Podcasting & Social Media
A practical guide to configuring Daylite for content creators — covering brand deals, sponsorships, collaborations, audience growth, and business contacts, all in one place.
Why Daylite for Content Creators
Content creation is a relationship business masquerading as a media business. The deals, the income, the growth — it all flows through relationships: with brand managers, talent agents, PR reps, fellow creators, production crew, and the agencies who broker partnerships. Most creators manage this through a combination of Gmail, scattered spreadsheets, and memory, which works until it doesn't. A missed follow-up on a $10,000 sponsorship, a brand you forgot to pitch, a collaboration that fell through because no one followed up — these are the real costs of not having a system.
Daylite brings your contacts, deals, calendar, and tasks into one place and links everything together. A brand manager's email history, the current status of their campaign pitch, the contract deadline, and your next follow-up task all live on one record. When your business manager asks about the Q3 pipeline, you can answer in seconds instead of digging through email.
Similar industries
Newsletter writers and Substack creators — same mix of brand partnerships, affiliate relationships, and audience-facing commitments.
Twitch streamers and live content creators — juggle sponsorship deals, event appearances, and community partnerships the same way.
Musicians and independent artists — label relationships, booking agents, sync licensing pitches, and touring partnerships fit the deal pipeline structure.
Influencer managers and talent managers — use this guide as a CRM foundation for tracking deals and contacts across a roster of clients.
Speakers and thought leaders — brand partnerships, keynotes, and media appearances map naturally to the opportunity pipeline and contact model.
People vs. Companies — Know the Difference
This is the most important concept to understand before setting anything else up. Daylite treats People (individual contacts) and Companies (organizations, brands, agencies) as entirely separate objects, each with their own categories, keywords, roles, and history. Getting this right will make your database far easier to search and filter.
The Core Mental Model
Brand deals and sponsorships: the Company is your client — the brand. The individual you negotiate with (a Brand Partnerships Manager, a Marketing Director, a PR rep) is a Person linked to that Company in a Role. This matters because contacts change jobs constantly in the creator industry. If your Brand Partnerships Manager at a skincare company leaves, you don't want to lose the full deal history — it should stay on the Company record, intact, so you can pick up the relationship with whoever replaces them.
Individual creators, editors, collaborators, and agents: the Person is the primary record. A fellow creator you collab with, your video editor, your talent agent — these are all People. Their relationship with you is personal and direct, not mediated by an organisation.
Which Record Type to Use
Brand sponsorship deal
Company (the brand)
Person (your contact there)
Role: Brand Partnerships Manager
PR outreach
Company (the agency or PR firm)
Person (your account rep)
Role: PR Manager
Influencer agency / MCN
Company
Person (your agent or manager)
Role: Talent Manager
Fellow creator collab
Person
—
Relationship: Collaborates with
Freelance editor / thumbnail artist
Person
—
Relationship: Works with
Production company
Company
Person (producer)
Role: Producer
Independent talent manager
Person
—
—
Conference / event contact
Person
Company (their employer)
Role: Employee
The key distinction: If the business relationship is with a brand or agency — a company that might swap out your contact person — make the Company the primary record and link the individual as a contact with a Role. If the relationship is with a specific person regardless of where they work, make the Person the primary record. Your editor is always your editor. Your "Nike contact" might be three different people over the years.
Setting Up People (Individual Contacts)
People in the creator world fall into a wide range — brand-side contacts, fellow creators, crew, agents, and your own audience members who become customers or business relationships. Set up your structure before you start importing.
People Categories
Categories are broad buckets — the type of person. Keep this list short and mutually exclusive.
Creator
Fellow YouTubers, TikTokers, podcasters, streamers you collab with or track
Brand Contact
Your point of contact at a sponsor or potential sponsor
Agency / Rep
Talent managers, agents, PR reps, MCN contacts
Crew
Editors, thumbnail artists, videographers, sound, production support
Prospect
Brand or creator contact you haven't yet worked with but want to
Personal
Non-business contacts
People Keywords
Keywords are the detail layer — stack as many as needed per person. A contact can have multiple keywords.
Platform / content type:
YouTube
TikTok
Instagram
Podcast
Twitch / Livestream
Newsletter
Blog
Relationship status:
Current Sponsor Contact
Past Sponsor Contact
Warm Lead
Cold Outreach
VIP
High Value
Creator tier (for tracking peers and collaborators):
Nano Creator (< 10K)
Micro Creator (10K–100K)
Mid-tier Creator (100K–1M)
Macro Creator (1M+)
Lead source:
Lead Source: Inbound Inquiry
Lead Source: Cold Outreach
Lead Source: Referral
Lead Source: Conference / Event
Lead Source: Mutual Creator
Roles
Roles describe the function someone plays in the context of a specific deal or project — not their job title.
