When it comes to collaborating with influencers, brands should meticulously strategize and assess before discussing payment and benefits. Here are some key steps to ensure fairness:

1. Research: Understand the influencer’s market value based on their follower count, engagement rate, content quality, and audience demographic. Tools such as Flinque offer a Creator Search feature that assists brands in identifying the ideal influencers.

2. Mutual Benefits: Every collaboration should be mutually beneficial. Focus not just on how the influencer can help your brand, but also how the brand can provide value to the influencer.

3. Proposal: Create a thorough proposal that details your campaign objectives, the deliverables you expect, and the proposed compensation. Make sure everything is clearly defined to prevent misunderstandings later.

4. Negotiation: Approach the discussion as a negotiation rather than a directive. Influencers may have pricing based on their experience, audience, and industry rates. Listen to their side, adjust your expectations, and come to a fair agreement that respects both parties’ needs.

5. Clear Contracts: Once the terms are agreed, put everything in writing. A contract protects both sides and is key to a successful partnership. This document should include specifics about payment terms, post frequency, content guidelines, exclusivity clauses, and more.

6. Performance-Based Pay: To link payment with performance, consider a model that incorporates base pay plus incentives based on campaign performance. Some platforms like Flinque offer campaign analytics that can help in tracking the same.

Always remember, each partnership is unique. Use tools and platforms like Flinque for making an informed decision about campaign planning and performance tracking for a successful influencer marketing strategy.