If you’re a brand looking to work with influencers, reaching out to them successfully is key. But influencer outreach can be tricky. Without the right approach, you might waste weeks with nothing to show for it. This guide will help you avoid common mistakes and do influencer outreach effectively.
What is Influencer Outreach?
Influencer outreach simply means contacting creators to see if they want to work with your brand. It’s the first step in building relationships with influencers.
Key Tips for Better Influencer Outreach
Before we get into the details of writing emails, here are some important tips to keep in mind:
- Use Email When Possible
While you can message influencers on social media, email is usually better. It’s more professional and makes it easier to keep track of conversations. Only use social media messages if you can’t find an email address.
- Use Partially Pre-Written Emails
Writing a completely new email for each influencer takes too long. But sending the exact same message to everyone won’t work well either. The best approach is to have some parts of your email pre-written and then customize other parts for each influencer.
- Start with a Simple Question
Don’t overwhelm the influencer with too much information when you first reach out. Instead, ask a simple yes or no question like “Are you open to brand collaborations?” This makes it easy for them to respond. You can discuss details later if they’re interested.
- Do Things That Don’t Scale at First
In the beginning, take time to personalize your approach for each influencer. Have phone or video calls with them. Ask for feedback on your messages. This extra effort will help you learn and improve quickly.
- Think Like a Salesperson
Don’t get discouraged if you don’t hear back right away. Following up isn’t desperate – it’s normal. The more influencers you contact, the more you learn and the faster you see results.
Preparing for Outreach
Before you start contacting influencers, get clear on a few things:
What kind of influencers do you want to work with? Think about:
- How many followers should they have
- What topics should they post about
- Where their audience should be located
- What style of content should they make
What will you offer influencers? Decide on:
- What you want them to create (like Instagram posts, TikTok videos, etc.)
- When you need the content by
- How much you can pay
- What results do you expect
How will you work with influencers? Plan out:
- What will your contract include
- Who influencers should contact with questions
- How they’ll send you their content
These details will help things go smoothly once influencers start saying yes.
Writing Great Outreach Emails
When you’re just starting out, here’s a simple formula for your emails:
- Start with a personalized compliment that shows you’ve looked at their content
- Briefly introduce your brand
- End with an easy yes/no question
Here’s an example:
“Hi [Name],
I’m [Your Name] from [Brand]. We make [product] for [target audience].
I loved your recent post about [topic] – your tips for [specific thing] were so helpful!
We’re looking for creators to help spread the word about our new [product]. Would you be open to collaborating?
Thanks,
[Your Name]”
This template works well for a first message. If you have more specific requirements, you can include more details. For example:
“Hi [Name],
I’m [Your Name] from [Brand]. We’re launching a new campaign to [goal] and we’d love to work with you.
We’re looking for creators to make [type of content] about [topic]. Your recent video on [related topic] was exactly the style we’re going for.
Here’s what we’re thinking:
- [Details of what you want them to create]
- [Timeline]
- [Compensation]
Let me know if you’re interested and we can set up a call to discuss further.
Thanks,
[Your Name]”
Following Up
Don’t be afraid to follow up if you don’t hear back. Most marketers follow up at least once or twice. Inboxes get busy and messages can be missed.
When following up, keep it short and friendly. You might say something like:
“Hi [Name],
I just wanted to check if you saw my previous message about collaborating with [Brand]. We’d love to work with you if you’re interested!
Let me know if you have any questions.
Thanks,
[Your Name]”
You can follow up a few times, spacing out your messages (like after one week, then one month). Just be polite and not pushy.
Tips for Better Results
Here are some extra tips to improve your outreach:
- Do your research: Look at the influencer’s content before reaching out. Reference specific posts or videos to show you’re familiar with their work.
- Be clear about what’s in it for them: Explain how working with you will benefit the influencer, not just your brand.
- Keep it short: Influencers are busy. Get to the point quickly in your messages.
- Be flexible: If an influencer has ideas for how to make the collaboration better, be open to them.
- Build relationships: Think long-term. Even if an influencer can’t work with you right now, stay in touch. They might be a great partner in the future.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Here are some things not to do in your outreach:
- Don’t send the exact same message to everyone. Personalize at least part of it.
- Don’t ask for free work. Be prepared to compensate influencers fairly.
- Don’t be pushy or demanding. Respect the influencer’s time and decision.
- Don’t ignore the influencer’s audience and content style. Make sure your brand is a good fit.
- Don’t focus only on follower count. Engagement rate and audience quality are often more important.
Measuring Success
To know if your outreach is working, track things like:
- Response rate: What percentage of influencers reply to your messages?
- Acceptance rate: How many influencers agree to work with you?
- Time to response: How long does it take to hear back?
- Campaign results: Once you work with influencers, what results do you see?
Use these metrics to improve your approach over time.