Decision Maker
Has authority to approve and sign off on the deal
Brand Partnerships Manager
Your primary day-to-day contact on a campaign
Legal / Contracts
Who you deal with on NDAs, MSAs, and individual agreements
Billing Contact
Who receives invoices or processes payments
Creative Approver
Reviews and approves deliverables before you publish
Talent Manager
Your own manager or agent, linked to deals they brokered
Collaborator
Fellow creator linked to a collab project
Production Contact
Editor, director, or crew member linked to a specific project
Role vs. job title: "Sarah is the Decision Maker on Project BrandX" is a Role. "Sarah is a VP of Marketing" is a job title — that goes in the contact's Title field, not as a Role. Use Role for Smart Lists and filtering (it's a consistent dropdown); use Title for context (it's free text and won't reliably filter).
Relationships
Relationships capture the two-way connection between people.
Referred by / Referred to
Collaborates with / Collaborated on
Works with
Manager of / Managed by
Introduced by / Introduced to
Friend of
Referral tracking tip: When a fellow creator introduces you to a brand, or a manager connects you with a new client, link those contacts with a "Referred by / Referred to" relationship. Over time, this shows you exactly who your best connectors are — and makes sure you thank them appropriately.
Setting Up Companies (Brands, Agencies & Media Companies)
For sponsorships and brand partnerships, the Company is your client. Every brand you pitch or work with should have a Company record — even before you have a contact there.
Company Categories
Active Sponsor
Brands you have a current or ongoing deal with
Past Sponsor
Brands you've worked with previously
Prospect
Brands you want to pitch or are in early conversations with
Talent Agency / MCN
Agencies and multi-channel networks representing creators
PR Agency
PR firms that reach out on behalf of brands
Media / Production
Production companies, studios, podcast networks
Platform
YouTube, TikTok, Meta — useful if you have direct platform contacts
Vendor
Software, gear suppliers, and tools you use professionally
Company Keywords
Deal type:
Dedicated Integration
Mid-Roll Sponsorship
Pre-Roll Sponsorship
Affiliate / Commission Only
Product Exchange (No Fee)
Ambassador Program
Event / Appearance
Licensed Content
Category / niche:
Tech & Software
Finance & Investing
Health & Wellness
Gaming
Beauty & Lifestyle
Food & Beverage
Education & Productivity
Travel
Fashion & Apparel
B2B / SaaS
Relationship quality:
Repeat Sponsor
High Value
Preferred Partner
Exclusivity Required
Payment Issues (flag for caution)
Company Types
Corporation
Small Business / Startup
Agency
Non-Profit
Platform
Media Company
Company Industries
Use the built-in Industry field to classify brands for filtering and outreach.
Technology
Consumer Goods
Financial Services
Health & Wellness
Entertainment & Media
Education
Retail & E-commerce
Travel & Hospitality
Gaming
Roles on Companies
Primary Contact
Your main day-to-day contact at this company
Decision Maker
Who ultimately approves deals and budgets
Brand Partnerships Manager
The specific person managing influencer/creator programs
PR Manager
Who handles media and creator outreach
Legal / Contracts
Sent contracts and handles terms
Billing Contact
Accounts payable — who pays your invoices
Account Manager
Agency-side contact managing the brand relationship
Company Relationships
Parent Company of / Subsidiary of
Partner of / Works with
Referred by / Referred to
Competes with
Sponsorships & Brand Deals (Opportunities)
Every brand conversation that has the potential to generate income — from a cold pitch to a warm inbound — should become an Opportunity in Daylite. This is how you keep your pipeline visible and avoid letting deals go cold while you're focused on filming.
When to create an Opportunity:
A brand reaches out about potential sponsorship
You pitch a brand via email and they respond positively
You're connected to a brand through an agency or fellow creator
A past sponsor signals they want to run another campaign
Naming convention: use a format that makes the Opportunity instantly identifiable on the pipeline board — [Brand] – [Campaign / Product] – [Month/Quarter]. For example: Athletic Greens – New Year Campaign – Q1 2026 or NordVPN – Ongoing Integration – 2026.
Opportunity Categories
YouTube Sponsorship
Dedicated video or integration on your YouTube channel
Short-Form Sponsorship
TikTok, Reels, YouTube Shorts
Podcast Sponsorship
Sponsorship of a podcast episode or season
Newsletter / Blog
Paid newsletter placement or article
Ambassador Program
Ongoing brand relationship across multiple platforms
Event / Appearance
Paid appearance, keynote, or conference
Licensing
Licensing your content or likeness to a brand
Opportunity Keywords
Exclusivity Required
Multi-Platform
Recurring / Renewal
NDA Required
Payment Upfront
Affiliate Component
Usage Rights Extended
Rush Turnaround
Opportunity Types
Opportunity Type captures how the deal came to you — useful for understanding which channels generate the most revenue.
