For creators
How DIY creators can prepare for brand partnerships
What home improvement brands look for, and what DIY creators should have ready before a brief arrives, including a media kit, a project pipeline and rates.
In home improvement, brand partnerships usually follow the project. A paint brand wants a wall that is about to be painted, and a flooring brand wants a floor that is about to go down. Creators who plan ahead and can explain what they have coming up are much easier to work with, and they tend to get better briefs.
Here is what to get ready before a brand or an agency gets in touch.
Be clear about what you offer
Describe your content in a sentence. First-home renovations on a budget. Renter-friendly upgrades. Furniture and built-ins from a small workshop. The more specific you are, the easier it is for a brand to see where its product fits.
Know which formats you are best at. Some creators make excellent long-form installs and struggle with short reveals. Others are the opposite. Brands will ask, so it helps to have an honest answer.
Keep a project pipeline
The most useful thing you can show a brand is a list of upcoming projects. For each one, note the room, the rough timing and the kinds of products it will need. A bathroom refresh in two months needs tiles, tapware, sealant and lighting. That list turns a vague conversation into a real opportunity.
Take before photos and measurements as soon as a project is confirmed. Brands like to see the starting point, and you will need the measurements to order the right amount of product.
Pitch the project, not just the post. Saying you are renovating a laundry in March and would like to feature a cabinetry brand throughout is a stronger offer than a single sponsored video.
Make a simple media kit
One or two pages is enough. Include:
- who you are and what your content is about
- your platforms, with links
- audience location and age, taken from your own platform analytics
- a few examples of your best project content
- any previous brand work, if you are allowed to share it
- a business email address
Update it every few months. Out-of-date numbers are worse than no numbers.
Work out your rates before someone asks
Price by deliverable. A long-form install video takes far more time than a short reveal, and your rates should reflect that.
Treat usage rights separately. If a brand wants to use your content on its website or in paid ads, that is extra value and it should be priced as such, with a time limit.
Exclusivity costs you work, because it stops you accepting briefs from competitors. Charge for it, and keep the category and the period as narrow as you can.
Read the agreement before you sign
A good agreement answers a few basic questions. What exactly are you publishing, and when? How many rounds of feedback are there? What can the brand use, where and for how long? Is there exclusivity? When are you paid? What happens if the project is delayed? If any of those answers are missing or unclear, ask before you sign.
Disclose every paid partnership
Label paid content clearly, using the platform’s partnership tools and plain words in the content itself. Rules vary by country. The FTC’s Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers covers the United States, the ASA and CAP influencers’ guide covers the United Kingdom, and the ACCC has published its review of influencer testimonials and endorsements in Australia. Proper disclosure protects your audience’s trust, which is the thing brands are paying for.
Protect your credibility
Only take on products you would actually use. Your audience will notice if you start praising things you don’t believe in, and they won’t forget.
Keep your honest opinion. A good brand partner will accept that you mention a downside, as long as you are fair about it.
Work safely on camera and use licensed trades where the law requires them. In Australia that includes electrical work and most plumbing. Brands are wary of being associated with unsafe or illegal shortcuts.
Make yourself easy to find
Put a business email in your bio and use the same handle across platforms where you can. Pin a post that shows your best finished project, because that is often the first thing a brand looks at.
If you make home improvement content and would like to be considered for future briefs, you can introduce yourself to Sharp Studio. It doesn’t guarantee an opportunity, but it means we know who you are when a relevant brief comes in.