This may surprise you, but sending out review codes is not nearly the majority of my job, nor the majority of other PR or community manager. If you want to grow your channel into a business, your name needs to be in the mix well before that process starts.

Your goal as a creator who wants to partner with brands/publishers is not to be approved for review code requests. Your goal is to be on the list from the beginning - whether it's for review codes, sponsorships, or other activations. Your goal is to stand out and be sought after.

People see "influence" and "clout" as bad words. The truth is, if you have it, you get things. Why? Because you provide value to the brands/publishers who want to work with you. Business isn't personal and business partnerships require mutual benefit. You have to earn your place.

Whether you're part of the strategy phase of influencer campaigns or the request fulfilment phase, you want to be a no-brainer choice for brands/publishers (that fit your own brand). Your name pops up, it's a yes. That's where you want to be.

Yesterday, I posted an opp for "smaller" creators. There were 650 replies. I'm prioritizing those with endorsements from peers, familiar names, and good branding, among other things, to check first. Low risk, higher potential, shorter time investment. Not personal, just business.

For those who still think doing business in a silo works in this space, think again. Look beyond the 0.001% of those one-off success stories (usually from years ago when the pool was smaller) and take a more realistic approach. https://twitter.com/seriouslyclara/status/1285313493248294912

Very few creators see long-term success from one event or lucky break. You can bank on that or you can narrow the gap. Aim to line up multiple opps, spread your name across multiple RELEVANT avenues, network, and STOP to reassess if those conversations repeatedly go nowhere.

There's a fine line between selling yourself well and appearing delusional. Figure out how to message your brand AND real-world reach to show off your value without overextending. Remember that we can see your basic metrics. Give us more (succinctly).