Inbound – Brand Direct
Inbound – PR Agency
Inbound – Talent Agency / MCN
Outbound – Cold Pitch
Outbound – Warm Intro
Referral – Creator
Referral – Manager / Agent
Platform Program (e.g. YouTube Brand Connect)
Repeat / Renewal
Won and Loss Reasons
Track these consistently — over time, patterns emerge that tell you where to focus.
Won:
Strong Audience Fit
Competitive Rate
Fast Turnaround Offered
Long-Term Relationship
Referral from Trusted Source
Renewal from Past Campaign
Lost:
Rate Too High (Brand's Budget)
Audience Mismatch
Competing Creator Selected
Brand Paused Spend
Missed Deadline / Response
Exclusivity Conflict
Opportunity Pipeline
This pipeline covers the full arc of a brand deal — from first conversation to invoice paid.
1. Initial Conversation
First contact made — email received or cold pitch sent
2. Qualified & Interested
Both sides have expressed genuine interest — media kit sent or rate discussed
3. Proposal Sent
You've submitted a formal proposal, rate card, or campaign concept
4. Negotiation
Back-and-forth on rates, deliverables, exclusivity, or timeline
5. Contract Out
Deal agreed — contract sent and awaiting signature
6. Contract Signed
✅ Confirmed. Move to a Project for production.
7. Lost / Passed
Deal didn't close — log the reason
Content Production & Campaign Delivery (Projects)
When a deal is signed, convert the Opportunity to a Project. The Project tracks everything from briefing through delivery and final payment. Each sponsorship or collaboration becomes its own Project so all assets, emails, tasks, and milestones stay together in one place.
Project Pipeline Stages
1. Brief & Onboarding
Contract signed. Campaign brief received. Links, assets, and talking points requested from brand.
2. Script / Concept Development
Script written, talking points drafted, creative approach confirmed with brand.
3. Awaiting Brand Approval
Script, concept, or outline submitted to brand for approval before filming.
4. Filming
Active production — content being recorded.
5. Editing
Post-production in progress.
6. Awaiting Final Approval
Edited video or draft content submitted to brand for final sign-off.
7. Published
Content live. Link sent to brand.
8. Invoice Sent
Invoice submitted — awaiting payment.
9. Complete
Payment received. Project closed.
Project Categories
YouTube Sponsorship
Short-Form Sponsorship
Podcast Sponsorship
Collab Video
Brand Ambassador Campaign
Event / Appearance
Licensed Content
Personal Project / Non-Sponsored
Project Keywords
Script Approval Required
Brand Assets Pending
Rush Turnaround
Multi-Platform Delivery
Usage Rights: Extended
Evergreen (no publish deadline)
Seasonal / Time-Sensitive
Requires Legal Review
Using the Boards for Weekly Business Reviews
The Opportunities and Projects Boards give you a real-time picture of your business — what's in the pipeline, what's being produced, and what's overdue.
Opportunities Board
A healthy creator pipeline on the Opportunities Board looks like ongoing activity at every stage — new conversations coming in at the top, a few in negotiation, and contracts regularly moving to signed.
What to look for each week:
Proposals with no movement — if a proposal has been sitting for 2+ weeks without a response, send a nudge. Daylite shows you how many days each Opportunity has been in its current stage.
Contracts not yet signed — an agreed deal that hasn't moved past Contract Out after 5–7 days needs a follow-up. Contracts die in email inboxes.
Cold pipeline — if you have fewer than 3–4 active Opportunities, you need to be outreach-active right now, not after your current project is done.
Set a default pipeline. Any Opportunity created without an assigned pipeline won't appear on the board at all. Go to Settings > Pipelines and set your Sponsorship pipeline as the default so every new deal lands on the board automatically.
Projects Board
The Projects Board shows every active campaign from Brief to Complete. For creators, the key bottlenecks are usually Brand Approval and Invoice Sent — deals where the ball is in someone else's court.
What to look for each week:
Stuck in Brand Approval — if multiple projects are waiting on brand sign-off, you may need to follow up proactively. Some brands let approvals sit for weeks without prompting.
Published but no Invoice Sent — this is money you've earned but haven't billed. It should never be more than 1–2 days after publication.
Overdue due dates — sort the board by Due Date to surface anything past its agreed publish date or payment term.
Calendar Categories
Colour-code your calendar to see your week at a glance — filming days, approval deadlines, business calls, and personal time should all be distinct.
