From the Creator's Perspective, Here's What Makes a Good Influencer Marketing Agency

When Shuba Vedula—who is better known as @tiktokbrownchick and for her spot-on Shakira impression—got an email from an influencer marketing agency with the subject line “You’re Getting Underpaid,” she immediately deleted the message. Vedula is conscious of the tendency for players in the space to aggressively poach talent, which often manifests in blast email threads that are exclusively sent to recipients based on follower counts and metrics. “It just gave me weird vibes,” said Vedula, who is signed with the agency Viral Nation. “If they had said ‘You might already be with someone, but can you take a conversation?’ I would have taken the call.” As the influencer space continues to grow, so do the agencies that are scrambling to represent top creators. But those creators are increasingly cognizant of the “spray and pray” methodology of some shops—typically those that represent large rosters—and are instead searching for representation that authentically cares about their work. Influencers want to work with agencies that understand their space in the creator marketplace and what they look for in brand deals. And in an industry where talent can be overwhelmed by lengthy contracts, endless email threads and a lack of respect from brands, they also look for shops that can handle the back-and-forth while they focus on the content. "A lot of management takes on too many influencers to the point where they can’t really focus on them," said Naomi Arbide, who works with agency Innovo Management. "My biggest red flag is seeing when companies don’t care about you personally and just see you as another employee." https://www.tiktok.com/@tiktokbrownchick/video/6998620481494519046?_d=secCgYIASAHKAESPgo8MhGHIRUXS5wR%2BIwaUucqnIl84CacOoClLSB8yRduMj9QuI9KQz%2Byad2dgXS2JCFtqjdCR2L1rtgOuzvsGgA%3D&checksum=fbd05a3a958e2999e13855d2c97f75a6a5cd38d249244300ae9e266307b77ad9&language=en&preview_pb=0&sec_user_id=MS4wLjABAAAAtpBA7rMHdj6cUclcX0vLAERHVyhQ3dOw2ET3u17cEVH-DhhlpR9h_EoWgUwUJ-_D&share_app_id=1233&share_item_id=6998620481494519046&share_link_id=92F8DB92-DD90-4720-B439-BE57A912E1D1&source=h5_m&timestamp=1639433828&tt_from=copy&u_code=dbe9j1fk1a821f&user_id=6807280103392003077&utm_campaign=client_share&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=copy&_r=1 Creating a streamlined workflow There are several points of friction that prevent influencers from posting their content in a timely, culturally-relevant manner, including setting compensation expectations and settling the fine print on contracts. The most helpful agencies navigate these roadblocks while the creator can focus on the content, which is what influencer Cameron Henderson appreciates about his agency Viral Nation. "I really do find a lot of value in the way they move deals along," he said. "I just like to focus on the creative. All that other stuff just kills my vibe." While Camila Vilas is a micro influencer who isn’t quite ready to sign with an agency, she is looking for someone to translate the fine print of contracts and make sure that she gets paid in an efficient manner, which is an issue that often arises in the industry (in the TikTok below, Vilas explains in detail a problematic proposal from Dyson). “Negotiating is scary. I would need an agency to help me read through contracts,” she said. “If I had representation, I also wouldn’t have to send so many emails reminding brands that they are overdue on my invoices.” https://www.tiktok.com/@camila.vilas/video/7027621731862891781?_d=secCgYIASAHKAESPgo8kpY6OASduAJRofWcMe0srAEoYPLLY3sTz3uZ3ONKKJ7RyA6mqAUJbY8B3xjh5vAcrMU7eDYUf1omgO%2FEGgA%3D&checksum=27e7a6b7d909da07df9359c3cc5a94d156d85f9d580ba441a6a5eb024427cf98&language=en&preview_pb=0&sec_user_id=MS4wLjABAAAAtpBA7rMHdj6cUclcX0vLAERHVyhQ3dOw2ET3u17cEVH-DhhlpR9h_EoWgUwUJ-_D&share_app_id=1233&share_item_id=7027621731862891781&share_link_id=67E5EA85-162C-469D-89D6-8F1088E9642E&source=h5_m&timestamp=1639433615&tt_from=copy&u_code=dbe9j1fk1a821f&user_id=6807280103392003077&utm_campaign=client_share&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=copy&_r=1 Understanding what makes a good deal Influencers are often inundated with requests from brands