10 Scripts to Handle the "Free Stuff" Conundrum

There's a time and place for doing small things for free (e.g., at the tail end of a negotiation).

However, many brands will explicitly state they only offer gifted products or free access in exchange for promotion.

Now, I know a free six-pack of sparkling strawberry seltzer sounds awesome, but last I checked, landlords and banks don't accept delicious drinks as payment (if you know one that does, hit me up).

It's also a big mistake to say, "I'm only focusing on paid sponsorships right now," then slam the door in their face. You must recognize that outreach as an early signal of interest.

Your task now becomes educating the brand on why compensating you makes good business sense.

Let's talk through 10 different scenarios and how to respond with confidence.

Scenario #1: The brand offers free products or services but doesn't require you to post

Solution: Propose a specific Statement of Work (SOW)

Hi [Name],

The product looks really cool and I appreciate that offer!

I know you mentioned I'm not required to post about it but I would love to create the following:

• One 90-second video integration

• One social media post (30-second cut-down of video)

• Grant you ad rights to all assets for three months

Would you be interested in that? Let me know if you can pull from a different budget for a collaboration like this.

Thanks!

[Your name]

What do I mean by "pull from a different budget"?

Brands typically allocate different "buckets" of money to different marketing strategies.

The strategy you've found yourself caught in is the "earned media" bucket.

Earned media is where the brand takes a "spray and pray" approach. It contacts hundreds of people to see who will talk about its products for free.

And they're going to do that all day long. You can't get mad!

That's just the way it is and will always be.

But your goal is to get them to remove you from the "earned media" bucket and put you in the "paid media" bucket.

Let me ask you a question.

If a brand runs social media ads, do you think these platforms let them do that for free?

No, they don't. Brands have to pay for that privilege.

The faster you can convince the brand to shift its mindset about what you're bringing to the table (e.g., content production and an organic distribution channel), the easier it will be to convince them to compensate you.

Scenario #2: The brand's Public Relations (PR) team or agency offers a shipment of free stuff in exchange for promotion

Solution: Find out if their team is responsible for paid media

Hi [Name],

This looks amazing, and my audience would love this!

Out of curiosity, is your team also handling paid media for this campaign?

If you expedite the package to me, I can quickly create a compelling 15-second video highlighting this initiative that the brand can use to extend the reach and visibility.

Let me know if that's of interest and I can send over the investment.

Thanks!

[Your name]

Focusing on the quick turnaround is imperative because most brand campaigns have a short flight (duration), such as 30 or 60 days.

That's why your reply must emphasize that your specialty is speed. The brand doesn't have time to spend three weeks negotiating with you and another four weeks waiting for content delivery. By that time, the campaign will likely be over.

Scenario #3: The brand invites you to join their affiliate program

Solution: Make them question their current strategy

Hi [Name],

Thanks for sending that info on your affiliate program!

Out of curiosity, how do you currently source social media content?

Also, do your affiliates grant you rights to use their content for ads?

I specialize in collaborations with a flat investment, so let me know if you'd like to discuss how I can help you get a better ROI from your influencer strategy.

Thanks!

[Your name]

This will be music to a brand's ears because they're all concerned with getting a return on their investment.

Most creators shy away from this topic because they aren't confident they can earn a return for the brand.

But remember, ROI is not always about how many sales you generate.

The brand might think, "Actually, we're not getting usage rights from our affiliates for the content they're creating. That's a great idea. Let's talk to this person about how they do it and whether the cost would make sense."

Scenario #4: The brand offers you a gift card as payment

Solution: Accept it to test the product but clarify that promotion requires compensation

Hi [Name],

Thanks so much for the offer!

If you'd like to send a gift card first, that will allow me time to test out your product and confirm it will be an excellent fit for my audience (I'm sure it will)!

Then, if you'd like me to do a comprehensive promotion, we can discuss the investment.

What do you think?

[Your name]

Rather than being insulted by a brand's gift card offer, you can flip this around in your mind and get excited! Brands love working with authentic fans and don't love working with people who view collaborations as one-and-done transactions.

Accepting the gift while clearly stating there are no promotion "strings" attached could lead to a compensated partnership later on.

Scenario #5: The brand says gifted first, then paid if post performs well

Solution: Explain that one post isn't enough to determine success

Hi [Name],

I appreciate you sharing this! In my experience, it takes several posts to measure the success of a partnership.

For example, repeatedly illustrating to my audience that I'm continuing to love and use a product builds credibility and increases purchase intent.

Also, if we partnered through June for monthly posts, we could meet periodically and analyze the results from each post and, if needed, change our approach.

I'm sure you've found that the same long-term outlook is required to see success when running ads on social media.

Can I send over a few investment options for what a collaboration like this could look like?

[Your name]

The key here is drawing the analogy once again to social media ads that virtually every brand is running.

Predicting what will do well when they run ads is often challenging.

For example, when I ran my agency, a giant phone carrier hired us to execute a campaign with several social media influencers.

