Warning: the guy at the Columbus expo booth wanted $1,400 upfront before I saw a single dollar
So I used to think paying a small fee to a brand matchmaking service was just the cost of doing business. Then I stood at a booth at the Columbus creator expo last Saturday and listened to a guy pitch me a $1,400 upfront package for "guaranteed" sponsorships. His contract said I owed the money whether or not any deal closed, and when I asked for one client name he said the list was private. I walked the rest of the hall and found four other creators who paid similar amounts, and not one of them had landed a single partnership. The one guy who did get a brand call got offered $75 for a video with usage rights forever. Now I think the only upfront money that makes sense is $0. Has anyone here actually gotten a deal from one of these paid matchmaking booths, or is it the same story every time?
Did you ask what happens if they bring you nothing, because that contract already answered it? They get paid either way, so their only real job is signing up creators, not closing deals for them. A fair matchmaker takes a cut when you get paid, which means they only eat when you eat.