Let me preface by saying you're going to hate this article.
Seriously... You should leave this page now...
Still here?
Ok, fine, you asked for it...Here's "how to get free products from big name companies to review in 2024." Or rather, how to approach the concept of getting freebies for endorsements as an influencer.
Step #1
Never ask for free products or services to review
Hey, I told you you should have left! This article isn't going to show you how to go about getting everything handed to you.
Instead, it's going to show you exactly why you shouldn't hunt for freebies and handouts.
This is one of the cringiest things you can do as an influencer.
Oh, and by no means am I saying I'm not guilty of having done this.
The reason I'm writing this post is because I read this article on Buzzfeed about influencers asking for free stuff and it going viral.
As I read I thought to myself, "Yikes.. I'm glad I was so irrelevant when I asked for free stuff early on that no one cared to publicly shame me."
Step #2
Grow a following so engaged that people want to send you free things to review
No, it's not always wrong to take freebies. As someone who has experience as both an affiliate (micro-influencer) and an affiliate manager (getting people to promote my own products), I know how this goes.
I never reach out to someone asking for a review or endorsement without giving them free access to whatever it is.
If it's tacky to ask for free stuff, it's equally tacky to ask for a review AND then ask for them to pay for it.
If you have a real following and clear influence, people will find you. Until then, pay for your own shit.
Think about it this way...do you think it makes sense that you're going to ask your followers to buy something that you wouldn't buy yourself?
Step #3
Reject most free product offers
The second someone accepts a free product, they are already pulled away from objective review.
It's so hard to say, "Hey, thanks for the $500 product! Here's my 1 star review!"
Which is exactly why you should reject most offers. Only take freebies from things that you are confident have a high likelihood of earning your unbiased endorsement.
Step #4
Leave only honest reviewS, even if the product was free.
[virtue_signal/]
Influencers lose their influence when they've been compromised by money. It is obvious when you've transitioned your focus from your followers to earning as much as possible as quickly as possible.
When this happens, they will turn their attention from you to others.
Yeah yeah yeah, I know, many influencers promote snake oil and still make it.
But, is that really who you want to be? I don't think so. You can make as much as you ever wanted and keep your integrity; it just takes more work. You can do it though.
[/virtue_signal]
Before we sign off, have you looked at the latest online trend called the Amazon Influencer Program? It's almost like a hybrid between being an influencer and an affiliate. It's different to the old Amazon Associate Program (which still exists, too).