The influencer outreach process sets the tone for your collaborations. Use these influencer outreach email templates and DMs for a stronger pitch!
Kristen Wiley
Jul 21, 2024
Influencer Outreach Tips Instagram Influencer Marketing Social Media Influencer Marketing Campaigns
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 influencer outreach 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 and outreach templates. Not sure how to nail your pitch or make your messages land? We’ve got you covered! Below are six influencer outreach email templates to set a positive tone for your partnerships. Keep in mind that you can adapt all of these messages for Instagram DMs, too. We also break down best practices for reaching out to influencers with examples of successful brand pitches to inspire you! Read This Before Sending Emails or DMs to Influencers! 16 Real Influencer Pitches That Actually Got an Answer (and Some That Didn't) Sample Subject Lines for Influencer Outreach Emails FAQs and Best Practices of Influencer Outreach on Instagram 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 an 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 our influenceroutreach emailtemplates and DMs! These outreach templates are intended for general outreach to creators about products. This includes requests for product feedback and reviews. These influencer outreach templates are intentionally on the shorter side so you can get to the point faster. Hey [insert influencer name], We've been following your Instagram account and really love your post(s) about [insert topic]. [Insert personalized compliment about their content]. My name is [insert name here] and I'm the [position] at [insert brand name]. We [insert summary sentence of your product/service and unique selling proposition]. Since [insert what the influencer is passionate about or how their content aligns with your brand], I wanted to see if you'd be open to doing a collaboration together. We'd love for you to test our [insert product] and share your thoughts. Let me know if you are interested and I will send more details! Thanks! [insert your name] Hey Julie, I have been following your profile on Instagram and really love your inspirational posts showing your fitness journey. Not to mention your dog, Waffles, is sooo cute! My name is Kristen and I work for Flex. We sell organic protein powders and shakes created by women, for women. Since you are passionate about sharing your fitness journey, I thought I would reach out to see if you would be open to testing our product and doing a collaboration together! Let me know if you are interested and I will send more details! Thanks! Kristen Hey [insert influencer name], My team and I loved your post about [insert description of related post]. At [insert brand name here] we [insert summary sentence of your product/service and unique selling proposition]. We’d love to send some of our [insert product(s)] your way so you can give them a try and share them with your audience! Let me know if you're interested and thanks! - [insert your name here] Hey Erica, My team and I loved your post about your favorite pre-workout essentials. At Flex, we make organic protein powders and shakes for women. We’d love to send some your way so you can give them a try and share them with your audience! Let me know if you’d be interested. Thanks! - Kristen These influencer outreach templates can help you recruit influencers for your brand ambassador program. Be sure to review your program’s perks and benefits before reaching out. Hey [insert influencer name], My name is [insert name here] and I’m with [insert brand namehere]. We've been following your Instagram and love your posts on [insert topic]. I wanted to personally invite you to join our brand ambassador program! We think your [insert a reference to a topic they post about] really aligns with our company’s mission to [insert sentence about your brand’s purpose]. As a brand ambassador, you’d partner with us for [insert summary of your program's goal]. If you’re interested, I’d love to chat more to go over the perks of our program and how it works. Thanks! [insert your name] Hey Lauren, My name is Kristen and I’m with Flex. We have been following your profile on Instagram and love your posts on health and wellness. I wanted to personallyinvite you to join our ambassador program! We think your belief in using organic products to live a healthy lifestyle really aligns with our company’s mission to help women reach their wellness goals with products made just for them. As a brand ambassador, you’d partner with us for social media campaigns and content featuring our organic protein powders. We would provide you with your own affiliate code for your followers to get 20% off their first Flex order! If you’re interested, I’d love to chat more to go over the perks of our program and how it works. Thanks! Kristen Hey [insert name here], We’re launching a brand new campaign for our [insert product here] and would love for you to be a brand ambassador for [insert brandname here]! Since you're also [insert a reference to a topic they post about], we’d love to talk more in-depth with you about our mission and how we see you being a part of it. If you’re interested, please email me at [insert email here]. We’re so excited to have you join our team! [insert your name] Hey Mariah, We’re launching a brand new campaign for our “Shake It!” organic protein shakes and would love for you to represent Flex as an ambassador! Since you're also focused on healthy living, we’d love to talk more in-depth with you about our mission and how we see you being a part of it. If you’re interested, please email me at kristen@flexupyourlife.com. We’re excited to have you join our team! Kristen These influencer outreach templates can help you promote your next Instagram giveaway. Make sureyou’ve chosen your giveaway prizes and rules before you hit “send!” Hi [insert influencer name here], My name is [insert name here] and I work for [insert brand name]. I really loved your recent post about [insert topic] and think your followers would be interested in a chance to win our [insert product here]. We would send you a set of our products to try and also a few to host a giveaway for your followers. The rules to win would be simple, [insert giveaway rules]. If you’re interested, I’d love to chat more with you about the details! Thanks! [insert your name] Hi Gina, My name is Kristen and I work for Flex. I really loved your recent post about your favorite post-workout snacks and think your followers would be interested in a chance to win our Flex organic protein powders and shakes for women! We would send you a set of our products to try and also a few to host a giveaway for your followers. The rules to win would be simple: they would just need to follow both of our accounts and tag 3 friends in your Instagram post about our product. If you’re interested, I’d love to chat more with you about the details! Thanks! Kristen Hey [insert name here], We love your [insert topic] content and think you’d enjoy our [insert brand name and products]. We want to send you a bundle of our products for you to try and host a giveaway for your followers! Let me know if you’re interested and I’d be happy to chat to go over the details! Thanks! [insert your name] Hey Emma, We love your fitness content and think you’d enjoy our Flex organic protein powders and shakes for women. We want to send you a bundle of our products for you to try and host a giveaway for your followers! Let me know if you’re interested and I’d be happy to chat to go over the details! Thanks! Kristen 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.
