Skip to content

How To Work With Brands (& Make Money)

Learn step-by-step how to capture the attention of brands and land authentic (paying!) partnerships

*Until 4/30 @ 11:55pm EST snag your seat for 52% off!*

Snag your seat for just $119.99 (usually $249). The discount should automatically appear, but if it doesn't enter code GROWTHROUGHTHIS at checkout.

Or click here to pay 3 installments of $99 (no discount available)

30-Day Money-Back Guarantee included!

jessie festa, solo female travel blogger

What if you could work with your favorite brands, taking part in blogger campaigns and Instagram collaborations that allowed you to build a community while earning an income? 

If you think you’re too small or not interesting enough to be considered an influencer, I’m here to give you a new outlook. 

In fact, I’m here to show you step-by-step how to turn your blog into a brand that travel and lifestyle companies *can’t wait* to work with.

Plus, I'll pull back the curtain on the mysteries of working with brands, from what brands are *really* looking for (hint: it’s not always numbers) and common red flags that scare brands off (so you can avoid them!). 

Raise your hand if you’ve ever felt...

checkmark

Unsure of what
working with
brands entails

Will I have to say things I don’t mean? Do I need 100,000 unique visitors per month first? Is it important that I have a closet full of maxi dresses and a list of unrealistic locations to wear them in? (By the way, no to all of the above.)

checkmark

Clueless about
how to land these
partnerships

It seems like everyone else in your niche is getting “found,” while you’re hearing crickets in your inbox. Is it too late to really get noticed?

checkmark

Confused about
the whole
“community” thing

Sure, you know how to publish a blog post; but have no idea what that secret sauce is to getting readers coming back.

checkmark

Unsure about how
to generate income
from your blog

You’re willing to put in the work, you just need someone to hold your hand and show you what that work exactly is (without any additional time-wasting tasks, please!).

checkmark

Frustrated by
conflicting
information

Am I supposed to pitch brands? Do I wait for them to come to me? How long do I need to accept free swag before I’m actually earning an income?

checkmark

You’ll never
attract attention
from brands

While you’d love to grow a community with hundreds of thousands of monthly readers, you’re nowhere near there yet. Sometimes, you wonder if it’s best to just quit while you’re ahead.

jessie festa, solo female travel blogger

I’m here to show you how you can create a blog that gets noticed by brands (even if you have a small audience). 

In fact, I’ll show you how some of my favorite bloggers were able to land paying partnerships with less than 8000 pageview per month (some with less than 1,000!) 

 Yes, there are thousands of lifestyle influencers out there already rocking brand partnerships. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for you. In fact, 30% of consumers say they are more likely to buy a product recommended by a non-celebrity blogger vs a traditional celebrity, meaning that attention that once went to the likes of Kim K and Jennifer Aniston are now going to you. 

Influencer marketing is a growing opportunity, and it’s a smart (and fun!) way to earn an income through your blog. 

In this course, I’ll show you the exact system I use to land paying
brand partnerships. 

Just imagine a life where…

checkmark

Your voice is heard

By a community of people who truly value your stories and opinions.

checkmark

Brands pitch YOU on a regular basis

No more spending hours crafting pitches and not knowing if they even get read. I’ll show you how to turn your blog into a brand-attracting machine (and how to turn press releases and freebie offers into paying gigs).

checkmark

You how to capture brands’ attention

And hey, when you want to pitch, you’ll know exactly what to say and who to contact (pitch email templates and telephone scripts included!)

checkmark

You get paid to be creative, be your own boss and travel

Because hey, you didn’t get into travel blogging to be stressed out and unhappy, right? Let’s trade pounding the desk in frustration for leaving the desk behind to tackle your bucket list, kay?

Welcome to
How to Work With Brands
(& Make Money)

working with brands course

In this course, I'll show you the exact system I use to land paying brand partnerships.

Modules Include:

Module 1

Creating A Blog Brands Can’t Wait To Work With

In this module, we’ll tweak your brand to make it more attractive to brands (and, as an added bonus, better able to attract a community).

Module 2

The Important Pages You Need On Your Blog

Before you can begin pitching brands you need to have a few important pages in place on your blog. Here, we’ll set those up together.

