The brand collaboration checklist: 12 things to agree before you start

By the My Collabs team · 30 October 2026

Most collaboration disputes come from things nobody wrote down: an extra revision, a repost on the brand's ad account, a payment "next month" that becomes three months. You don't always need a long contract. An email that both sides confirm, covering the points below, prevents most problems.

The work

1. Deliverables, exactly

Not "an Instagram collab" but "one 30–45 second reel and three stories on Instagram, with the link sticker on story 2". Include the format, the number of each, the platform, the length, and any must-say points or hashtags.

2. Timeline and go-live date

When the product or brief arrives, when the first draft is due, and the date (or date range) the content goes live.

3. Approvals and revisions

Whether drafts need approval, how quickly the brand will respond, and how many rounds of changes are included. A common choice is one or two rounds, with extra rounds charged.

The money

4. The fee and what it covers

The total amount, whether it's "plus GST", and exactly which deliverables and rights it includes.

5. Payment terms

Any advance, when the balance is due (for example "within 30 days of the content going live"), who to send the invoice to, and any PO or vendor registration the brand needs first. Ask whether TDS will be deducted.

6. Cancellation

What you're paid if the brand cancels after you've started work. A cancellation fee (often called a "kill fee") protects the time you've already spent.

The rights

7. Usage rights

Where the brand may reuse your content (its own social pages, website, ads, packaging) and for how long. "In perpetuity" should cost far more than "3 months, organic only".

8. Paid ads and whitelisting

Whether the brand may run ads with your content or through your handle, and for how long. Price it separately (see how to price a collaboration).

9. Exclusivity

Which competitor categories you must avoid, and for how long. Keep it narrow and time-limited, and charge for it.

10. Ownership and raw files

Who owns the content, and whether raw footage is included. By default you keep ownership and license the content to the brand.

The rest

11. Disclosure

Paid and gifted posts must be labelled clearly. In India, the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) requires an upfront, easy-to-see label, such as #ad or "Sponsored", on influencer content where there's a material connection with the brand. Agree the label with the brand, and check the current ASCI guidelines on ascionline.in.

12. Contacts and details

Your day-to-day contact, the finance contact, the brand's legal name, address and GSTIN for your invoice, and the shipping address and return terms for any product.

Make it official in one email. After a call or WhatsApp chat, send a short email: "To confirm what we agreed: …" with the points above, and ask them to reply "confirmed". That reply is your agreement.

Copy-paste summary

Collaboration summary – [Brand] x [Your name] Deliverables: [e.g. 1 reel (30–45s) + 3 stories, Instagram] Draft due: [date] · Go-live: [date] Revisions included: [1 round] Fee: ₹[amount] [+ GST] Advance: [50% on confirmation] · Balance due: [within 30 days of go-live] Invoice to: [name, email] · PO/ref: [number] Usage: [brand's organic social only, 3 months] Paid ads / whitelisting: [not included / ₹ amount for X months] Exclusivity: [none / category, X weeks] Disclosure label: [#ad] Cancellation: [50% of fee if cancelled after the draft is shared] Please reply "confirmed" if this matches our discussion.

Track every collab in one place. My Collabs is a free app that shows what each brand has agreed, paid and still owes you, with alerts before deadlines.

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This guide is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules change, so check the current position or ask a professional for your situation.