As part of the deal, they asked us to create a bunch of cut-downs of the content they could repurpose as ads.

Most videos were super polished and professional, while others looked like they were filmed on a potato.

I was sure the glossy ads would perform the best, but what do you think happened?

The low-quality selfie video ads crushed everything else by a considerable margin.

Your goal in this scenario is to help the brand understand that multiple posts are often needed to assess a partnership's success accurately.

Scenario #6: The brand says the product is expensive so that should be "enough" compensation

Solution: Make them drool over your audience and have FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)

Hi [Name],

I understand where you're coming from.

This collaboration will perform well because my audience regularly messages me when they've purchased [similar products or products at a comparable price point] that I've shared.

Check out the attached screenshots for a few examples. I've also attached my demographics and additional psychographic research I've conducted so you can see how my audience aligns with the types of consumers you're trying to reach.

With this in mind, what budget can you allocate to our partnership?

Thanks!

[Your name]

If you're not collecting screenshots when your audience tells you they've purchased something you recommended, start now.

Remember, brands don't want to work with you because you're terrific. That might be part of the reason, but it's mainly because they want to access your audience, which is filled with potential future customers of their brand.

So, you need to agitate that FOMO and (tactfully) say,

"I know your product's expensive, but you've got to pay the toll if you want to talk to my audience. By the way, here are some screenshots and data to back up that it'll be worth it."

Scenario #7: The brand asks to repost your content

Solution: Share your excitement and ask reasonable questions

Hi [Name],

It's great to connect, and I'm honored you liked my post.

[insert sentence reemphasizing why you love their brand/product so much]

I'm absolutely interested in granting your brand the right to repurpose my content!

Can you share a few details, such as:

• How long will the usage term be?

• Are you looking to repost it organically on your social handles or website?

• Are you also looking to secure paid media rights?

I'd also be open to granting boosting/allow-listing rights if it interests you.

Let me know what budget range you've set aside for this, and we can discuss next steps.

Thanks!

[Your name]

99% of the time, you'll never see any real growth or traction from getting "exposure" on a brand's platforms.

Instead, treat this scenario as a clear signal the brand sees value in your work and quickly pivot to a more comprehensive partnership proposal.

Scenario #8: The brand reposts your content without asking you and does/doesn't credit you

Solution: Let them know that is something they have to compensate you for

Hi [Name],

I'm so glad you enjoyed my video about [your brand/product/service] so much that you reposted it!

Repurposing my content requires an investment, so can you let me know what budget you've set aside to secure those rights?

I also have a few collaboration ideas featuring [your brand/product/service] I'd love to share!

Are you free on Thursday at 1 pm to chat?

Thanks!

[Your name]

Brands will likely get a big lump in their throats over this bit:

"What budget have you set aside for this…" because they're going to think, "Yikes. We didn't think we needed to secure the rights to repurpose this."

Way better to engage with and compensate you than risk legal action or public blowback.

Scenario #9: The brand says they've never worked with partners before

Solution: Flex your expertise and offer to help them with higher-level strategy

Hi [Name],

Thanks for connecting with me about this opportunity!

It's super smart of you to consider adding influencer marketing to your advertising strategy.

I've worked with many brands and companies in a similar [category/industry/niche], so I have a lot of experience with best practices and mistakes you should avoid.

I can help you promote your [brand/product/service] and be an ongoing resource as you build your partnership program.

Are you free on Wednesday at 10 am to hop on a call?

Thanks,

[Your name]

I can guarantee that no one else will offer to help the brand think through its high-level strategy in this way.

It communicates that you're invested in the outcome of their advertising efforts and reduces the brand's anxiety about paying you a lot of money.

Scenario #10: The brand says other people did it for free, so why not you?

Solution: Differentiate yourself by explaining your approach

Hi [Name],

It's awesome to hear that others have been willing to do it for free. However, my approach to collaboration is quite a bit different.

Working with key partners like [your brand] is a core priority for my business, and as such I maintain a high level of service.

For example:

• < 48 hours response time on all email communications

• Concepts provided in advance of production for [your brand's] feedback

• < 72 hours turnaround time on all revisions, if necessary

• Ample flexibility when any issues arise regarding timeline or other partnership logistics

• Every concept and strategy is explicitly customized to achieve [your brand's] objectives

• We can meet monthly or quarterly to assess the status/performance of the partnership and make course corrections as necessary

Let me know if you're free on Tuesday at 10 am to chat through ways we could optimize your influencer marketing strategy.

Thanks! [Your name]

It doesn't feel great when brands try to gaslight you. I get it.

But, rather than getting defensive, assuming the brand doesn't know any better is more productive.

For example, what if the brand had already contacted ten other people who all gladly accepted the free products without any pushback?

Until I've successfully snuck this book onto the required reading list for every brand's corporate training program, you might be the very first person who offers to educate them on why compensating partners is a wise move.