I’ve been an Instagram influencer for the past two years, and it’s been a wild ride.
I’ve gotten to work with some of my favorite brands and I’ve been able to travel to some amazing places for work. But it hasn’t been without its struggles.
Recently, I was offered a paid gig in Singapore. The client wanted me to take some pictures at a few of the tourist spots and do a few posts on my account.
I was excited to take the job and I accepted it right away.
But I was in for a big shock when I got my paycheck. After deducting the Grab fares and the cost of the make-up, I was left with only $20.
I was so disheartened when I received my paycheck. I had done a lot of work for the client, taken pictures in the hot sun and posted them on my account. But after all that hard work, I was only left with $20.
I was so frustrated that I decided to share my experience with my followers. I posted a picture of my paycheck and narrated my experience. To my surprise, the post went viral and many people reached out to me to express their support.
I was overwhelmed by the support I received and it gave me a new perspective on my work as an influencer. I realized that I had to be more mindful of the expenses I incurred while taking up gigs. I had to be more careful and make sure that I was getting compensated adequately for my work.
I also started reaching out to other influencers and comparing notes.
I realized that many of them were facing the same issues.
Many of them had taken up gigs only to find out that the compensation was not enough. It was disheartening to know that I was not alone in this experience.
In order to make sure that I am adequately compensated for my work, I decided to start negotiating for better rates. I also started communicating more with my clients before taking up gigs to make sure that I am aware of the exact compensation I will be getting.
I also started researching the going rates for influencers in the market. This helped me to get a better idea about what I should be charging for my services.
My experience with this incident has taught me a lot. I now understand how important it is to be mindful of the expenses I incur while taking up gigs and make sure that I am getting compensated adequately for my work. It has also made me more aware of the going rates in the market and helped me to negotiate better deals with my clients.
I now feel more confident and empowered as an influencer. I’m thankful that I was able to learn this important lesson and I hope that other influencers will consider doing the same.