Filming Day
Red
Treat as blocked — no other meetings
Brand Call
Orange
Briefings, negotiations, check-ins with sponsors
Creator Collab
Yellow
Joint content shoots, podcast recordings with guests
Editing Block
Blue
Deep work, no interruptions
Admin / Outreach
Grey
Pitch emails, contracts, invoicing
Deadline
Purple
Publishing deadline, contract deadline, payment due
Event / Appearance
Teal
Conferences, meetups, live events
Personal
Green
Synced from Apple Calendar
Activity Sets (Your Repeatable Workflows)
Activity Sets are pre-built task sequences that you apply to a project or opportunity in a single click. For creators, every sponsorship campaign follows nearly the same sequence — brief, approval, film, edit, publish, invoice. Build this once and apply it to every new project.
"Sponsorship Campaign Booked" Activity Set
Applied when a contract is signed and the Opportunity converts to a Project. Start-date based.
Day 0
Send Brand Onboarding Request: brief, talking points, links, approved claims, assets
Day 2
Follow up if brief not received
Day 5
Submit script or concept outline for approval (if required)
Day 10
Follow up if brand approval not received
Day 14
Film integration
Day 17
Complete edit — submit for final approval (if required)
Day 21
Publish content — send brand the live link and analytics screenshot
Day 21
Send invoice
Day 35
Follow up on payment if not received (Net 30 terms)
Day 42
Send performance report to brand (views, click-throughs, promo code redemptions)
"Collab Video" Activity Set
Day 0
Confirm concept, filming date, and logistics with collaborator
Day 3
Share script or talking points if applicable
Day of shoot
Film collaboration
Day 3 after
Edit and share draft with collaborator for review
Day 7 after
Publish — share link across both channels
Day 8 after
Cross-promote in Stories / Community posts
"Cold Outreach Campaign" Activity Set
Applied to a batch of new brand Prospects. Start-date based.
Day 0
Send initial pitch email with media kit
Day 5
Follow up if no response
Day 12
Send final follow-up — softer, value-add angle
Day 20
Mark as Cold if no engagement — move to Suspended
Forms & Custom Fields
Every sponsorship campaign involves the same structured intake: talking points, approval contacts, promo codes, payment terms. Without a Form, that information ends up scattered across emails, notes, and messages. With a Form, it lives on the record — structured, findable, and consistent across every campaign.
Forms vs. Custom Fields — which to use:
Form
You need a named group of related fields that only apply to some records (e.g. a sponsor brief on a Project, a qualification checklist on an Opportunity)
Custom Field
You need a single field that should appear on every record of that type — e.g. an Agreed Rate on every Opportunity
Forms are created in Settings > Forms. After defining a form, you manually attach an instance to a record when it's relevant — a record can have multiple forms attached.
Form: Brand Sponsor Onboarding (Project)
Apply this form as soon as a deal converts to a Project. It captures everything you need to brief yourself before filming — so nothing gets buried in the contract email.
Campaign Talking Points
Text
Key approved claims and messages
Product USPs
Text
What to emphasise about the product
Description Links
Text
Links to include in the video description
Promo Code / Affiliate Link
Text
Code or URL for the CTA
Usage Rights
Popup Options
Channel Only / Full Commercial / Paid Media
Exclusivity Category
Text
Which category is locked out (e.g. "no competing finance tools")
Exclusivity End Date
Date
When the category lockout expires
Approval Required Before Publishing
Checkbox
Tick if brand must sign off before going live
Approval Contact Name
Text
Who to send approvals to
Approval Contact Email
Text
Contract Signing Deadline
Date
When the agreement must be signed by
Payment Terms
Popup Options
Net 15 / Net 30 / On Delivery / Upon Signing
Form: Brand Deal Qualification (Opportunity)
Apply this form during the Qualified & Interested stage to confirm the deal is worth pursuing before investing time in a full proposal.
Budget Confirmed
Checkbox
Has the brand indicated an approx. budget?
Estimated Campaign Budget
Currency
Their stated or inferred budget
Decision Maker Identified
Checkbox
Do you have the right person?
Campaign Start Date
Date
When they want to go live
Campaign End Date
Date
End of campaign window
Platforms Required
Multiple Checkboxes
YouTube / TikTok / Instagram / Podcast / Newsletter
Deliverables Agreed
Text
What's been agreed in principle
Exclusivity Required
Checkbox
Will this lock out competing brands?
Custom Fields
Custom fields appear on every record of their type and are configured in Settings > Custom Fields by renaming the built-in Extra fields. Each object supports up to 12 string fields (Extra 1–12) and 4 date fields (Extra Date 1–4). Field types are limited to string (free text) and date — for richer types such as currency, checkbox, or dropdown, use a Form instead.
