Creator Wizard - 🧙‍♂️ Why inbound leads are a trap

To understand why consistent, outbound pitching is so important, we can learn from one of nature’s most cunning strategists: the honey bee.
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In a hive, the “Scout” bees venture into the surrounding landscape to determine the best places to forage. They then return and communicate their findings with an incredible “dance” (that would probably go viral).
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Does the entire colony promptly fly to that spot to exploit the location? Not quite.
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About 20% of the Scout bees do something different.
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They ignore their peers and choose to explore the unknown.
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Most times, they fly around and find nothing.
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But sometimes, they discover a new location far superior to the original that will ensure the colony’s continued survival.
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This phenomenon, called the Exploit-Explore Tradeoff, can be found not just in nature but in many aspects of our personal and professional lives.
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Choosing a familiar restaurant over a new one? You’re exploiting.
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Searching for a new job over your current one? You’re exploring.
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This is why relying solely on inbound leads from brands is a trap.
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When everything’s going great (audience growth, macroeconomic stability, etc.), creators mistakenly think they can exploit the short-term deal flow, which will last forever.
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The other problem with inbound opportunities is the campaigns are almost always “fully-baked.”
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This means things like:

-Budget

-Activation strategy

-Scope of work/deliverables

-Terms

-Timeline

-Number of partners

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…are locked in.
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While it’s true these deals will be “easier” to close, it also means that your ability to influence the partnership dynamics (i.e., how much they pay you) is minimal.
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This is why devoting ongoing chunks of your time to exploring outbound opportunities is critical.
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The reality is most of your pitches will be dead-ends.
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You’ll have many conversations and video calls with brands where you think it’s leading somewhere promising, only for them to say, “It’s just not the right time.”​
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But eventually, a handful of those discussions will bear fruit.
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Fruit so ripe and delicious that eating anything else will become unappetizing.
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Critically, fruit bore from exploration will ensure the continued survival of your business.
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But you don’t want to simply survive, right?
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You want to be a Sponsor Magnet that thrives.
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And to thrive, you must learn how to craft a sponsorship pitch that no brand will ignore.