Module 3

Types Of Brand Partnerships

So you’ve seen a few sponsored Instagram shares by your peers and understand bloggers sometimes go on press trips. Let’s dive deeper and look at exactly how you can authentically work with brands.

Module 4

Working With Brands As A (Profitable) Affiliate

In this module, I’ll share my exact strategy for crafting affiliate posts so that they actually generate income (continuously, on autopilot).

Module 5

Getting Found By Brands

You don’t always have to do the pitching when it comes to working with brands. Let’s look at how you can make your blog more “searchable” to get found for branded partnerships.

Module 6

How To Pitch Brands

Then there are times when you’ll want to take the reigns and be proactive about your partnerships. Swipe my templates for successful pitching, while also learning about pitching pitfalls to avoid.

Module 7

How To Land A (Paying) Press Trip

Being hosted by a tourism board or brand on a press trip is an incredible opportunity to introduce your community to a new destination. Best of all, I’ll show you how you can earn an income on these trips.

Module 8

To Charge, Or Not To Charge

There’s a lot of free swag floating around in the travel industry for bloggers; but the reality is complementary goods *don’t* pay your rent (or allow you to run a profitable business). We’ll look at when it’s appropriate to charge vs when accepting a freebie is beneficial.

Module 9

How To Impress Brands (& Pitch Long-Term Partnerships)

Let’s get rid of that one-and-done mindset. This isn’t about taking the cash and running; it’s about creating lasting relationships that lead to more work down the line. Here’s how.

Module 10

Using Budget-Friendly Facebook Ads To Amplify A Campaign

Looking for a simple, inexpensive way to get more eyes on your content (branded or otherwise)? I’ll pull back the curtain and show you how to run a campaign for $5/day.

Module 11

Case Studies

This section is where you’ll find interviews with bloggers discussing their strategies for success when working with brands (yes, there are even case studies from bloggers with low pageviews). You’ll also find interviews with PR reps sharing insider knowledge on how bloggers/influencers can make themselves more attractive to brands.

Bonuses Include:

how to work with brands

Once you're in the course, you’ll have access to super helpful printables, including:

  • Instant access to Ditch The Daily Grind: How To Turn Your Blog Into A Profitable Business (a $199 value!)

In this course, you’ll learn a step-by-step strategy for growing a community around your brand and turning your readers into happy customers (because we’ll also go over creating your first product with ease!)

  • A list of 60+ influencer networks (a $20 value!)

Start getting noticed by brands today. This list is regularly updated, too!

  • 24/7 support

As a student of How To Work With Brands (& Make Money), you'll have access to the student Facebook group, behind-the-scenes discussion forums and a direct email line to me.

  • Lifetime access & free course updates

As a student in How To Work With Brands (& Make Money), you can be sure you always have the most up-to-date information. Guaranteed.

Ready to work with brands?

Learn step-by-step how to capture the attention of brands and land authentic (paying!) partnership!

Snag your seat for just $119.99 (usually $249). The discount should automatically appear, but if it doesn't enter code GROWTHROUGHTHIS at checkout.

Or click here to pay 3 installments of $99 (no discount available)

30-Day Money-Back Guarantee included!

Success Stories...

I’m just starting to use your techniques, but [the course has] already really given me the confidence to go out and pitch brands to ask for money... Empowering me with confidence and knowledge, and knowing where to look later on if I need help.

- Charles McCool, How To Work With Brands (& Make Money)

Now I’m looking at [my blog] as how I can set it up as a brand. And I found many useful resources — the [course] resource list is huge! I found so many plugins and brand networks that I’d not even heard of!

- Soumya Nambiar, How To Work With Brands (& Make Money)

It's working with brands, but it's really so much more than that. It's really how to create a successful blog.

- Lance Longwell

My favorite lesson from the course was definitely Module #7, Landing Paid Press Trips. I have so many notes! Now I have a clear idea of, once I get that offer, how to go about approaching the situation in a confident manner. This course was amazing!

- Cristina Luisa

testimonial

By using the tips and tools in this course, I landed my first sponsored product with just under 1000 page views this month!

