The influencer outreach process sets the tone for your partnerships. Use these DM and email templates to make a positive first impression when you pitch a collaboration!
We get it: influencer outreach is a huge hurdle for brands.
Because you only have one shot to make a fabulous first impression.
You don’t want to sound clingy or desperate in the DMs. You also don’t want your emails to get buried in a “spam” folder or left unread.
That’s why it’s so important to level up with a proven pitching strategy.
Not sure how to nail influencer outreach or make your messages land? We’ve got you covered!
Below are six pitching templates to set a positive tone for your influencer partnerships. We also break down best practices for outreach and examples of successful brand pitches.
Is it better to email influencers for collaboration or DM (direct message)? Short answer: it depends!
Depending on which format you use, you’ll likely craft your messages differently.
Emails can be longer and more detailed than DMs. Use emails to give a more in-depth explanation of your brand or products. Explain the campaign you’re running and why you think the influencer would be a good fit.
Instagram DMs allow you to be more casual and direct. DMs should be short, sweet and to the point. Be clear about your intention to collab. Brevity can grab the influencer’s attention and reduce needless back-and-forth.
Keep in mind too the way the creator wants to be pitched. Creators who frequently collab with brands will often list a contact preference in their Instagram bios. If they specify wanting a DM vs an email request for collabs - take your cue from that.
With that out of the way, let’s dive into the templates!
These templates are for general outreach to creators about products. This includes requests for product feedback and reviews. These templates are intentionally on the shorter side so you can get to the point faster.
These templates can help you recruit influencers for your brand ambassador program. Be sure to review your program’s perks and benefits before reaching out.
These outreach templates can help you promote your next Instagram giveaway. Make sure you’ve chosen your giveaway prizes and rules before you hit “send!”
Need more inspiration for your messages? Don't sweat it!
We've put together a list of sixteen real influencer outreach pitches that can help.
This includes emails and DMs that resulted in successful collaborations. Oh, and we also break down a handful of pitches that fell flat. Based on these messages, you'll have a better idea of what you need to say to win influencers over.
Subject lines are crucial when it comes to email outreach.
Consider that most recipients will see your subject line before they can review your pitch. Fact: one-third of recipients will open an email based on the subject line alone. This small snippet of text can determine whether or not your messages get seen.
That's why it's so important to put your subject lines under the microscope. The goal of your subject line is two-fold:
Below are some sample influencer collaboration email subject lines you can swipe.
Personalization is key here. Consider how referring to the influencer by name or using emojis can have a positive impact. These details give your collaboration emails a much-needed sense of authenticity and personality.
Figuring out how to ask an influencer for a collaboration goes far beyond what you write. There are so many other factors that impact whether your pitches actually land.
To wrap things up, we’ll answer some of the most common outreach-related questions we get.
Again, the "right" answer here isn't one-size-fits-all.
Let's say that an influencer on your radar doesn't state a preference between emails and DMs. What should you do? Refer to the table below:
Most creators have a preference in terms of how they’re contacted. Then again, some don’t.
Source: @pixelhearts
Consider that you might end up using emails and DMs during outreach. That’s okay!
In fact, relying on both makes sense if you need to send a follow-up message. Covering both channels ensures that your messages are can’t-miss. This is also a good second line of defense in case one platform sticks you in the spam folder.
When in doubt, keep your messages short and sweet.
Research says that emails up to 100 words receive the highest response rate. Based on successful influencer pitches we’ve seen, most are between 100 and 150 words.
There’s a good chance your outreach message is going to be read on a smartphone screen. This is another reason why brevity is important. Messages that require recipients to scroll are too long.
Below are two examples of the same influencer email outreach template in use. The left was sent via email and the right was adapted and sent via DM.
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For reference, this message is ~150 words. This is pretty much the max word count before your message cuts off.
There are plenty of potential reasons why influencers don’t answer your emails.
Don’t assume the worst, though! Just because an influencer doesn’t message you back doesn’t mean your partnership is doomed. Not by a long shot.
Remember: many creators treat influencer marketing as a side hustle. Some might set aside a certain time per day or week to reply to brands. In that case, you’ll just need to be patient.
Wait a week or two after your initial outreach message. If you haven’t received a reply, follow up with a short check-in message. Response rates during outreach campaigns can vary wildly. That’s why brands should try to cast a wide net of relevant influencers.
So much of how to ask about a collaboration on Instagram is doing so on the creator’s terms.
Source: @absoblondie
Want to message a creator but don’t know their email address? You likely don’t have to look hard. Here’s our recommended order of operations:
Source: @itsellawalton
Influencers typically aren’t shy about sharing their email addresses. If you can’t find one, stick to DMs.
This really depends on your bandwidth and goals.
Do you want to reach a few specific influencers? Or do you want to send PR packages to dozens of creators? Assuming you’re personalizing your emails (and you should be!), pitching will take time.
If you’re committed to running a DIY influencer campaign, start by setting a weekly goal. For example, “I’m going to reach out to 20 creators this week.”
Then, see how long it takes you to craft your messages. Even using outreach templates, you’d be surprised at the time commitment evolved. Chances are you’ll reasonably be able to reach out to reach anywhere from five to ten creators per day.
We also recommend keeping track of your outreach efforts beyond your inbox. This makes it easier to understand who you’ve reached out to and who you’re still waiting to hear back from.
Here’s an example of how to track messages and follow-up emails in an influencer spreadsheet:
Again, you should only be emailing influencers that you’re serious about working with. Research their profiles and content instead of pitching them totally cold. Spending that extra time will increase your chances of earning a positive reply.
Reaching out to influencers can be daunting. Using a template can give you a solid starting point for ramping up your outreach.
That said, reaching out to influencers one by one isn't exactly the best way to scale if you want to earn hundreds of posts from authentic and relevant influencers.
That's where Statusphere can help, though.
Our micro-influencer marketing platform eliminates the need to send outreach emails. That's because we match brands with influencers from our vetted creator community using 250+ first-party data points. Our software helps brands earn authentic content at scale with no outreach required.
In fact, we've already generated 75,000+ posts on behalf of 400+ consumer brands.
Want to learn more about how our platform works? Chat with one of our experts to see how we can help your brand get rights-ready content at scale in a fraction of the time.
This article was first published in July 2019. It was last updated June 16, 2023.
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