On Opportunity — suggested label assignments:
Extra 1
Agreed Rate
Text
Extra 2
Commission / Affiliate %
Text
Extra Date 1
Exclusivity End Date
Date
Extra Date 2
Contract Expiry Date
Date
On Project — suggested label assignments:
Extra 1
Published URL
Text
Extra 2
Promo Code
Text
Extra 3
Invoice Number
Text
Extra Date 1
Payment Received Date
Date
Note: Agreed Rate and Commission % are stored as free text — custom fields have no currency or numeric formatting. For a structured budget confirmation with currency formatting, use the Estimated Campaign Budget field in the Brand Deal Qualification Form. The custom field serves as a quick-reference label once the deal is confirmed.
Letter & Email Templates
Set up reusable templates for the messages you send every single campaign cycle. Mail in Daylite lets you build Letter Templates with merge codes so you can personalise at scale without rewriting from scratch.
Use <$cnt.firstname$> for the contact's first name, <$me.firstname$> or <$me.fullname$> for the sender's name, and {{placeholder}} for context-specific details you fill in at send time.
A full template library covers: initial cold pitch, pitch follow-up, inbound inquiry response, proposal/rate card, contract cover note, brand onboarding request, approval submission, live link notification, invoice cover note, payment follow-up, performance report, and renewal pitch. The five highest-frequency templates are written out in full below — build the rest in the same voice.
Template: Inbound Inquiry Response
Used for: Replying to a brand that reached out to you — send within a few hours of receiving the inquiry.
Hi <$cnt.firstname$>,
Thanks for reaching out — I'd love to explore a potential partnership with {{Brand Name}}.
A bit of context on my end: my channel focuses on {{your niche}}, with an audience of {{subscriber count}} across YouTube{{and [platform] if applicable}}. My viewers tend to be {{brief audience description — e.g. "25–35 year old professionals interested in personal finance and productivity"}}, which I think aligns well with what you're building.
To make sure I put together something relevant, it would help to know a little more about what you have in mind — campaign goals, the product or service you'd like featured, and any timeline you're working toward.
In the meantime, I've attached my media kit with current stats, audience demographics, and past partnership examples.
Happy to jump on a quick call if that's easier. What does your schedule look like this week?
Looking forward to it, <$me.firstname$>
Template: Proposal / Rate Card Delivery
Used for: Sending your formal proposal after an initial conversation — typically after a call or once you understand the campaign brief.
Hi <$cnt.firstname$>,
Great speaking with you{{/ connecting}} — I've put together a proposal based on what we discussed.
What I'm proposing: {{Deliverable description — e.g. "One dedicated YouTube video (10–15 min) featuring {{Product Name}} as the primary sponsor, with a 60–90 second integration, custom promo code, and inclusion in the video description."}}
Rate: {{$X,XXX}} Publish timeline: {{Target publish date or window}} Exclusivity: {{e.g. "30-day category exclusivity post-publish" or "None required"}} Usage rights: {{e.g. "Channel use only" or "Extended for paid media at +$X,XXX"}}
This rate reflects my current {{subscriber count / average views}} and the strong audience fit I see between your product and my viewers.
If you'd like to adjust the scope — add a shorts cut, extend the integration, include newsletter placement — I'm happy to put together options. Otherwise, if this looks good, the next step is a simple one-page agreement and we can lock in the date.
Let me know your thoughts.
Best, <$me.firstname$>
Template: Contract Cover Note
Used for: Sending the agreement for signature — keep it short, make the next step obvious.
Hi <$cnt.firstname$>,
Excited to make this happen. I've attached the partnership agreement for {{Brand Name}} x {{Your Channel Name}} — it covers the deliverables, timeline, rate, usage rights, and payment terms we discussed.
Please review and sign at your convenience. If anything looks off or needs a small adjustment, just let me know and I'll sort it quickly.
Once signed, I'll send over an onboarding form to collect the brief, talking points, and any assets I'll need to get started.
Thanks again — looking forward to working together.
Best, <$me.firstname$>
Template: Live Link Notification
Used for: Notifying the brand the moment content goes live — send the same day as publish, alongside your invoice.
Hi <$cnt.firstname$>,
The video is live! Here's the link: {{YouTube URL}}
The {{Brand Name}} integration appears at {{timestamp}} and runs for approximately {{X seconds/minutes}}. The promo code {{CODE}} and affiliate link are in the description and pinned comment.
Early performance (first 24 hours):
Views: {{X,XXX}}
Click-through rate: {{X%}}
Promo code redemptions: {{X}} (if trackable)
I'll send a full performance snapshot at the 30-day mark. In the meantime, I've also sent your invoice separately — payment details are included there.
Thanks for a smooth campaign — it was a pleasure to work with the team.
Best, <$me.firstname$>
Template: Renewal Pitch
Used for: Following up after a completed campaign to pitch the next one — send 2–4 weeks after the performance report.
Hi <$cnt.firstname$>,
Hope you're well. Now that the {{campaign name / product}} campaign has had time to settle, I wanted to share the final numbers and float an idea for what's next.