I started my fitness and healthy lifestyle blog four months ago and I had my eye on a brand I wanted to partner with but I told myself it was too soon. Surely I would be turned down with my modest amount of views. Despite my insecurities, I convinced myself to send the company an e-mail but I didn't know what I should say. Jessie on a Journey’s “How to Work with Brands (& Make Money)” helped me take actionable steps. I immediately set to work using her tools to contact this brand. We e-mailed back and forth a few times and when I saw their reply in my inbox, I knew it was the email that would tell me, yes or no. I held my breath and told myself it would be a no (I have been turned down in the past). My face lit up as I read the e-mail. I couldn’t believe it. They agreed to partner with me! By using the tips and tools in this course, I landed my first sponsored product with just under 1000 page views this month! This is my first big win for my blog and I couldn’t be more excited! Even though Jessie is a travel blogger and I am not, her tips and tools are easily transferred to my fitness niche. I plan on continuing to use the tools I learned in this course to cultivate a wonderful relationship with this brand so that there will be more exciting partnerships in my future!

- Jackie Mit of Jax Fit Life

- Anna Vawser of The Legendary Adventures of Anna

it provides in-depth answers to questions that I have never thought to ask.

As someone who's been in the blogging community for many years, How To Work With Brands (& Make Money) was engrossing. I have learned many things from Facebook groups and Googling the info I have questions about. What has been tremendously fascinating to me about this course has been that it provides in-depth answers to questions that I have never thought to ask. It takes time to build a blog. Yes, you can start it in just a few minutes, but the building process is ongoing. This course and e-book have been my go-to to take my blog to the next level. This course is packed with valuable and actionable information.

Jessie is engaging as she explains in well-organized text and videos how to create a blog of value to brands, something you can be proud of. She guides you through email lists, editing photos, creating a product and so much more. There is an entire section on how to get press trips, both unpaid and paid. One of my favorite parts of the course is the video interviews with people who are real-life examples of awesome branded partnerships and how they landed them-they are a rich resource you won’t find anywhere else. I also have really been utilizing Jessie’s private Facebook group.

I can’t wait to apply everything I’ve learned in this course and start really growing and monetizing my business! The wealth of information in this course is invaluable. Jessie’s resource list is a goldmine, she gives you all the tools to succeed. The format of the course is very user-friendly and well organized. I really enjoyed the worksheets, they will help you will help you dream, set goals and plan. If you have any questions, Jessie is quick to answer through e-mail or the private Facebook group. I really enjoyed this course and highly recommend it to anyone who wants to improve their blog, learn new strategies to make money and enhance what they have to offer brands.

- Anna Vawser of The Legendary Adventures of Anna

donna duke

There are things that I’ve learned about basic blogging that after five years I should know and I should be doing automatically, but I’m not. I wish I’d had this course when I started my parenting blog because the skills are certainly transferable to other blog niches.

I’ve been blogging full time now for five years, I run a successful parent blog so in theory, I should know everything. This year I decided to start a new travel blog and immediately I realized the readers I was used to catering for weren’t the same as my new readers.

Because this was a new venture that I was pouring my heart and soul into it -- and let's be honest travel blogging involves spending money to travel so it’s not a cheap hobby to enjoy -- I wanted to get some advice from people that were in the know. Which is where I discovered the course “How to work with brands (& make money).”

Being a startup blog I had no contacts in the industry and I didn’t know how to approach anyone in terms of collaborating. For this blog to be a success I know that it has to remain truthful to the way I travel but that I also need to branch out and get some contacts. Those contacts aren’t necessarily only PR’s or hotels, it’s about creating a network and a foundation.

The programme has helped me build up that strong foundation to put me in a better position to seek out work. It’s also given me the confidence on how to pitch successfully. Even after five years of blogging, I can see how Jessie’s approach is far more superior in terms of reaching out to a contact and turning it into work.

I really enjoyed learning about how to turn any email connection into paid work. The way it’s approached is clever and not intrusive or expectant which appeals to my British side. I often find the money side of things in blogging an uncomfortable topic, but the reality is it’s often a necessity and when it’s done in the correct manner it’s actually not embarrassing at all. You realize that you have so much you’re able to offer -- if you don’t realize it now you will after this course!

Jessie methodically approaches how to make sure your travel blog is advertised in the best possible way to increase views and followers, which is a big deal in the travel blog industry. So even for a startup like mine, I’m continuing to work on the foundations to increase the blog's visibility from the start.

For me, this course is certainly worth signing up for. I feel like you get so much information in return.

