, save and comment on their content with great questions, call to actions or fantastic, engaging content. 

Being super clear on your niche isn’t just about ensuring the right audience finds you. It also ensures the right brand partners find you for successful collaborations. 

• Find the balance between your creativity and what you could do as a business – Briana Wilson Keller, NYLA Influencers

Finding the balance between your creativity and the potential business opportunities that stem from it requires thoughtful navigation. As you explore new ideas and express your unique voice as an influencer, it’s important to consider how these creative endeavors can also serve as viable business ventures. 

While your passion fuels your creativity, embracing the practical aspects of entrepreneurship—such as identifying brand collaboration opportunities and audience engagement tactics—can help you turn your creative pursuits into sustainable sources of income.

By striking a balance between your artistic vision and the business acumen required to bring it to fruition, you can create a fulfilling career that allows you to thrive both creatively and financially in the competitive landscape of digital marketing.

Not all of your amazing creative ideas are going to be ones that you turn into a business.  In fact, most of them won’t be. And that’s okay. Ensure that the ideas you want to build your Influencer business on, are areas where you could create ongoing content for months and even years. Which one of your creative ideas has the most longevity?

• When looking for a talent manager, do your research! Ensure you find one that aligns with your business values & you with theirs. – Jenny D. Safransky of JDS Projects & Cara Braude of Cara Mgmt

Speaking for all the talent managers I know, I can’t stress enough how important it is to do your research when looking for an Influencer Talent Manager. Talk to many of us. Ask us lots of questions. Talk to others on their roster when you find an influencer talent manager that you’re interested in. 

I wrote this article to give more insight into How to find an Influencer Manager or Agent

• Flirt online with the brands that you want to work with. – Molly Tracy of Vrai Digital 

First and foremost, ensure you’re following the brands that you absolutely love and want to work with. Share them organically in your stories, in your feed and sprinkled throughout your content. You’ve got to get on their radar and I know that brands are choosing collaboration partners from within the large pool of influencers who do post about them regularly. Be one of them. This also showcases to your audience that you are a fan of the brand, even if they aren’t paying you to post. Then when a brand opportunity does pop up, it will be an easy, organic integration as your audience is already used to seeing you tag them. 

• Be nimble & stay open to learning – Johanna Voss, yup this is me!

Our influencer marketing industry has been referred to as the Wild Wild West. While I don’t necessarily think that’s 100% accurate there is some truth to it.  We are defining it as we go along, exploring and learning. Platform features change in the blink of an eye. Platforms come and go quickly, rising to rapid fandom only to seemingly disappear overnight. 

You can’t rest on your laurels. What got you here, today, to this level of success will not be what propels you forward. You must stay nimble for different trends, platforms, learning new skills & how this industry is changing.

I’ve got creators who started blogging when the only social media platform was Twitter and Youtube. Videos were done horizontally and in  long form, 10, 20, 30+ minutes in length. Fast forward 10-12 years and then most everything is done vertically AND in less than 15 seconds. Who would’ve ever thought?

There is  no one who knows everything there is to know about influencer marketing, nor digital marketing. We’re all students of it. Those who remain open to constant learning will continue to see great success. 

As you reflect on the invaluable advice shared, remember to take it to heart. Let it guide you on your journey to prosperity in the influencer industry. Embrace the wisdom gained from those who have walked the path before you, Apply it diligently as you navigate the complexities of influencer management, brand partnerships and business endeavors. 

With each challenge you face and every success you achieve, let these insights serve as your compass, guiding you toward your goals and fueling your growth as an influencer. Armed with knowledge, determination, and a steadfast commitment to excellence, you’re poised to carve out your place in this dynamic landscape and flourish as a leader in the ever-evolving world of digital influence.

Pro tip : If you’ve loved this article, I highly recommend you sign up for my weekly newsletter HERE. It’s full of industry insights, brand negotiation tips and scripts, events I’m attending, perspective on how to grow your Influencer business and more. I keep it pretty scrappy and real – would love you to join us over there! CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP.

Best influencer talent manager advice FAQs

How do I become an Influencer Talent Agent?

Oooh do I love this question! If this article has you wondering how to become an Influencer Talent Agent, I’ve got so much to share with you on this topic. To become an influencer talent agent, start by gaining industry knowledge, networking with influencers and brands, and honing your negotiation and relationship-building skills. But there’s much more to say. I recommend my article “How do I become an Influencer Talent Manager”.

What does an Influencer Talent Manager do?

Oh goodness, we wear so many hats! First and foremost, we’re responsible for negotiating brand collaborations for our clients aka Influencers. We’re often the first people who respond to a brand or agency that’s interested in working with our clients. I could go on forever about all the things we do. Read more with my article “What does an Influencer Talent Manager do?”

Do you need an Influencer manager or agent?

Honestly, not everyone needs a manager or agent. In fact, most people don’t as they’re a lot of people at the earlier stage of their Influencer career.  I wrote more about this topic with my article “Do all Influencers have a manager?”

How many followers do you need to be an Influencer?

Such a great question as I know loads of people wonder this. Being an Influencer isn’t so much about your follower count. More important is how established as an expert you are in your topic area. Do you know a lot about the topics you talk and share about on the internet?  Do people see you as  an expert? I recommend my article “How many followers do you need to be an Influencer.”

How much do Influencer Agents make?

The amount of money we make is really dependent on our clients. Majority of Influencer Agents earn our commission off of the paid brand collabs that we close for our clients.  Wondering more about what that looks like? I wrote this article for you, “How do Influencer Agents get paid?”

What do talent agencies do for influencers?

Goodness, we do so much! Yes, we handle the negotiations and project management of brand collaborations for our clients. We’re also involved in much more than that! Believe me when I tell you, my days are full. In this article “What do Talent Agencies do for Influencers” you’ll learn all the things we do for our clients.