As a content creator, you’re an entrepreneur. Your channel is your business, and your content is your product. Your viewers are the customers, and your sponsors are investors. In order to market your videos, you’re going to need some sales skills.

These are the sales skills you need to market your YouTube videos to potential viewers and sponsors.

Rapport building can help you foster relationships with sponsors.

In the ever-changing landscape of YouTube AdSense, many creators rely on sponsors to support their content creation. What’s even better than a sponsorship, however, is a partnership. If you can build a good relationship with a brand, then they’ll continue to sponsor you regularly.

You can foster strong relationships with your sponsors through rapport building. It’s all about a two-way connection. Find common ground with the company representatives you interact with, even if it’s only via email. Be attentive to what they have to say, remain positive, and match their energy levels. There are many different ways to build rapport with someone. 

Time management will enable you to balance all your streams of revenue.

Every successful creator has a lot on their plate. However, if you don’t balance your time, one of your streams of income could run dry. While it’s tempting to put all of your effort into the project you care the most about, time management will help you accomplish everything you need to get done.

The most important part of time management is organization. Start with a video upload schedule. Then, build your filming and editing schedule around it. Block out time for other projects, such as sponsored Instagram posts or your podcast. Designate time every day to engaging with your fans on social media as well. Good time management skills can make you a better creator. 

Active listening can help you connect with other creators.

The influencer industry is infamously self-involved. It’s all about marketing yourself and increasing your number of followers. However, if you look at some of the most popular creators, you’ll realize that they’re constantly surrounded by their friends, and all of their audiences blend together. Notable examples include David Dobrik and the Vlog Squad or Jake Paul and Team Ten.

Connecting with other creators can help you boost your own following while also providing you with collab partners and potential business partners. Active listening will help you make these connections. Pay attention when other creators talk to you, and show that you’re listening through your body language.

Client nurturing can increase your number of channel members or Patreon supporters.

Like a lot of creators, your content creation may depend on sponsorship in the form of channel members or Patreon supporters. In order to retain your supporters and gain new ones, you should focus on client nurturing.

The relationships you build with your most loyal supporters will be different than the ones you’ve built with your corporate sponsors. This should be a more personal connection, but it should also be more personalized. Get to know your supporters and what they want. Engage with them, share relevant updates, and change your support tier gifts to reflect their requests.

As an independent creator, you are your own marketing team. Hone your sales skills to better market your videos to potential viewers, sponsors, and supporters.