Whether you’re a startup travel blog or you’ve been travel blogging for a few years I can guarantee there is information in this course that’ll help you progress and move your blog onto the next level.

- Donna Duke, Mama's Travel Tribe

Namita Kulkarni

The course has given me a broader sense of possibilities for my blog and the places it can take me, literal and otherwise

Just completed the course and I feel like I've learned a whole lot!

I like how it's packed with so many actionable tips and things I would've taken a long-winded way to learn on my own without any guidance.

I also liked the way your personality comes through in the course, so it's not just a torrent of new info but more like a nice long in-depth chat with someone I can relate to. I can see how there are so many different ways I can start pulling my socks up as a blogger now, from simple edits to long-term strategies.

- Namita Kulkarni

olivia-rutt

I'm so thankful to Jessie and her incredible insight into the industry to help me break loose of what has been holding me back to start landing brand partnerships!

Immediately after I completed the module on pitching brands, I stared at the map of my home province and said to myself, "I know a lot about this place, why don't I pitch to my local tourism boards?" Using Jessie's techniques and jumping off from her templates, I created a solid, personal pitch.

It turned out the place I pitched to regularly only works with bloggers who have a specific accreditation, but because of my personal pitch, they were interested in working with me. I also used her course to help me through the negotiation and contract process. (Especially understanding what to include and what not to include and the definitions of basic terms). Fast forward a couple of months, the trip went smoothly and was one of my favorite weekend getaways I've been on. The brand was incredibly happy to work with me, and I'm hoping that the relationship I've built will continue. I can't wait to pitch to another brand and get the ball rolling on new partnerships!

I've been blogging for several years now, and I'm so glad I took this course. It has helped me take a hard look at what I'm currently doing and visualize where I want to be in the future. I think the biggest takeaway I have from this course is confidence. I always thought I was too small, too unknown to be wanted by brands, but that is not true. It's about what you can offer! This course helped me realize that what I do is attractive to brands. 

- Olivia Rutt

Meet Your Instructor

what type of traveler are you

I started blogging in 2011, and since then have grown a profitable (and fun!) business that allows me to travel the world -- and get paid doing it. 

I'm not talking just free trips here. I'm talking actual money that allows me to earn a viable income doing what I love. 

A little bit about me:
  • I've worked with renowned brands like Qantas Airways, Mastercard, South African Tourism, Marriott, Tourism Australia and many more.
  • I've been featured in top publications like USA TODAY, CNN, Business Insider and AOL Travel, as well as a web series with Bravo and a featured guest on BBC Travel (TV).
  • I've spoken at notable conferences like the New York Travel Festival, iSugar and FindSpark.
  • I've been coaching bloggers -- both those just starting out and those who've been at it for a while -- since 2014. Each year, I help hundreds of bloggers turn their websites into dream businesses that let them comfortably live a location independent lifestyle. 

Let’s take a step back for a moment to *before* I was working with brands. 

Sure, I’d get offers for free passport protectors and sunglasses, sometimes a nice backpack, but the amount of work I had to do for these partners without compensation was frustrating.

More than that, it wasn’t fair.

Are all the big-name bloggers really doing all of these brand collaborations and press trips unpaid? There’s got to be a better way, or I’m going to burn out really fast.

That’s when I started working on my pitching strategy. I tested and tweaked, learning how to position myself as an expert in my niche, get found by brands, pitch irresistible partnerships and rock collaborations so that brands were happy to hand me a paycheck (and work with me again!).

Prefer a video introduction?

Oh, hey there. 🙂

Frequently Asked Questions

Absolutely! If you're unsatisfied with this course, email Jessie at [email protected] within 30 days of purchase for a full refund, no questions asked.

Ready to work with brands?

Learn step-by-step how to capture the attention of brands and land authentic (paying!) partnership

If you want to land partnerships that align with your mission and turn those into long-term collaborations that pay the bills and help you run a sustainable blogging business, this course will provide you a brilliant strategy in a pretty little package!

Snag your seat for just $119.99 (usually $249). The discount should automatically appear, but if it doesn't enter code GROWTHROUGHTHIS at checkout.

Or click here to pay 3 installments of $99 (no discount available)

30-Day Money-Back Guarantee included!

© Jessie on a Journey 2024 | All Rights Reserved | contact
 Privacy Policy | Disclaimer | terms