Negotiate Wages: Three Tactics for Three Different Creator Relationships

Rebecca Beach, an influencer marketing agency owner with roots at Fashion Nova, breaks down three distinct negotiation levers brands can use to get better deals with creators. It moves fast and rarely offends, but Rebecca argues it is also the tactic most likely to leave money on the table. For anyone trying to negotiate wages and fees with creators more strategically, the real value here is knowing which tactic to match to which relationship.

• Her first tactic is the industry standard: ask the influencer for their rate first, never volunteer a number, and negotiate down from there.
• Her second approach flips the script by throwing out a low number before rates are even discussed, which gives the brand room to apologize and adjust rather than offend.
• The third and riskiest tactic is to walk away entirely after receiving the first rate, with no counter at all, because in Rebecca's experience most influencers come back and reopen the conversation on the brand's terms.