Brand Deal Pipeline Planner
Sponsorships don't happen by accident—they're a numbers game. This planner models your outreach pipeline so you know exactly how many pitches to send, what to expect, and when the money actually arrives.
The Sponsorship Reality
Building a Sponsorship Pipeline
Outreach is a Skill: Your first 50 pitches will be terrible—that's normal. Track what gets replies and iterate. Personalization beats volume. One thoughtful pitch to a perfect-fit brand outperforms 50 generic templates.
Build a Media Kit: A professional one-pager with audience demographics, engagement rates, past brand work, and content examples dramatically improves close rates. Include real screenshots and metrics, not vanity numbers.
The Follow-Up Game: Most deals close after 2-4 follow-ups. Brands are busy—your first email often gets lost. A polite "bumping this" after 5-7 days isn't pushy, it's professional. Track your outreach to know when to follow up.
Common Questions
How many pitches do I need to send to land a brand deal?
It varies wildly by niche, audience size, and pitch quality. Beginners (under 10K followers) might need 50-100+ cold pitches for one deal. Established creators (50K+) with a good media kit might convert 5-15% of outreach. The math: if you close 5% and want 2 deals/month, you need 40 pitches/month. This tool helps you model your specific situation.
What's a realistic reply rate for sponsorship outreach?
Cold email reply rates typically range from 5-20% for creators. Factors that improve rates: (1) Personalized, specific pitches (not templates), (2) Clear audience alignment, (3) Professional media kit, (4) Proven case studies, (5) Reasonable rate expectations. Mass "spray and pray" outreach often sees <5% replies.
How do I price sponsorships as a creator?
Common benchmarks: $10-50 per 1,000 followers for smaller creators, but engagement matters more. Industry CPMs for sponsored content: YouTube ($15-50 CPM), Instagram ($5-20 CPM), TikTok ($10-30 CPM). Niches matter: finance/tech pay 2-5x more than lifestyle. Use the Sponsorship Rates calculator for specific pricing guidance.
When do I get paid for sponsorships?
Most brand deals pay Net 30 (30 days after deliverables) or Net 60. Some pay 50% upfront, 50% on delivery. Agencies often take longer (Net 45-90). This creates cashflow challenges—you might complete work in January and not get paid until March. Factor payment timing into your planning.
Related Tools
This planner uses simplified models. Actual sponsorship rates and conversion rates vary dramatically by niche, audience quality, content style, and negotiation skills. Brand deal income is inherently variable and unpredictable. This is not financial advice.