to collab, so management must have the ability to sort through these job offers and quickly identify what makes a good brand deal. Sam Saideman, co-founder and CEO of Innovo Management, receives up to 100 emails each day from brands asking to work with his talent. It's his job to weed out the “generic e-blasts” or brands that are only willing to pay with free product. Kyle Hjelmeseth, the president of G&B Digital Management, says it's the responsibility of management to read the fine print of pitches and understand the product the influencer is being asked to promote. This is what Hjelmeseth keeps in mind when representing his wife Stephanie, who is a strong advocate for clean beauty. “What really matters is what is going into the products and how they will impact the individual when they’re using it,” he said. “Steph deep dives on that information, but it’s on talent managers to do the research before presenting it to the client.” Reaching out to influencers with clear intention Influencers can tell when an agency has done their research, and Saideman believes his point of differentiation is his intention of only reaching out to influencers when he really admires their work. According to Arbide, larger agencies fall short when they just try to get as many influencers as possible on their rosters. One of the main purposes of influencer marketing agencies is to sort through brand emails and decide what is worth a creator's time, and according to Saideman, this would not be possible without understanding the creator and their goals on a deeper level.“There are agencies where it is just a metrics game, but Innovo is very personable,” said Danny Guarino, who is signed with Innovo Management. “They know me and they’re not going to show me a deal that they know I won’t align with.” When influencer Sarah Francati reached 1 million followers on TikTok, she received “a massive influx” of direct messages from agencies that were looking to sign her. She viewed this tactic as unprofessional, and decided on The Influencer Marketing Factory when she had an individual conversation with her future agent and could tell she wouldn’t be just another name. https://www.tiktok.com/@sar_carolyn/video/7021515245055134982?_d=secCgYIASAHKAESPgo8fA2dKmq7lfxGC2knVlPfhzm%2FnmH4DDXkP9ZW0tG3nxw9K4YBy1HJTH4f5jsiF%2BwFzv%2BBJYMXrZh3VPQlGgA%3D&checksum=70efc23cafb299390d4b8fadbc8ae71ee8d54fd65575b3cba77217099a7a5786&language=en&preview_pb=0&sec_user_id=MS4wLjABAAAAtpBA7rMHdj6cUclcX0vLAERHVyhQ3dOw2ET3u17cEVH-DhhlpR9h_EoWgUwUJ-_D&share_app_id=1233&share_item_id=7021515245055134982&share_link_id=70FD97BB-0EE5-4D28-A5AB-F6CA73C8AAAB&source=h5_m&timestamp=1639434164&tt_from=copy&u_code=dbe9j1fk1a821f&user_id=6807280103392003077&utm_campaign=client_share&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=copy&_r=1 “I’ve become friends with influencers at other agencies, and they do not have someone who is their personal advocate,” she said. “My agent is always trying to find the best-fit brands for me, and any time I text her or call her, she’s available.” Getting to know your clients Arbide says she has never turned down a deal that has come through her management. “I’ve gotten offers from other management, but I can’t leave Innovo,” she said. “They think of me as a person. It’s not like ‘Oh, she’s my client, she has to do this.’ I see a lot of people become used by their management.” Guarino echoed Arbide’s sentiment, agreeing that his agency filters out the brand deals that don’t align with his goals so he can get to work as quickly as possible. “When Innovo reaches out, they really care about the person and their brand and it’s not a metrics thing,” he said. “They’ve taken the time to get to know me, and they care about what I’m doing and who I am as creator.” When looking back at why she decided to sign with Viral Nation, Vedula says it was the immediate respect and trust he felt towards her agent. "He immediately seemed intelligent and was high-balling every offer," she said. "Viral Nation seems to really care, and every time I reach out, I get an immediate response. It's that feeling of friendship and actual care that I'm fortunate to have with them." Study Reveals a Significant Racial Pay Gap in Influencer Marketing