Negotiating with Brands as a Talent Manager

Congrats! You’ve got the brand’s attention. The email is in your inbox. Maybe it came from an agency who is casting talent, maybe it came from your pitch. But either way, you’re in the room. Fabulous! Now what? This is the moment many new or even seasoned talent managers fumble: negotiating with brands as a Talent Manager. It’s one thing to get a reply to your email or inbound interest. It’s another to do the negotiation dance with the brand and close the deal. Better yet when you walk away knowing your talent is compensated fairly, the scope is crystal clear, and the brand also walks away feeling excited, not squeezed.

Negotiating with brands as a talent manager isn’t about playing hardball—it’s about playing smart. Honestly, I view negotiation as a conversation, a dialogue, a back and forth. It’s a dance of advocating for your talent, understanding what’s important for both talent and brand to keep top of mine and it’s always relationship-building. This article will walk you through how to confidently negotiate with the brand. I’ll walk you through how to ask the right questions, and respond to the agency’s questions that position your talent as a valuable partner—not just a line item in a budget. Let’s get into the mindset, the messaging, and the moves that make all the difference.

Key Questions to Ask When Negotiating with a Brand

The best negotiations don’t start with numbers—they start with curiosity. Before you talk rates or deliverables, your job as a talent manager is to zoom out and gather a 360° view of the opportunity. The more you understand, the more strategic (and persuasive) you can be when advocating for your talent. These questions help you read between the lines, uncover budget flexibility, and avoid surprises mid-campaign.

How did you hear about me or the talent?
This gives you immediate insight into what caught their attention—was it a viral video, a past partnership, word of mouth, or a referral from another agency? Their answer helps you understand the value your talent is already bringing to the table (and what to lean into during the pitch). I often always learn something new about how my talent is out there in the press and media. Someone will alert us to a top 25 Type of creator list or seeing them quoted in a magazine we weren’t aware of. 

What are the brand’s expectations of XYZ talent?
I love this question as the last question I ask. It’s like a catch all question and oftentimes gets the person reaching out talking beyond deliverables and into intention. Are they expecting the creator to educate, inspire, sell, or show up IRL? This will help you understand the project goals as well. You want to uncover the role your talent plays in the campaign story, not just on the content calendar.

What’s the full scope of this campaign?
You want to confirm what’s expected across which platforms and how many rounds of content the brand wants. Will the talent need to attend an event? Create content for their socials or for the brand’s use only?  The clearer the scope, the more accurate your quote—and the less likely you’ll need to renegotiate mid-project.

How are you measuring success on this campaign?
Understanding KPIs helps you determine whether your creator is the right fit—and it gives you leverage. If the brand is focused on engagement or storytelling over pure reach, you can highlight the talent’s past metrics, or suggest a creative format they excel in that aligns with the brand’s goals.

What’s the content usage and licensing plan?
Usage is rarely just “social only” these days. Ask where the brand wants to repurpose the content—paid ads, newsletters, TV, billboards, Point of Sale at a cashier? You can’t give a full, correct rate without having the answer to this question and the next one.  Nail this down early. Usage often holds more value than the initial deliverables, and it’s one of the biggest levers you have in rate negotiation. You also want to make sure you know the duration of time the brand wants to use the content. 

Is there exclusivity tied to this partnership?
Similar to the above, don’t give a rate until you have the exclusivity request clear. You’ll want to know not only the duration of time, but the list of companies that full under this umbrella. Even short-term exclusivity can block other high-paying deals. 

Anything you can share about the budget range that would be helpful for me to know?
This one’s gold. Asking this directly can open up the conversation about what’s possible—and signals that you’re here to collaborate, not play a guessing game.

If reading these questions made you think, “Wait… am I even asking the right things?”—you’re exactly who I built my 8-week coaching program for influencer talent managers for. These 12 negotiation questions? Just the tip of the iceberg. Inside the program, we cover how to price deals with confidence, build a roster that will sell itself, lead convos like a closer, and avoid the all-too-common (and expensive) rookie mistakes. If you’re serious about leveling up your talent agency, attracting better talent, and locking in higher-paying deals, this is where it starts. Spots are limited each month. Go here to learn more and apply for this program 

8 week Influencer Talent Manager Coaching Program and Mentorship

What to Say When a Brand Asks for Your Client’s Rates 

Assuming you have the important information I mentioned above (the SOW, usage, exclusivity, full expectations of the talent from the agency), send over your talent’s rates for the project. I do NOT subscribe to the theory of wanting the agency to share the budget first. There’s so many reasons why that is doing your talent a disservice and could be costing your talent the campaign. More often than not, the budget might not be figured out yet or truly, the person you’re speaking with, may not know. 

