How to Negotiate a Wage: Reverse-Engineering Offers From Target CPM
Milan Freeman, influencer marketing consultant and former brand-side strategist at Curology and Fenty Skin, breaks down the dos and don'ts of negotiating with creators. She argues that influencer pricing is still the wild west, with no Glassdoor equivalent to benchmark fair rates, which means brands need their own system.
Her core tactics:
- always build wiggle room into your first offer (expect it to be countered)
- never lowball to the point of insulting a creator
- keep personal notes on every offer you make so you can spot pricing trends over time
Freeman also warns that pricing inconsistency across creators is a real risk because influencers and agents talk, and representing your brand ethically means staying fair across the board. On the math side, she recommends reverse-engineering your offer from a target CPM, working backward from expected views to confirm the fee makes sense before pitching it.
If you want a practical framework for how to negotiate a wage with creators that holds up when a CMO asks questions, this four-minute video delivers exactly that.