Campaign performance summary:
Total views (30-day): {{X,XXX}}
Promo code redemptions: {{X}}
Avg. view duration: {{X min / X%}}
Audience sentiment: {{brief summary — e.g. "Overwhelmingly positive — multiple comments asking where to buy"}}
Based on the response, I think there's a strong case for a follow-up. My audience responded particularly well to {{specific angle — e.g. "the everyday use framing rather than a specs-focused approach"}}, which suggests there's more to explore.
I have {{a slot / two slots}} available in {{Month}} if you'd like to move quickly. Happy to put together a proposal — or if there's a new product launching that might be a good fit, I'd love to hear about it.
Worth a quick call?
Best, <$me.firstname$>
Additional templates to build: Use the same voice and structure for the remaining touchpoints in your cycle — cold pitch, pitch follow-up (Day 5), pitch final follow-up, brand onboarding request, approval submission, invoice cover note, payment follow-up, and performance report. Once you've written each one and saved it in Daylite, you'll rarely need to write a sponsorship email from scratch again.
Smart Lists
Smart Lists are saved filters that live permanently in Daylite's sidebar and update automatically in real time. Every time a record changes — a deal moves to a new stage, an invoice goes past due, a contract deadline approaches — your Smart Lists reflect it instantly without any manual effort.
Think of them as always-on dashboards for the questions you ask every week.
How Smart Lists Work
A Smart List is built by combining one or more filters with Match All (every condition must be true) or Match Any (at least one must be true). You can add sub-filters with Do Not Match All to exclude specific records.
Once saved, the Smart List appears in your sidebar. Click it any time to see current, live results.
People Smart Lists
🔥 Best Referral Sources
Category = Creator + Relationship = Referred to
Match All
Fellow creators who've introduced you to brands or collabs — stay in touch
🤝 Active Brand Contacts
Category = Brand Contact + Keyword = Current Sponsor Contact
Match All
Everyone you're actively working with right now
🧊 Contacts Gone Cold
Category = Brand Contact + Activity not in last 60 days
Match All (sub-filter: Do Not Match All)
Brand contacts who've gone quiet — worth a check-in
🎯 Warm Prospects
Category = Prospect + Keyword = Warm Lead
Match All
Brands or creators in your sights — not yet pitched or in early stages
⭐ VIP Relationships
Keyword = VIP
Match All
Highest-value contacts across all categories
🆕 Added This Month
Create Date = this month
Match All
New contacts — make sure they're properly categorised
Companies Smart Lists
💸 Active Sponsors
Category = Active Sponsor
Match All
All brands you're currently working with
🔁 Repeat Sponsors
Category = Active Sponsor OR Past Sponsor + Keyword = Repeat Sponsor
Match Any
Brands worth a renewal pitch
📤 Open Pitches
Category = Prospect
Match All
Brands you've pitched or plan to pitch
💤 Dormant Sponsors
Category = Past Sponsor + Activity not in last 6 months
Match All (sub-filter: Do Not Match All)
Past brands worth re-engaging
🏢 Agency Roster
Category = Talent Agency / MCN OR PR Agency
Match Any
All agencies and reps in your network
Opportunities Smart Lists
📥 New Inquiries
Pipeline Stage = Initial Conversation + Created this month
Match All
Fresh conversations — make sure each has a follow-up task
📄 Proposals Out
Pipeline Stage = Proposal Sent
Match All
Active proposals awaiting a decision — follow up if stuck
⚖️ In Negotiation
Pipeline Stage = Negotiation
Match All
Deals being actively worked — need regular attention
📝 Contracts Awaiting Signature
Pipeline Stage = Contract Out
Match All
Agreed deals where signature is pending — follow up fast
📆 Closing This Month
Forecasted Close Date = this month
Match All
What you're expecting to close — your near-term revenue view
🚨 Stalled Deals
Pipeline Stage ≠ Contract Signed + Days in Stage > 14
Match All
Opportunities that have gone quiet — needs action
Projects Smart Lists
🎬 Currently in Production
Pipeline Stage = Filming OR Editing
Match Any
What's actively being made right now
⏳ Awaiting Brand Approval
Pipeline Stage = Awaiting Brand Approval OR Awaiting Final Approval
Match Any
Ball is in the brand's court — follow up if stuck
📤 Ready to Publish
Pipeline Stage = Awaiting Final Approval + Priority = High
Match All
Approved and ready — publish soon
💰 Invoices Not Sent
Pipeline Stage = Published
Match All
Published content with no invoice sent yet — bill immediately
🧾 Payment Pending
Pipeline Stage = Invoice Sent
Match All
Outstanding invoices — check payment status
✅ Completed This Month
Pipeline Stage = Complete + Modify Date = this month
Match All
What you've wrapped — useful for revenue reporting
Tasks Smart Lists
🔴 Overdue Tasks
Due Date < today + Completed = No
Match All
Anything past due — triage immediately
📅 Due Today
Due Date = today + Completed = No
Match All
Today's focus list
📬 Follow-Ups Pending
Category = Follow-Up + Completed = No
Match All
All pending follow-ups across deals and contacts
✍️ Script Approvals to Send
Category = Approval + Completed = No
Match All
Brand approval submissions in progress
Appointments Smart Lists
📹 Filming Days This Month
Category = Filming Day + Date = this month
Match All
Upcoming production schedule
📞 Brand Calls This Week
Category = Brand Call + Date = this week
Match All
Sponsor calls and briefings this week
🎤 Events & Appearances
Category = Event / Appearance + Date = next 60 days
Match All
Upcoming live commitments
Pro Tips for Smart Lists
Pin your daily drivers. Add your most-used Smart Lists as Favourites so they're always one click away — "Due Today", "Awaiting Brand Approval", and "Invoices Not Sent" are the three every creator should have front and centre.