My approach at my agency is to give a 10% discount when there’s more than 3 deliverables. I also like to keep the numbers easy and simple. I will not send over a bundle rate that is $56,789. In that case, I’d say $56k or even $55k flat. 

How to Set Rates that are Fair

Fair rates aren’t pulled from a spreadsheet—they’re shaped by what the market can bear, the value your talent brings, and the specifics of the campaign. There’s no one-size-fits-all formula, but you should always factor in deliverables, usage, exclusivity, turnaround time, and the platform’s current demand. Rates should reflect both the creator’s proven results and the brand’s goals. And remember: just because a brand can’t afford a rate doesn’t mean it’s not fair—it just means they’re not the right fit right now.

How to Ask a Brand for More Money for Your Influencer 

This is the best prat! This is negotiation, people—so lean in and do the dance. You’re doing it!  Don’t shy away from asking for more; that’s literally the job. Instead of yes-or-no questions that back a brand into a corner, open the door to possibilities: “Is there flexibility in budget to meet closer to the talent’s rates? Here’s why they would be a fantastic partner for this project [and then link to relevant, successful pieces of content to make the case]” or “Are there any other budget buckets we can tap into to make this work?” 

Anchor your ask in value by pointing to your creator’s past wins—especially similar content that’s performed well. When you frame it as a collaborative conversation and show what the brand stands to gain, the ask feels less like a demand and more like a smart business move. Again, this is then negotiation part. It’s not for everyone but it’s for you, their Talent Manager. Do them a solid! 

You’re here to make the case for your creator. You HAVE to show up with solid talking points – links to content, metric reports, relevant DM comments to get the brands tripping over themselves to hire your talent for the project. 

Knowing When You’re Asking Too Much 

Part of being a strong negotiator is knowing when to push—and when to pause. That means not just listening to what a brand says, but also tuning into what they don’t. Phrases like “best and final offer” or “we’re unable to meet you at [X rate], but we have $30K for this scope” are blinking signs that you’ve likely hit their ceiling. When you ask smart, open-ended questions early on, you gain valuable insight into their flexibility—and avoid over-negotiating yourself out of a deal. Your language matters: don’t shut the door with rigid, take-it-or-leave-it wording. Keep things collaborative, solution-oriented, and professional, even if you decide to walk away. This is a relationship-driven industry—leave the door open.

Negotiating Deliverables 

This is the heart of what we do as talent managers. Deliverables are the what—the tangible pieces of content or appearances that make the collaboration real. They’re also the foundation of the value exchange: what the brand gets in return for their budget. As you dig into the campaign details, stay flexible and strategic. Sometimes you’ll need to adjust the ask to protect your talent’s bandwidth, and other times, you’ll see opportunities to upsell. A carousel post might be more effective than a single image. An IG Story series might drive better engagement than another Reel if there’s a link involved. When you ask the right questions, you’ll often uncover ways to refine the deliverables so they actually help the brand hit their campaign goals—and that’s how you become a true partner, not just a gatekeeper.

Don’t be shy here! This if my favorite part of being a manager, when I get to play a role in the magic that my creator will bring to life!

How to Know When to Stop Negotiating and Take the Deal 

You take the deal when you’ve done your homework—asked the right questions, clarified the usage and exclusivity, and been given the brand’s best and final offer. But money isn’t the only marker of a “yes.” A great deal is also about alignment: Is this project exciting for your talent? Will it elevate their portfolio, open doors, or deepen a relationship with a dream brand or agency? If the opportunity checks those boxes and the compensation feels fair, stop negotiating. Say yes. Not every win is purely financial—sometimes the long game is the smartest move you can make.

If you want to feel this clear and confident every time you negotiate, my 8-week coaching program for influencer talent managers was made for you. This isn’t theory—we workshop the exact deals sitting in your inbox. I’ll personally coach you through what to say, how to say it, and when to push (or pivot) in real time, so you’re never negotiating alone. If you’re ready to stop second-guessing and start closing deals that feel amazing for you and your talent, apply now. Spots are limited, and this is the kind of support that changes how you run your agency—forever.

More information and how to apply to my 8 week Talent Manager Coaching Program and Mentorship