We had way too much fun with the Sponsor Fishbowl last time.
So Joe and I decided to run it back with a twist: live negotiation role plays. No prep. No script. Just click a button, get a random objection from a brand, and you've got 60 seconds to figure out how to respond.
This was the best part of Sponsor Games. Seriously. We tried to take a break and everyone was like "No, keep going. More role plays."
So here's what happened when we tested ourselves—and what you can learn about handling the toughest brand objections in real time.
Objection #1: "We're Looking for Micro Influencers with Higher Engagement Than You"
Right to the core.
Here's how I responded:
"I understand that working with micro influencers has been your strategy to date, and you may have worked with ones that had higher engagement than me. I'm curious—can you talk a little bit about what your objectives are when you collaborate with creators?"
The pivot: Don't get defensive. Get curious.
"I understand that high engagement rate is a metric you've used in the past to determine success. But I'm curious—are you primarily looking for awareness? Are you getting assets to repurpose for your website or paid advertising? Or are you really looking to drive conversions?"
This is where I start. I ensure that whatever I recommend will best help them accomplish their actual outcomes.
Why This Works
Joe pointed out something critical: Most creators want templated packages they can send to brands. But even if you have a price sheet or standard deliverables, you need to customize based on the brand's goals.
Joe used to make websites. If a nonprofit came to him, he'd still give them a website—but it would be very different than if an e-commerce company came to him.
Same thing with sponsorships. You need to tailor your packages and pitch to the goals of the brand.
There's a section in my book Sponsor Magnet called "Pivot What You Propose Based on What You Learn from the Brand." A lot of creators are nervous to do this. The brand is asking for one thing—who am I to say "Actually, I don't think that's what you want"?
But here's the reality: brands often don't know what they're doing.
Sounds weird, right? They have money, a marketing team, maybe an agency. Of course they know what they're doing.
Except they often don't.
Joe ran an influencer agency for seven years. He can say with authority: some higher-up tells the marketing manager "We need to be doing influencer marketing," and that person has zero training in it. They're literally Googling "influencer marketing best practices" and reading that Instagram influencers should have 2.5% engagement rate or higher.
That becomes their standard. Not because it's strategic—because it's what they read online.
You might be the first person to ask "Why is 2.5% important to you?" And their brain will... turn on. Like an exorcism. They'll realize they don't actually have a good answer.
Lean into your expertise. You've done this before. They haven't. Guide them.
Objection #2: "What's Your CPM Again?"
This one's a layup for me.
"I don't price based on CPM. What I'm really focused on is figuring out what your goals are and helping you achieve those goals. That's best done if we don't focus on downloads but on outcomes."
I might have a smaller audience than the Joe Rogan podcast. But I have a really engaged, really interested audience. I'm keen to work with you to deliver on your goals.
If you want people to understand more about your product, I can walk them through it. If you're interested in repurposing content, that's really valuable. These things can't be measured by CPM.
"I'd love to know what budget range you have, and then I can come up with packages at various investment levels that will help you achieve your goals."
The CPM Trap
Joe pointed out something important: We hear this a lot in podcasting (CPM = cost per thousand downloads). Also YouTube CPV (cost per view).
But here's what creators don't realize: Just because you don't have a huge audience doesn't mean you can't crush it with brand partnerships.
We have a disproportionate number of people in Wizard's Guild who are niche creators. They may only get a couple hundred downloads or views per episode. But they're crushing it with brand partnerships because they're in medical devices, accounting software, specialized B2B spaces.
They're not pricing based on CPM. They're pricing based on value delivered.
From an industry standpoint, podcast downloads are becoming increasingly less relevant. Brands are wising up to the fact that it's trivial to fraudulently purchase engagement. You get DMs all the time: "I'll get you 5,000 followers for 50 bucks."
Brands know this now. They're looking beyond the numbers.
Your job is to help them understand what metrics actually matter.
Objection #3: "How About We Start with a One-Post Test?"
"I understand that perhaps in the past, you may have had challenging relationships with other creators. You signed a long-term deal, it didn't work out, so now you want to do trial posts."
The empathy move.
"But here's why we actually need to do multiple posts: First, we need to test the messaging. We need to understand what resonates with my audience most. There might be certain objections that drive more trial signups than others."