Use Match All for precision, Match Any for breadth. "Active sponsors who are also repeat clients" needs Match All. "Any contact who is either a PR Agency or Talent Agency" needs Match Any.
Sub-filters unlock negative logic. The "Do Not Match All" sub-filter is how you build exclusions — e.g., "Past Sponsors who have NOT had activity in the last 6 months" is a category filter with a sub-filter that says activity does not match "in last 6 months".
Prune regularly. Start with the lists above and remove the ones you never click. A sidebar with 30 Smart Lists is as useless as no lists at all.
Mail in Daylite
Mail in Daylite brings your inbox directly into Daylite alongside your contacts, deals, projects, calendar, and tasks. For creators managing a mix of inbound brand inquiries, negotiation threads, and delivery emails, this is one of the highest-leverage things you can set up.
Smart Linking automatically connects emails to the right contact, opportunity, or project — so when a brand manager emails you about a campaign, that message is visible on their contact record, on the relevant opportunity, and on the project. You never lose the thread.
Smart Suggestions highlights related contacts, opportunities, and projects while you're reading an email — so if you're reading a message from an agency, you'll see the active deal right there alongside it.
Create Tasks and Schedule Time directly from an email — so when a brand asks you to have a script ready by next Friday, you can turn that message into a task with a due date without leaving your inbox.
Link every email, especially for contracts and approvals. If a brand ever disputes what was agreed, your complete email history attached to the opportunity is your best protection. Make linking a habit from day one.
Making It Your Own
Everything in this guide is a starting point. The best setup is the one that reflects how you actually work — and that will evolve as your business evolves.
After a few weeks of active use, revisit:
Categories and keywords — if you're not using a category or keyword, remove it. A short, clean list beats a comprehensive one you ignore.
Pipeline stages — if a stage is always empty, or you always skip it, simplify. Real pipelines should feel like mirrors of your actual process.
Activity Sets — the first version is an educated guess. After three or four campaigns, you'll know exactly what to adjust.
Smart Lists — pin the ones you check every day. Remove the ones that have never surfaced something useful. Your sidebar should feel like a control panel.
Custom fields — if you find yourself writing the same note on every project (promo code, approval deadline, usage rights terms), make it a custom field so it's searchable and filterable.
Using Daylite as a Small Creator Team
Many creator businesses aren't solo operations. A typical small team might include a business manager or partnerships coordinator handling deal flow, an editor or post-production lead managing project delivery, and a VA or operations assistant handling admin, scheduling, and invoicing — alongside the creator themselves who remains the face of the channel and the final decision-maker on creative. Here's how to set Daylite up so that structure actually works.
Roles and Ownership by Function
The most important thing to establish before you add a second person to Daylite is who owns what. Every record in Daylite — contacts, opportunities, projects, tasks — has an Owner field. Ownership determines who sees what on their personal Opportunities and Projects Boards, and who is responsible for moving things forward.
Creator
Final approval on Opportunities (stage: Negotiation onward). Owner of the channel-level brand relationships.
Reviews and approves; signs off on creative
Business Manager / Partnerships Lead
Owns all Opportunities from creation through Contract Signed. Owns brand contacts and company records.
Moves deals from Initial Conversation → Contract Signed
Editor / Post-Production Lead
Owns Projects from Filming onward.
Moves projects from Filming → Published
VA / Operations
Owns admin tasks: invoicing, scheduling, file management, onboarding brand assets.
Moves projects from Published → Complete (invoice and payment stages)
Ownership is about accountability, not visibility. By default, all records are visible to every Daylite user. Keep it that way — everyone on the team should be able to see every deal and project. Ownership is simply the answer to "who is responsible for this moving forward?"
