There's no fixed price for a brand deal, so the first number either side sends is a starting point, not a verdict. Here's how to counter with your own data, what to ask for beyond the flat fee, and the exact emails to send — without sounding difficult.
Most negotiations fail before they start, because the creator is arguing from a feeling instead of a number.
"That seems low" is not a negotiating position. "My audience is worth $1,200 based on CPM, engagement, and niche" is. A brand's offer is a business decision on their end. Your response should be one on yours, and that starts with knowing your own number before the email even arrives.
Run your platform, niche, and audience size through the rate calculator once. Write the number down. Now every offer you get has something real to be measured against.
Plug in your platform, niche, audience size and read type. The Rate Calculator returns a data-backed number to negotiate from, not a guess.
There's no universal price for a brand deal, since rates swing wildly by niche, platform, and audience quality. That's exactly why the first number either of you sends is a starting point, not the final word.
Two situations come up constantly: their number doesn't match what you calculated, or they ask you to name one first without giving a budget. Both have a script.
Open the deal and click Counter-Offer. Enter your number in "Your counter rate ($)," and drop a short version of Script A or B below into the Notes field. Hit Send counter-offer and the brand sees a structured counter, no email thread required. The two scripts below are for negotiating outside AdReady: a brand that emailed you directly, or a deal you're still pitching cold.
The flat rate is the easiest thing to negotiate and the least valuable one to fixate on. What a brand does with your content afterward is often worth more than the post itself.
A brand that wants to run your content as a paid ad, use it for a year, or keep you off competitor deals is asking for more than a post. Each of those is a separate line item, priced separately.
Not every deal is negotiable in good faith. A few patterns mean the smart move is to decline politely and move on, not push harder.
"Exposure only" with no paid component · unlimited usage rights with no time limit · no payment terms in writing before you post · pressure to respond within hours · a brand unwilling to say what they're paying at all.
Two more templates for the moments in between, plus what actually gets you rehired once the campaign is live.
Quick answers on countering offers and closing deals.
Yes, and brands expect it. A first offer is rarely a final one, and countering with a number grounded in your rate is normal business, not pushy. Run your numbers with the rate calculator first so your counter is backed by data.
Counter with your calculated rate, not a percentage guess. Rates can swing up to 8× between niches for the same audience size, so a flat percentage bump on their offer is a coin flip — your own calculated number is the more reliable anchor.
Ask what flexibility exists elsewhere before dropping your rate. Fewer deliverables, a shorter usage window, or a smaller scope can close the gap without you working for less than you're worth.
Wait, when possible. Ask for their budget range first. With no fixed market price to point to, whoever names a number first ends up anchoring the whole conversation — so let the brand share their range unless they push you to go first.
Frame it as a clarifying question, not a demand: ask whether the content will run anywhere beyond your own channel, and note the add-on fee if so. Most brands answer this without friction once it's framed as routine.
Ask for their range before naming your own number. If they decline to share one, quote your calculated rate directly rather than guessing low to seem flexible.
Very normal, and often preferable, for deals that started outside AdReady. Email gives you time to check your numbers and keeps terms in writing. For a deal that came through AdReady itself, you don't need email at all: open the deal and use the Counter-Offer button to send a new rate and notes directly, which keeps the whole negotiation on the record automatically.
Five to seven business days is standard. One follow-up is expected. See the follow-up template above for exact wording that keeps the door open without sounding impatient.
Set up your free profile so brands come to you with real budgets, and every deal moves through AdReady with protected payments, most paying out within 2 business days of approval.