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Negotiating with an Influencer for a Promotion

A marketing manager contacts a social media influencer to discuss a potential partnership for a product promotion, negotiating terms, deliverables, and compensation.

Dialogue

Listen and follow along with the conversation

1
Sarah (Female)
Hi David, thanks for taking the time to chat. We're really impressed with your audience engagement and content style, especially with your recent tech reviews.
2
David (Male)
Of course, Sarah. Glad to hear that! What did you have in mind?
3
Sarah (Female)
We're launching our new smart home hub next month and are looking for a key influencer for a promotional campaign. We see a strong fit between your tech-savvy audience and our product.
4
David (Male)
Interesting. What sort of deliverables are you envisioning? A dedicated video, or perhaps an integration into existing content flow?
5
Sarah (Female)
Ideally, we'd love a dedicated YouTube video review, maybe an Instagram carousel post, and a few story mentions. We're flexible on the exact details, of course. We'd also require a minimum set of engagement metrics.
6
David (Male)
Got it. Regarding compensation, what's your proposed budget for a package like that? My standard rate for a dedicated video and social amplification starts at X amount, depending on the complexity.
7
Sarah (Female)
We've allocated a budget of Y for this specific campaign, which includes product samples. We're open to discussing a performance-based bonus for exceptional results.
8
David (Male)
Y is a good starting point, but with the additional Instagram and story requirements, I'd need to factor that in. Perhaps Z for the full package to ensure all deliverables are met with the quality your brand deserves.
9
Sarah (Female)
Z is a bit higher than our target, but we appreciate your transparency. What if we meet in the middle at Z minus a little, and we guarantee exclusivity in your niche for the next three months?
10
David (Male)
Exclusivity is appealing. Let's say Z minus a little like you suggested, with the clear understanding that the video will go live by the second week of next month. Does that work for you?
11
Sarah (Female)
Perfect! That works for us. We'll send over the formal agreement and product details by end of day. Really looking forward to this collaboration, David.
12
David (Male)
Likewise, Sarah. It's going to be a great campaign. Talk soon!

Vocabulary

Essential words and phrases from the dialogue

engagement

This word means the level of interaction or interest from an audience, like likes, comments, and shares on social media. It's useful in marketing to describe how well content connects with people.

influencer

An influencer is a person with a large online following who can promote products to their audience. In business talks, it's key for partnerships in social media promotions.

deliverables

Deliverables are the specific items or tasks promised in a project, like videos or posts. Use this in negotiations to clarify what needs to be completed.

compensation

Compensation refers to the payment or reward for work done, such as money or bonuses. It's a professional term for discussing fees in business deals.

budget

A budget is the amount of money planned for a project or activity. In negotiations, it's important to mention your budget to set expectations for costs.

exclusivity

Exclusivity means giving someone the only right to do something in a certain area, like promoting a product alone. It's often used in deals to make them more attractive.

niche

A niche is a specific small market or area of interest, like tech gadgets for young professionals. Use it to describe targeted audiences in marketing.

transparency

Transparency means being open and honest about information, like sharing prices clearly. It's valued in business to build trust during negotiations.

Key Sentences

Important phrases to remember and practice

We're really impressed with your audience engagement and content style.

This sentence uses 'impressed with' to express admiration, followed by specific reasons. It's useful for starting positive business conversations to build rapport; the structure is subject + be + impressed with + noun + and + noun.

What did you have in mind?

This is a polite way to ask about someone's ideas or plans. It's common in negotiations to invite the other person to share thoughts; the idiom 'have in mind' means to consider or plan something.

We're looking for a key influencer for a promotional campaign.

This sentence describes a need using 'looking for' + object + for + purpose. It's practical for job or partnership offers in marketing; it shows clear intent and uses 'key' to mean important.

What sort of deliverables are you envisioning?

Here, 'what sort of' asks for types or kinds, and 'envisioning' means imagining or planning. Use this in business to clarify expectations; it's a professional way to discuss project outputs.

Regarding compensation, what's your proposed budget?

This uses 'regarding' to introduce a topic and 'proposed' to mean suggested. It's useful for shifting to money talks in negotiations; the question structure seeks information politely.

We've allocated a budget of Y for this specific campaign.

'Allocated' means assigned or set aside money for a purpose. This sentence is great for stating financial limits clearly; it's in present perfect for completed actions with current relevance.

What if we meet in the middle?

This is a suggestion using 'what if' for proposals, and 'meet in the middle' is an idiom for compromising. Use it during price negotiations to suggest a fair agreement.

Perfect! That works for us.

'Perfect' expresses strong agreement, and 'that works for us' means it suits our needs. It's a simple, positive way to close a deal; useful in casual business to show acceptance.