Working with agencies vs brands directly
Many brand deals reach you through someone in the middle: an influencer marketing agency running a campaign for a brand, or a talent manager who represents you. Both can be valuable. Both also change how much you earn, how fast you're paid and who you're accountable to.
The two kinds of middle-men
- Campaign agencies work for the brand. They find creators, manage briefs and approvals, and pay creators on the brand's behalf.
- Talent managers or management agencies work for you. They pitch you to brands, negotiate fees and handle admin, usually for a commission on your deals.
Pros and cons
| Through an agency | Brand directly | |
|---|---|---|
| Finding deals | More deals, including large brands you couldn't reach | You find and pitch them yourself |
| Your share | Less: the agency takes a margin or commission | You keep the full fee |
| Payment speed | Often slower: the agency may wait for the brand to pay first | Depends only on the brand |
| Admin | Briefs, approvals and contracts handled for you | All on you |
| Relationship | The agency owns the brand contact | You build the relationship yourself |
Questions to ask an agency
- Who is the brand, and who will I sign the agreement with?
- Who do I invoice, and what are the payment terms?
- Is your payment to me dependent on the brand paying you first?
- What usage rights and exclusivity does the brand want?
- For talent managers: what's your commission, on which deals, and how do we end the arrangement?
Red flags
- Any agency that asks you to pay a fee to join its roster or get deals.
- Refusing to tell you which brand the campaign is for.
- No written agreement, or terms that change after you've delivered.
- Long exclusive management contracts with no way to leave.
Get paid on time either way
Invoice the party you contracted with, quote any PO or campaign reference, and set a clear due date. If an agency is slow, follow up with them first; they're responsible for paying you under your agreement. Our late payment guide has message templates.
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.
Try My Collabs freeThis guide is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules change, so check the current position or ask a professional for your situation.