Negotiating with influencers is an art form. Get it right, and you unlock flexibility on pricing, terms, and deliverables. Get it wrong, and you'll be ignored, ghosted, or receive a lower-quality execution. This guide covers real negotiation strategies, pricing flexibility data, and scripts you can use immediately.
What's Actually Negotiable
- Rate/fee — 15-30% flexibility is typical
- Usage rights duration — Shorter rights = lower cost
- Exclusivity scope — Narrower category definition
- Number of deliverables — Bundle for better rates
- Revision rounds — Standard is 1-2 included
- Timeline — Flexible timing can reduce rates
- Payment terms — Faster payment may get discount
- Whitelisting rights — Often separate from organic rates
Don't just negotiate price. Successful negotiators address the full contract scope—usage rights, exclusivity, revisions, timeline—giving creators multiple value-adds beyond a simple rate reduction.
Negotiation Scripts
Here are proven scripts you can customize for your brand:
"Thanks for sending your rates! We love your content and think you'd be a great fit. Our budget for this campaign is [X]. Would you be open to [alternative offer]? We're also happy to discuss a longer-term partnership if that helps."
"We're planning a campaign that would include [3 TikToks + 5 Stories]. Since we'd be working together on multiple pieces, would you offer a package rate? We'd also love to explore ongoing monthly content if this goes well."
"Your quoted rate of $X works for us, but we'd need 12-month usage rights at that price. Alternatively, if we limit usage rights to 3 months organic-only (no paid ads), would you consider $Y?"
"Rather than a one-off, we're looking for a brand ambassador for 6-12 months. For that kind of ongoing partnership, we typically offer [reduced per-post rate] + [perks like affiliate commission, product, exclusives]. Interested in discussing?"
What NOT to Do
Don't Offer Only "Exposure": Offering exposure instead of payment to established creators is disrespectful and will damage your reputation. Creators talk—bad practices spread quickly in this space.
Don't Negotiate Aggressively on First Contact: Building relationship first leads to better outcomes. Aggressive first-message negotiations often result in being ignored or getting their B-tier effort rather than premium quality.
Don't Undervalue Their Work: Saying "it's just a quick post" dismisses the years of audience-building. Respect their craft and rates will be more flexible.
When to Walk Away
Know when to cut your losses and find alternative creators:
- Rate exceeds your CPM targets with no flexibility
- Demanding 100% upfront payment with no track record
- Refusing any contract or formal agreement
- Won't disclose audience demographics
- Previous sponsored content is clearly low-effort
- Unresponsive after 2-3 follow-ups
Walking away sends a powerful message. Creators know when you have alternatives. Being willing to say no actually strengthens your negotiating position—many creators will reconsider their rates if they sense they might lose your business.
Pricing Flexibility by Tier
Understanding flexibility varies by creator level helps you pitch the right angle:
- Nano (1-10K): Most flexible (30-40% range). Many accept product-only or reduced rates for cash flow
- Micro (10-100K): Flexible (20-30% range). Usually have rate cards but negotiate on terms
- Macro (500K-1M): Less flexible (10-20% range). Managed by agents; negotiation happens at agency level
- Mega (1M+): Least flexible (5-10% range). Fixed pricing; negotiation mainly on usage rights
Skip the Negotiation
With OMB, you get fixed, transparent pricing—$6 CPM with guaranteed delivery. No back-and-forth, no surprises. We handle all creator negotiations for you.
Get Fixed PricingFrequently Asked Questions
How much can you negotiate influencer rates? Most influencers have 15-30% flexibility in their rates. Nano/micro influencers are more flexible (up to 40%), while established creators have firmer pricing. Focus on value-adds rather than just rate reduction.
What's negotiable besides the rate? Usage rights duration, exclusivity terms, number of revisions, posting timeline, additional content (stories, posts), whitelisting/paid media rights, payment terms, and long-term partnership discounts are all negotiable.
Should I offer exposure instead of payment? No. Offering only "exposure" to established creators is disrespectful and will damage your brand reputation. However, product gifting can work for nano influencers or product seeding campaigns where expectations are clearly set upfront.