Honestly, when I started doing brand deals, I thought landing the deal was the win.Get the "yes," celebrate, figure out the rest later.
That mindset cost me thousands.
I said yes to exclusivity without charging for it — that's a $500+ mistake I made more than once. I didn't know usage rights were negotiable, so I gave away content a brand used for two years without seeing another dollar. I had a project cancelled after I'd blocked out my entire week — no kill fee, no deposit, nothing.
The deals I landed? I was leaving 30-50% on the table because I didn't know what I didn't know.
Stages 1-3 help you find brands and land the deal. Stages 4-9 make sure you don't give it away once you do.