An agency that closes deals can show you the proof. An agency that only talks about deals cannot. Asking for a redacted recent brand deal term sheet is the second filter on the 6-point checklist.

"Redacted" means the brand name, creator name, and other confidential details are blacked out. The structure of the deal stays visible: rate, deliverables, exclusivity terms, usage rights, payment timeline, performance clauses. That structure tells you what kind of deals the agency is actually closing.

What to look for: Are the rates in the range you would expect for the audience size of comparable creators? Are exclusivity terms reasonable (3 to 6 months in a specific category, not 24 months across everything)? Are usage rights time-limited and territory-limited? Is the payment timeline reasonable (30 to 60 days, not 120)?

If the agency cannot produce a single recent term sheet, they have not closed a recent deal. That is a hard fail.

If the agency produces a term sheet that has bad terms (long exclusivity, perpetual usage rights, performance penalties on the creator, 90-plus day payment delays), that is the kind of deal they will negotiate for you. Walk away.

If the term sheet looks like a deal you would be happy to sign yourself, you have evidence the agency can negotiate at the level you need.