Shared Smart Lists for Team Visibility
Create a core set of Smart Lists that everyone uses as shared ground. These replace the need for daily check-in meetings about status.
📥 New Inquiries
Business Manager
What came in this week that needs a response?
⚖️ In Negotiation
Creator + Business Manager
What deals need the creator's input right now?
⏳ Awaiting Brand Approval
Editor + Business Manager
What's sitting with the brand? Who needs to follow up?
💰 Invoices Not Sent
VA / Operations
What's been published and not yet billed?
🧾 Payment Pending
VA / Operations
What invoices are outstanding?
🎬 Currently in Production
Editor
What's actively in post?
Pin these as Favourites for the whole team — in Daylite, each user can manage their own Favourites, so encourage everyone to pin the lists most relevant to their role.
Task Delegation and Activity Sets
When you apply an Activity Set to a project, each task is assigned to a specific Daylite user. Configure your Activity Sets upfront so that tasks automatically land with the right person:
Brand onboarding and approval tasks → Business Manager
Script and approval submission tasks → Creator or Business Manager
Filming and editing tasks → Editor
Invoice and payment follow-up tasks → VA / Operations
This means applying the Activity Set is a single action that correctly distributes 10–12 tasks across the team without any manual reassignment.
Delegate tasks, don't just mention them in Slack. A delegated task in Daylite appears in the recipient's task list and remains visible to the person who assigned it. You can see whether it's been completed without chasing anyone. That's the difference between coordination and hope.
Communication Conventions for Teams
A shared database only works if everyone enters data the same way. Before you onboard a second person, agree on and document the following:
Opportunity naming format:
[Brand] – [Campaign / Product] – [Month/Quarter]— everyone uses this, no exceptions.Who creates Opportunities: typically the Business Manager, the moment an inbound arrives or an outbound gets a positive response.
Who moves the stage: only the owner of that stage moves it. The editor doesn't move an Opportunity to Contract Signed; the Business Manager doesn't move a project to Complete before the invoice is paid.
Notes after every call: whoever is on the call adds a note to the opportunity or project before end of day. Brief is fine — the point is that the next person who looks at the record knows what was said.
No decisions in Slack that aren't logged in Daylite. If a brand verbally agrees to terms on a call, that goes in a note on the Opportunity before the day is out.
A Weekly Team Rhythm
Structure a short weekly review — 15–20 minutes — using Daylite as the shared source of truth rather than a status update deck.
Opportunities Board (Business Manager leads): What's new? What's stuck? What needs the creator's input to move forward?
Projects Board (Editor leads): What's in production? What's awaiting brand approval? What's overdue?
Payment Pending Smart List (VA leads): What invoices are outstanding? Are any past their payment terms?
This rhythm — consistently run from the same Daylite views each week — replaces ad hoc status chasing and keeps everyone working from the same picture.
Tips for Day-to-Day Use
Start every morning with your Boards and Smart Lists, not your inbox. Scan the Opportunities Board for proposals that have gone quiet, contracts not yet signed, and gaps in your pipeline. Check the Projects Board for campaigns stuck in Brand Approval and published content with no invoice sent — set a default pipeline so every new deal appears automatically. Open your key Smart Lists before touching email. This keeps you driving the work rather than reacting to it.
Every inbound inquiry = a new Opportunity. Don't reply to brand emails and hope for the best. Log every lead as an Opportunity so you can track what happens to it and follow up systematically.
Link every email to the contact and project. Mail in Daylite automatically links inbound and outbound emails to the right contacts, opportunities, and projects — so every brand's full communication history is visible directly on their record. If a dispute arises over what was agreed, you'll have the complete email thread attached to the deal record. Make sure this habit is established from day one.
Add notes after every call. After a briefing call, a negotiation, or a brand check-in, add a short note to the opportunity or project. "Brand confirmed: no competitor restrictions, script approval waived for content under 60 seconds" is enough. These notes build a paper trail and ensure nothing slips between conversations.
Apply Activity Sets as soon as a contract is signed. The moment a deal is confirmed, apply the "Sponsorship Campaign Booked" Activity Set. Your future self — mid-edit, slightly panicked about the deadline — will thank you.
Invoice the day you publish. Make "send invoice" a hard trigger the moment the content goes live. Don't wait until the end of the week. Publishing and invoicing should feel like one action.
Track your referral network with Relationships. When a fellow creator introduces you to a brand, link those contacts with a "Referred by / Referred to" relationship. Over time you'll see exactly who your most valuable connectors are, and you can make sure they know it.
Quick-Start Checklist
People (Individual Contacts)
Companies (Brands & Agencies)
Sales / Sponsorship Pipeline
Projects / Campaign Delivery
Calendar
Automation
Forms & Custom Fields
Smart Lists
Team Setup (if applicable)
Integrations
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