In recent years, influencers have come to play an important role in helping brands make meaningful connections with their target audiences. With the right influencer partnership, brands can increase their visibility, earn trust, and even drive more conversions.
However, reaching out to influencers in a way that shows your genuine interest and encourages collaboration takes more than just a direct message.
Let’s go over how to reach out effectively to initiate an influencer marketing campaign.
Identify the Right Influencers
When you have your initial goals set, it’s time to find influencers who align with your brand’s values, aesthetics, and audience. Use both social media and influencer marketing platforms to narrow down your options by comparing metrics like follower numbers, specific niches, and engagement rates.
When you’ve identified a small pool of individuals who meet the terms you’re looking for, you should then research their audience interactions.
Take the time to review their recent posts, videos, or stories to understand the brand and how consumers react to it. Does the comment section of their posts usually contain interactions that feel genuine and clearly engaged? Does the audience seem to genuinely like the influencer’s content?
(Though that last question may feel like a given, there are plenty of influencers whose prime audience “hate watches” their content.)
Before initiating an influencer marketing campaign, engage with their content for a while. Comment on their posts, like their photos, or share their stories (if relevant). This soft approach helps you get on their radar naturally before your official outreach.
Draft a Genuine and Personalized Message
If you’ve done the groundwork, it’s time to reach out. Avoid generic messages at all costs. Influencers read through a good deal of collaboration requests, so they can usually spot a copy-paste message from miles away. Take your time, and focus on creating a personalized, genuine message that shows you’re interested in a legitimate partnership.
While brainstorming ideas for your influencer outreach message, remember to:
- Keep It Short and Polite: Influencers are often busy and may get a lot of similar requests, so keep your message brief and respectful.
- Address Them by Name: Personalization can make a big difference. Address the influencer by name, mention specific content of theirs that you enjoyed, and explain why you believe your brand is a good fit.
- Explain the Benefits for Both Sides: Rather than focusing on what the influencer can do for you, highlight what they stand to gain from the partnership, too. Mention how your brand or product could resonate with their audience and the mutual value of a collaboration.
Example of a Personalized Message:
“Hi [Influencer’s Name],
I’m [Your Name] from [Brand]. I came across your recent post on [specific topic], and I loved how you [specific compliment about their style or approach]. I think your audience would really connect with [specific product or campaign] that we’re working on at [Brand]. We’re looking for a partner who shares our passion for [relevant value or interest].
If you’re interested, I’d love to discuss a potential collaboration that could be exciting and beneficial for both sides!”
Offer Something Unique and Valuable
It’s important to stand out amidst a sea of collaboration requests, so before you contact anyone, think about what you have to offer. What about your proposed partnership differs from the standard product exchange or one-off payment? A lot of the time, influencers want to know that they’re going to have a unique experience when working with brands.
- Provide Exclusive Access or Early Releases: Offering early access to a new product or an exclusive invitation to an event can make your offer more interesting.
- Propose Creative Freedom: Influencers usually want the ability to create content in their own voice. Let them know you’re open to their ideas and suggestions, which allows for greater creative freedom.
- Show Long-Term Potential: Mention the possibility of an ongoing partnership if this collaboration goes well. Influencers tend to appreciate brands that want long-term relationships rather than one-time deals (though those work too in the right scenarios).
Be Transparent About Expectations and Compensation
From the beginning of the influencer marketing campaign, it’s in both parties’ best interest to establish a clear understanding of expectations. Influencers need to know what they’re expected to do, how long they have to publish content, and what sort of compensation they’ll receive.
Be sure to:
- Clearly Outline Deliverables: Be upfront about the type of content you’re looking for, such as Instagram posts or YouTube reviews. Outline any guidelines you may have.
- Discuss Payment and Benefits: Influencers put a lot of work into creating content, so of course they expect to be compensated. Be transparent about your budget or offer, and be open to negotiation if needed.
- Avoid Restrictive Contracts: Influencers are cautious about contracts that limit their creative freedom or include too many clauses. Try to keep terms reasonable to maintain trust and encourage collaboration. Plus, simple, straightforward contracts make it so that everyone understands the agreements made and can refer back to them if needed.
Follow Up, But Don’t Pressure
After sending your initial message, give the influencer time to respond. Influencers with a decent following receive several messages a day and may need time to review and mull over partnerships.
Give them a few days, and if they don’t respond by them, a polite follow-up is acceptable. Keep it friendly, though, and avoid pressuring them into the collaboration. Also, if your initial email doesn’t get a response, you may want to try reaching out via social media DMs.
Don’t reach out on EVERY platform, as this might make you come across as too persistent. Instead, contact them on the platform that they are most active on.
Maintain the Relationship Post-Collaboration
Once you’ve agreed on a collaboration, work on maintaining a professional relationship with the influencer. This boosts the likelihood of future collaborations and creates a better experience overall.
For example, you could express your gratitude in a simple thank you email or personalized note after the influencer marketing campaign has ended. Sending occasional updates or exclusive offers is also a smart way to stay connected, as it helps keep your brand memorable for the individual you worked with.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Reaching out to influencers can be effective, but certain pitfalls can really get in the way of your success. Here are a few mistakes to avoid, but if you’d like to take a deeper dive, this article goes into more detail on what not to do when working with influencers.
- Mass Messaging: Sending the same generic message to multiple influencers can hurt your brand’s credibility.
- Focusing on Follower Count Only: High follower numbers don’t always translate to engagement. Focus on influencers whose audiences are active and engaged.
- Ignoring Legal Aspects: Influencer partnerships may come with contracts, especially when compensation is involved. Outline any deliverables, usage rights, and compensation clearly to avoid confusion and potential legal issues.
Building authentic partnerships with influencers can boost both your brand’s reach and credibility. By taking a thoughtful approach, you can pave the way to strong connections that benefit both your brand and the influencer. The key to success lies in treating influencers as valued business partners and maintaining open, respectful communication, which can lead to rewarding collaborations for years to come.