Influencer Marketing 2025: How to Land 6-Figure Brand Deals & Grow as a Creator
The creator economy in 2025 is bigger than ever — but with more opportunity comes more competition. If you’re a content creator or influencer trying to land brand deals, grow your audience, and build a sustainable business, you need more than pretty photos and the occasional viral TikTok.
In my latest Call Her Creator episode, I sat down with Sarah Boyd, Co-CEO and CRO of The Digital Department — one of the most respected influencer marketing and talent management firms in the industry. Sarah’s client roster includes Alessandra Ambrosio, Olivia Culpo, Julianne Hough, and other high-profile names.
She’s been in the industry since before Instagram existed, built and sold a successful conference business, and now leads a powerhouse agency representing top-tier and rising creators. In this episode, Sarah breaks down what’s working in influencer marketing right now, what brands look for in talent, and the mistakes that can cost you money.
Here’s a breakdown of her most valuable tips — but trust me, you’ll want to listen to the full episode for all the behind-the-scenes stories and deeper strategies.
Sarah Boyd’s Journey: From Fashion PR to Influencer Marketing Leader
Before becoming a leader in the creator economy, Sarah worked in fashion PR in Los Angeles, representing fashion brands to magazine editors and celebrity stylists. Back then, influencers didn’t exist — celebrities and media outlets held all the power.
Her entrepreneurial leap came when she founded Simply, a fashion and beauty conference that connected industry professionals, creators, and brands. Starting with just a few thousand dollars, she grew it into an international series with events in LA, New York, Chicago, and Dubai.
As Instagram and blogging took off, Sarah saw her celebrity contacts struggling to monetize their platforms. She began helping them manage campaigns, negotiate brand deals, and navigate this new digital landscape.
Five years later, she sold Simply to Socialite, stayed on in a leadership role, and eventually co-founded The Digital Department (TDD) — a full-service influencer marketing and talent management firm under Dolphin Entertainment.
The Influencer Marketing Landscape in 2025
Sarah says influencer marketing is more saturated than ever — but that’s not a bad thing if you know how to position yourself.
The biggest trends she’s seeing right now:
1. The Rise of the Mid-Tier Creator
Creators with 100K–500K followers on Instagram or TikTok are thriving. They deliver strong engagement and conversions at a more accessible price point, allowing brands to book multiple mid-tier creators instead of one celebrity deal.
2. The Power of Niche Expertise
Brands love working with creators who combine lifestyle content with a specialty — think dermatologists sharing skincare routines, gut health doctors breaking down wellness trends, or reality stars with strong secondary niches like home renovation or motherhood.
How to Get Brand Deals in 2025: Sarah’s Best Advice
When it comes to how to pitch brands as an influencer, Sarah sees a few common mistakes:
Not knowing your value. Try to get brands to share their budget first. If you throw out a low number, you could leave money on the table.
Ignoring contract details. Usage rights, exclusivity, and deliverable requirements can change the value of a deal significantly. “In perpetuity” rights should always be priced higher.
Inconsistency. Brands want to work with creators who post regularly and maintain audience trust.
Her advice for becoming more brand-friendly overnight:
Audit your profile so new visitors immediately understand who you are and what you post about.
Keep your top content pillars visible in recent posts.
Tag and engage with brands you love before pitching — many use social listening tools to spot organic advocates.
The Most Underrated Income Stream for Creators
If you’re not using affiliate marketing, Sarah says you might be missing your biggest opportunity. She’s seen creators make over $500,000 per month from affiliate income alone — without a single brand deal.
Platforms like Amazon Storefront, LTK, and ShopMy let creators earn commissions on products they already use and love. Even with fewer than 10K followers, affiliate marketing can be a profitable starting point, and it’s one of the fastest ways to diversify income.
Building Relationships That Last
Sarah believes relationships are the currency of the creator economy. Some of TDD’s biggest wins have come from:
Organically tagging a brand for months before pitching
Maintaining consistent communication with managers
Following up after campaigns with results and feedback
Where Creators Should Focus Next
Looking ahead, Sarah predicts creators who succeed will:
Leverage Substack and email lists to own their audience
Collaborate with other creators for cross-promotion
Diversify content platforms to avoid dependency on one algorithm
Final Takeaways
Sarah’s top influencer marketing tips for 2025:
Consistency wins deals.
Play the long game with brand relationships.
Know your numbers and have a media kit ready.
Stand out with a niche or unique content angle.
From bootstrapping her first business to leading a top influencer agency, Sarah’s journey proves there’s room for growth at every stage of the creator career — if you’re willing to adapt, connect, and treat your platform like a business.
This episode is brought to you by STAN Store, you’re all in one creator store to sell digital products, coaching calls, memberships and more. Grab your free trial here.
🎧 Listen to the full interview for more insider advice:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify