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Email vs DMs for Influencer Outreach: Read This Before Pitching!
General Collaboration Pitch Templates
1. General Collaboration Email Template
Subject line: [Name], we love what we’ve seen on Instagram! 👀 General Collaboration Email Template in Use
Subject line: Julie, we love what we’ve seen on Instagram! 👀 2. GeneralCollaboration DM Template
GeneralCollaboration DM Template in Use
Brand Ambassador Pitch Templates
3. Brand Ambassador Email Template
Subject line: [Name] — Want to be a [Brand Name] VIP? 💎 Brand Ambassador Email Template in Use
Subject line: Lauren — Want to be a Flex VIP? 💎 4. Brand Ambassador DM Template
Brand Ambassador DM Template in Use
Giveaway Collaboration Pitch Templates
5. Giveaway Collaboration Pitch Email Template
Subject line: [Name] x [Brand Name] collab? 🤝 Giveaway Collaboration Pitch Email Template in Use
Subject line: Gina x Flex collab? 🤝 6. Giveaway Collaboration Pitch DM Template
Giveaway Collaboration Pitch DM Template in Use
16 Real Influencer Pitches That Actually Got an Answer (and Some That Didn't!)
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.
Sample Subject Lines for Influencer Outreach Emails
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.
Also, consider that influencers on Instagram get bombarded with email outreach messages daily.
That's why it's so important to put your subject lines under the microscope before sending a single influencer outreachemail. The goal of your subject line is two-fold:
- Grab your reader's attention ahead of other emails and collab requests in their inboxes
- Make your recipient feel like your message is personalized and written just for them
Below are some sample influencer collaboration email subject lines you can swipe.
- [Name], we love what we’ve seen on Instagram! 👀
- [Name] — Want to be a [Brand Name] VIP?💎
- We want you to be [Brand Name]’s featured creator! ✨
- Loved your latest Instagram post, [Name]! ❤️
- [Name] x [Brand Name] collab? 🤝
Personalization is key here. Consider how referring to the influencer by name or using emojis can have a positive impact. These details give your influencer collaboration emails a much-needed sense of authenticity and personality.
FAQ for Brands Conducting Instagram Influencer Outreach
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.
But given how much legwork it takes just to find Instagram influencers, anything you can do to increase your chances of a successful collab is a plus.
To wrap things up, we’ll answer some of the most common outreach-related questions we get.
“How Do I Decide Between Emails and DMs for Influencer Outreach?”
Again, the "right" answer here isn't one-size-fits-all.
Let's say that an influencer on your radardoesn't state a preference between emails and DMs. What should you do? Refer to the table below:
| Instagram Email Outreach | Instagram DM Outreach |
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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.
“How Long Should My Collaboration Messages Be?”
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.
.png?width=326&height=650&name=mobile%20email%20example%20(1).png "6 Email and Instagram DM Templates for Influencer Outreach (5)")
For reference, this outreach message is ~150 words. This is pretty much the maximum word count before your message cuts off.
“What Should I Do if an Influencer Won’t Respond to My Messages?”
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.
“Where Can I Find Influencers’ Email Addresses?”
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:
- Look at their bios. This information is often found front and center.
- Review their bio links and social media landing pages (like Linktree)
- Check to see if they have an active “Email” button on their profile (see below)
Source: @itsellawalton
Influencers typically aren’t shy about sharing their email addresses. If you can’t find one, stick to DMs.
"How Many Influencer Outreach Emails Should I Send?"
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.
How to Nail Your Instagram Influencer Outreach Faster
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 manual influencer 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 July 21, 2024.
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