I live in Tampa, Florida - I do freelance digital marketing starting later this week I’m going to be working part-time at Bustle as well. I keep busy. I went to school for journalism. That’s my background and what I feel like I do best. I love what you’re doing at PepTalkHer!
When did you study journalism?
I graduated from the University of Florida four years ago. I started working at a newspaper and wasn’t making any money because that’s how it is and I just realized that it wasn’t where I wanted to be. I didn’t want to be running after breaking news all the time. Around the same time my then-fiancee, now husband got a job offer so I kind of at that point left journalism. And that’s when I got my first marketing job.
I was working in digital marketing - took a break from writing and then that’s kind of been my path since.
That’s how I went from being in journalism to being a full-time marketer. I launched my blog end of 2017.
How have you found monetizing the blog?
Good question! I feel like my path to making money from my blog, it’s been almost 2 years since I started. I didn’t see any profit for 6 months. Even then wasn’t a lot of money. I kind of focused on taking really good pictures and writing interesting content which are two things I’m comfortable with.
I started to have brands reach out to me when they saw my work with other brands and they asked if I was interested in working with them.
I will say I was doing so much work for so little money cause I was afraid of asking for more. Even though I had experience asking for raises at work but it felt like unchartered territory. What am really offering? Am I going to sound ungrateful?
“You have a lot of people who are undervaluing or underpricing themselves or nervous about asking for their worth. And I can’t say anything cause I’m one of them! ”
How did you get through that?
Good question I feel like I’m still asking myself that.
At this time in my blog, I have an established following you’d think I’d own it and know what to ask for!
I actually just had a funny experience - they asked me what my rates were. They were like what are your rates? We want posts, this and that. I was prepared to say $400-$500. I happened to be texting a friend and she was like - you are crazy if you ask for anything below $2k. I took her words to heart and the funny thing is they were like - oh that’s perfect! So then I was like - oh I really should have asked for $2k!
That was funny cause even though I’m established….I don’t want to ask too much and have them laugh at me.
It’s been an interesting journey and honestly something I still struggle with.
I think that what has helped me is realizing I’m not going to get laughed out of the room even if I ask for what seems like an obscene amount of money. These brands HAVE money to pay influencers.
I do freelance digital marketing and I actually got an email from a client who is a clothing brand and an influencer with hundreds of thousands of followers. She told me she would do it for $200. She literally has 300k followers!
I feel like it’s really interesting because this blogging, social media world is male-dominated.
You have a lot of people who are undervaluing or underpricing themselves or nervous about asking for their worth. And I can’t say anything cause I’m one of them! It’s been an interesting journey.
There is this thought process where you charge $10 per 1k followers. Sometimes they’ll even charge you lower than that.
Getting over that mental hurdle and be willing to ask for it.
What brands are you working with?
I’m trying to think - Neutrogena, Garnier, Reebok and the campaign I mentioned is with Miller beer.
What do you tell yourself when you’re freaking out?
Honestly I think that - I have had people turn me away and say oh that’s not going to work. But I try and tell myself that’s the worst that can happen. If they’re a legitimate company, they’re not going to laugh at me or make fun of me or tell me I’m crazy. It’s not like I’m putting that much at risk. I tell myself the worst they can say is no.
I also try to say to think of the number. I never offer the first number that comes into my head because I usually low ball myself. I realized a lot of the brands I was working with were saying yes immediately and I tell myself this is supposed to be a negotiation if they’re saying yes straight away I’m probably not charging enough. Obviously, I have days where I still feel like crap about all of it and end up not asking for what I should.
It got better over time.
How did you learn about negotiation?
It was just kind of like for me having my parents who have worked my whole life, having strong role models to push out of my comfort zone. Any time I get an offer, I call my mom and dad like a child and ask them what they think. Because they’re an unbiased voice. My husband is amazing but no matter what I say he’s like - oh this is great! My mom will tell me if I’m unrealistic or if I need to ask for me.
Otherwise, it’s just been honestly through doing the wrong thing and learning from that.
When I first started blogging, I was making so little money from the sponsored blog posts that it was literally like I was barely breaking even. But I realized this is a huge toll on my life because, at that time when I started blogging, I was working full time and blogging on the weekend.
My husband takes all my pictures and if I’m going to give up my weekend, then it needs to be money that is worth it and I’m excited about. This is going to be a great pay ccheque rather than they threw me $100.
What’s your vision for the business?
I’m still figuring it out. I want to get to a point where I am comfortably making enough through my business and writing so I can regularly take time away from work and not feel stressed. Build this up and take on fewer, better-paying projects.
“You are only cheating yourself if you ask for way less than you deserve or less than you think you can get. ”
What’s your advice to others going in to negotiations?
The people who I’ve met in the professional world who are actually imposters are not the ones who struggle with imposter syndrome. They’re usually very sure of themselves and like “yes I know what I’m talking about.” So honestly, I would keep that in mind and then also - you are only cheating yourself if you ask for way less than you deserve or less than you think you can get. The only person who’s really losing out is you.
It’s been so good for me to ask for even that product I mentioned where I asked for $500 and they said yes. Now, I know that’s not a crazy rate. I adjust my rate as I go. That means other brands are also willing to pay that.
What do you think about Women of Color Influencers & the pay gap that exists there?
I think that racism in influencer marketing is a big issue. There’s a lack of inclusion. I don’t know… I mean obviously there is racism and it’s everywhere and there is colorism. When I talk to my black women blogger friends, a lot of the brands we follow or shop at work with white influencers who are all very similar size and it’s just like they very clearly have a type. It can be discouraging.
I’m a US size 14 black woman blogger, I don’t know…I’m not pithing the brands I see size 0 white women. Clearly, I’m not what you’re looking for.
I think that... I personally have never encountered anything directly because of that but I think that honestly, the real effect of it is that women who don’t fit their model demographic. There definitely is work to be done there.
