You nailed the pitch. The brand approved you. You got the gift. Now what?
Here's the thing most creators don't realise: the collab doesn't end when you receive the gift. That moment is actually the beginning of something much bigger. The creators who turn one collab into five, ten, or even an extended partnership - sometimes paid - are the ones who treat every single collab like it matters, because it does.
Building a strong relationship with brands is one of the most powerful things you can do for your creator career. Let's talk about how to actually do it.
Why Your Brand Relationships Matter More Than You Think Your effort and content gets you noticed. Your professionalism gets you booked, again and again.
Here is something most creators underestimate: brands talk to each other. A brand that had a great experience with you will say so, and one that had a negative experience will say so too. Reviews are visible to every brand on the platform. Your reputation is being built with every single interaction you have, whether you are thinking about it or not.
Brands are not just looking for reach. They are looking for creators they can trust. When a brand finds that creator, they hold onto them. They come back. They refer others. They upgrade the collab from gifted to paid. That momentum is real, and it starts from the very first collab.
The best part? How you show up is completely within your control.
What Makes You Irresistible to Brands The creators that brands keep coming back to are not necessarily the ones with the biggest followings. They are the ones who make working together feel easy. Here is how to be that creator:
1. Respond fast and stay in touch
When a brand reaches out and hears back from you promptly, that alone builds confidence. It tells them you are switched on and they are not going to have to chase you down constantly. Respond quickly. Ask questions if you need clarification. Give updates without being asked. Even a quick "got it, I'll be in touch soon" goes a long way.
2. Deliver what you promised, when you promised it
Brands plan campaigns and build schedules around creator-collab timelines. When you meet your deadlines consistently, you become someone they can rely on, and reliability is genuinely rare. If something comes up and you need more time, flag it before the deadline, not after. That one habit alone sets you apart from most creators.
3. Follow through after receiving the gift
The collab is not done the moment the package lands on your doorstep. Following through on what you agreed to, fully and without needing a reminder, is one of the fastest ways to build a reputation brands want to be associated with.
4. Add your own creative spin
If you are given a brief or guidelines, great. Use them as a starting point, not a script. You know your audience better than anyone, and that is your superpower. Content that feels real, native to your feed, and true to your voice will always outperform anything that sounds like an ad. Brands actually want that, even if they do not always know how to ask for it. So take the direction, make it yours, and trust yourself to create something your audience will love. That is where the magic happens.
5. Create content that is scroll-stopping for your audience
You do not need a professional studio. You need intention and care. Show the product in a real, relatable way. Be creative. Be authentic. That kind of content earns glowing reviews and repeat invitations.
6. Handle problems with honesty
If something goes wrong, do not go quiet. Reach out, explain the situation, and find a solution together. Brands remember how creators handle difficult moments just as much as they remember the good ones. Showing up with integrity when things get hard is how real trust is built.
And if you are going through a private emergency that is blocking you from your campaigns, you do not have to navigate that alone either. The #gifted team is always here to help. Reach out to us and we will communicate with your brand partners on your behalf. We are in this with you.
7. Understand and respect the terms you agreed to
If you accept a gifted collab, the brand is providing the product in exchange for content. No additional payment is expected after the fact. If a collab does not feel like the right financial fit, that conversation needs to happen before you accept it, not after.
Worth knowing: brands on Pro and Pro Plus subscriptions already have full content licensing rights included. That means they can reuse and repurpose the content you create for them for paid ads and content. Knowing the platform terms and working within them is a green flag for brands. It tells them you are a professional who understands how this works.
What Happens When You Get This Right This is where it gets exciting. Because when you consistently show up like a professional, the rewards are real and they stack.
Brands invite you back. One great collab becomes two, then three, then an ongoing relationship you can count on. You stop starting from scratch every time and start building something with momentum.
Gifted can turn into paid. This is the shift every creator wants, and it does not happen by chance. It happens because a brand trusts you enough to invest more in you. That trust is earned through every message you sent on time, every piece of content you delivered, every collab you followed through on.
Your reviews work for you around the clock. Five-star reviews from brands are visible to every other brand on the platform. A strong review history is like a highlight reel of your professionalism, attracting new opportunities without you having to lift a finger.
You become a creator brands seek out. When you build a reputation for being reliable, easy to work with, and genuinely talented, you stop chasing collabs and brands start coming to you. That is the shift from creator to sought-after creator, and it is absolutely within reach.
The Bottom Line Every collab you do is an investment in your future. Every message you send, every deadline you meet, every piece of content you create with care, it all adds up to something bigger than any single partnership.
The creators who build careers that last are not always the ones with the most followers. They are the ones who showed up professionally, treated every brand like it mattered, and let their reputation do the work.
That can be you. It starts with the very next collab.
