Alexa Curtis was only 15 years old when she pitched herself successfully for the first time. It was 2013, and already a young fashion blogger, she nabbed an appearance on Fox Connecticut as a teenage fashion enthusiast.
Curtis, a micro-influencer with 20,000 Instagram followers, has been honing her pitching strategy ever since.
Thanks to her perfected pitch, Curtis has landed appearances on multiple TV programs, including "The Today Show" and "Good Morning America," as well as features in multiple online media publications.
But it's not just good for PR. Curtis has also created a pitch for paid collaborations.
Today, she makes about $5,000 a month from her brand sponsorships both on Instagram and her blog, though now most of the brands approach her, rather than the other way around. Insider verified this information with the documentation she provided.
Most recently, she worked with the Banana Republic, international hotel chain W Hotels, and eyewear brand Zenni Optical, among other brands.
Here are her top pitching tips:
Start with small brands.
When creators don't have a lot of experience working with brands, it's better to avoid the Targets and the Kmarts of the world, Curtis said.
Instead, try to find brands that operate on a smaller scale. She suggested looking at websites like Birchbox or Thrive Market to find these companies, as those sites prioritize independent, local brands.
Always include a media kit.
Curtis said media kits help creators present themselves in a professional way. She added that media kits should include any achievements, however small, including high engagement numbers, gifted brand sponsorships, and any other content creation successes.
"Make a one-sheet, put a great photo of yourself, a really dynamic bio, and don't even necessarily include your social following," Curtis said. "Make it look like a more captivating resume and really fill that one sheet up."
She recommends using email, not a contact form on a website or direct messages.
When it comes to reaching out to brands, emails are best, Curtis said.
Contact forms on websites usually end up in inboxes that are flooded with emails, and it's unlikely that anyone will ever see your message, she added. The same goes for direct messages on social media, especially with big brands.
DMs can sometimes succeed with startups or small firms, but emails are more professional, she said.
Curtis uses plugins like Snov.io and LeadLeaper, which help find email addresses through LinkedIn profile links. She also researches press releases for brands, as they normally include a contact email.
Once a creator figures out the email address for one person at a company, they can contact other people there using the same format.
While this strategy has worked for Curtis, other creators have had success landing brand partnerships over DM. Some even have templates for direct message outreach.
Sometimes having a manager or agent email is best.
An assistant or manager emailing a creator can really make a difference in receiving a response because it appears more professional, Curtis said.
"Do you think Kim Kardashian would email Target on her own? No." Curtis said.
Creators should not be afraid of following up.
"I think a lot of people think following up is the same as being pushy," Curtis said. "Following up is being persistent, not pushy."
There are multiple reasons why someone could not be replying, she pointed out. They may be out of the office, for example, or an email could have ended up in spam.
"The worst thing that's going to happen is you'll be told no, and you'll go and find someone else who says yes," she added.