"Second, we'll glean insights from those first activations—people commenting or replying to emails saying 'I tried this software, here's why I didn't purchase.' We need to use those insights in the next iteration."
"One post isn't a large enough sample to determine whether the partnership's actually successful."
Why This Response Works
Joe loved that I started with empathy instead of just rattling off stats like "It takes seven times for a message to stick."
That's a rote stat. It sounds robotic.
Starting with empathy—acknowledging their past pain points—that's the better move.
But here's the negotiation jiu-jitsu move Joe pointed out: A lot of creators unconsciously condescend when they're in conversations with brands. "Why are you doing that? That's stupid."
Some creators with large audiences can be divas. "You're lucky to work with me. Why do I need to sell you?"
But you really do need to educate them. You may be the first person who's ever said this to them.
Draw parallels to what the brand already does. Would you ever just put a single piece of creative into Facebook ads and bank all your budget on that? No. You'd test 10 different videos with different hooks and calls to action, see which does best, then allocate spend accordingly.
It's the same idea with organic content.
Objection #4: "We've Never Paid That Much Before"
"I totally understand you've probably had set budgets and worked with other creators. One of the things I focus on is understanding your goals and outcomes. I'm not just creating content for you—my job is to make your job easier."
"In order to do that, I think we need a longer engagement where we work together more. We can meet a couple times to see how the initial content is doing and make adjustments. That allows me to partner more closely with you to make this campaign a win."
"My goal is to help you achieve your goals."
Why Brands Say This
Joe nailed it: Imagine walking into a pizza place and they say "Our pizza is $10 a slice." You're used to paying $2 a slice. You'd ask "Why is your pizza so expensive?"
That's what the brand is doing. They're not trying to insult you. They're genuinely trying to understand the value.
Unfortunately, a lot of creators undervalue themselves. But here's what I say all the time to our coaching clients:
We are not a commodity. We are a partner.
You're not buying a YouTube video from me. You're essentially hiring me to understand you and your goals and create content to help you achieve them.
The underlying question with this statement is: "We feel like we might not get a return on our investment if we pay you this much."
So ask: "I'd love to learn more about how you're measuring success. How are you determining whether a partnership is a win for you?"
This might uncover things that suddenly make the math make sense. Maybe they've never gotten the rights to repurpose content before. When you mention that brands can use your assets on their website, in paid ads, at trade show booths—suddenly the investment makes sense.
The Boss Problem
Here's what creators don't realize: The person you're talking to is often not the decision maker.
When they say "We've never paid that much," they might be thinking "My boss is never going to go for this."
So offer to bring the boss into the conversation. "Hey, is there anyone else on your team where it would be helpful for us all to talk? Maybe schedule another call with your boss or the client?"
Sometimes they'll be relieved. Because then the boss hears it straight from you rather than them putting their neck out.
They don't know you. They don't want to stick their neck out for you. They want to get a raise. If it blows up in their face, they don't want to lose their promotion.
Figure out ways to insulate or protect them from internal exposure. That might get the deal across the finish line.
The Pattern Across All Four Objections
Notice what happened in every single response:
Lead with empathy. Acknowledge where they're coming from.
Get curious about their actual goals. Don't assume you know what they want.
Educate without condescending. Use examples from what they already do.
Pivot to value, not metrics. Help them see beyond follower counts and CPMs.
Make their job easier. Position yourself as a partner, not a vendor.
These weren't scripted responses. We had no idea what the objections would be. But the framework is consistent.
When a brand throws an objection at you, they're not trying to insult you. They're trying to understand the value. They're trying to protect themselves internally. They're trying to justify the spend to their boss.
Your job is to help them do that.
Want to Practice This Yourself?
This type of role play was the highlight of Sponsor Games. Creators loved it because it's one thing to read about how to handle objections—it's another to practice in real time with feedback.
That's exactly what we do inside Wizard's Guild. Joe is our lead coach, and we run live negotiation practice sessions where you get real-time feedback on how you're handling brand conversations.
No more wondering if you said the right thing. No more losing deals because you didn't know how to respond. Just real practice with real feedback from people who've closed 550+ deals.
See you inside.
