Pre-sale with creators: how to collect orders before your product launch

A pre-sale with creators is a campaign in which creators encourage their audience to order a product before it reaches regular sale or before it ships. The goal isn't awareness alone but orders placed early: they let you gauge demand, plan production and enter launch day with your first customers.

Such a campaign works when creators show the product up close (a prototype, sample or first batch), say clearly when the order will arrive, and give a reason to order now: a bonus for early buyers, a limited version or a code valid until a set date. The simplest way to find creators for it is to post a task on Blogger Bank and choose from the people who apply.

This article covers only the stage of collecting orders before launch. How to plan launch day itself, the embargo and the second wave of posts is covered in product launch with creators.

When a pre-sale with creators makes sense

• A new product in a small run. Pre-orders show how many units to actually order from the manufacturer.
• A product that needs to be seen in use. Gadgets, home accessories, sports gear or board games sell once shown, not described.
• A limited edition or collection. A creator who has featured the brand for months can collect orders from followers waiting for something new.
• A brand without a large customer base. Creators give access to audiences the brand doesn't have yet.

A pre-sale makes no sense when the delivery date is uncertain. If you don't know when the product will reach customers, start with a waitlist rather than taking orders.

Waitlist or pre-sale — which to choose

A waitlist collects email addresses or sign-ups from interested people. A pre-sale collects orders, often paid. The first is safer while the product is still a prototype. The second gives a hard demand signal but requires a ready shop, a fixed price and a reliable shipping date.

Many brands combine both: creators first build a waitlist, and a few weeks later the same group of creators announces the pre-sale opening. Followers who have seen the product twice decide more easily.

A pre-sale campaign plan with creators

1. Set the offer and shipping date. Price, versions, pre-sale end date and expected delivery must be ready before you contact creators. A creator can't tell followers something the brand doesn't know yet.
2. Give a reason to order now. A bonus for early buyers, a numbered edition, an extra colour only in the pre-sale. The reason must be real, not invented.
3. Prepare the order page. Clear description, photos, the shipping date visible next to the order button, and what happens in case of a delay.
4. Choose creators and send them the product. The creator needs the product or a working sample in hand. Without it they only show a render, and followers ask whether the product exists at all.
5. Plan posts in waves. A teaser before opening, a post on opening day and a reminder before the pre-sale ends.
6. Give each creator their own code or link. Only then will you see who brought orders and settle any commission.
7. Keep buyers informed after ordering. Pre-sale buyers wait longer than regular customers. Regular progress updates reduce questions and cancellations.

What creator content sells before launch

In a pre-sale the buyer pays for something they can't touch yet, so creator content has to replace a visit to the shop.

• First impressions and an unboxing of the sample. Shows that the product exists and how it looks in real light.
• The product in use. A short reel from an everyday situation says more than a spec list.
• Behind the scenes. A workshop visit, a talk with the founder, choosing materials. Builds trust when the brand is new.
• Answers to followers' questions. Q&A stories remove the doubts that block an order.
• A reminder before the end. A short story with the pre-sale closing date.

Every such post must be clearly labelled as advertising. How to do it correctly in Poland is covered in how to label influencer advertising.

Which creators to choose for a pre-sale

In a pre-sale what matters is followers' trust in the creator, because they're asking people to pay for something that arrives later. Look for people whose followers regularly buy on their recommendation and ask for details in the comments.

• For board games and electronic accessories — creators from technology and gaming whose followers wait for new releases.
• For training equipment — creators from health and sport who will show the product in a real workout.
• For pet accessories — pet creators who show everyday life with their animal.
• For books and collector's editions — creators from culture with a loyal readership.

Several creators with similar audiences often work better than one very large one. A follower who sees the product from two people they trust decides faster.

How to pay creators in a pre-sale campaign

Three models are common: a fixed fee per post, a commission on orders from a code or link, or a combination. Commission fits a pre-sale because the brand pays for real orders, but creators rarely accept commission alone for a new, unknown product. How to set up links, codes and payouts is covered in our article on the creator affiliate programme.

With commission, agree in advance whether a placed order counts or only a paid and unreturned one, and when payout happens. In a pre-sale several weeks may pass between order and shipping.

Common pre-sale mistakes with creators

• An uncertain shipping date. A delay damages trust in the brand and in the creator who recommended it.
• No product in the creator's hands. Renders alone raise doubts about whether the product exists.
• Fake urgency. “Last units” in an unlimited pre-sale is quickly spotted.
• One code for everyone. You can't tell which creator brought orders.
• Silence after ordering. Buyers who get no updates write to the creator, not the brand.

How Blogger Bank solves finding creators for a pre-sale

In a pre-sale timing matters: creators must receive the product and publish on agreed dates. On Blogger Bank it works like this:

• Instead of messaging dozens of creators and waiting for replies — you describe the product, posting dates and terms in a task, and interested creators apply themselves.
• Instead of negotiating a contract with each person — the contract with the chosen creator opens automatically.
• Instead of chasing deadlines across several messengers — conversation, material approval and payment are in one place.
• Instead of random selection — you choose creators from the niche where followers really wait for your product.

You can also browse the influencer catalogue by niche and city. Create a brand account and post a task for your pre-sale campaign.