How To Write Effective Influencer Outreach Emails to Influencers (+ Templates)

How to start influencer marketing

Many brands find success with influencer marketing as it helps to build trust with consumers and increase brand awareness. Researching the right influencers and crafting personalized outreach emails are crucial steps to starting a successful collaboration. In this article, we’ll discuss the key components of influencer outreach emails and provide templates to help you get started.

What to include in your influencer outreach emails

Writing influencer outreach emails can be intimidating, but having a clear structure can make the process easier. Here are the essential elements to include in your emails:

Catchy subject line

Grab the influencer’s attention with a subject line that stands out from the rest of their inbox. Personalization and creativity can make a big difference in getting your email noticed.

Personalization

Show the influencer that you’ve done your homework by mentioning specific details about their content or audience. A personalized approach can help you connect with influencers on a deeper level.

Your pitch

Clearly explain why you’re reaching out, how you’d like to collaborate, and what benefits the influencer can expect. Tailor your pitch to each influencer’s unique style and audience to increase your chances of a positive response.

5 email templates for influencer outreach

While it’s important to personalize each outreach email, using templates can provide a helpful starting point. Here are five email templates you can use to reach out to influencers:

1. Straight to the point

If you’re looking for a quick collaboration, a concise email can be effective. Customize this template to fit each influencer’s content and style:

“Hi [Name]! I’m [Your Name] with [Your Brand]. We love your [specific content] and think our product would be a great fit for your audience. We’d like to offer you [specific offer]. Please let us know if you’re interested in collaborating. Looking forward to hearing from you! [Your Name]”

2. Offering free samples

If you’re on a tight budget, offering free samples can be a cost-effective way to get influencers interested in your brand. Use this template to offer samples with no strings attached:

“Hi [Name]! I’m [Your Name] from [Your Brand]. We’d love to send you a sample of our to try out. No obligations – just let us know if you’re interested! Thanks, [Your Name]”

3. Building a long-term relationship

If you’re looking to establish a lasting partnership with an influencer, a more personalized and thoughtful email can help set the tone for a long-term collaboration:

“Hi [Name]! I’m [Your Name] with [Your Brand]. We admire your [specific content] and would love to discuss a potential long-term partnership. We have some exciting ideas for collaborations and would love to hear your thoughts. Let’s chat soon! [Your Name]”

By following these templates and personalizing your outreach emails, you can increase your chances of building successful partnerships with influencers. Remember to focus on building authentic relationships and providing value to both the influencer and your brand.

A template like the one below is a great starting point.

Hi [Name]!

I’m [Your Name] from [Your Company]. I’ve been following your [platform] account for [time frame] and am obsessed with your content! (I especially loved your recent post about [specific content reference].)

I think your content meshes well with our messaging, and I believe our audience would love to learn from you! Would you be interested in an ongoing collaboration with [Your Company]? We’d love to discuss details on how we can work together.

If so, please get back in touch with me anytime! We’re happy to share more details on our vision for this partnership and would love to take a look at your rates sheet as well.

Thank you,

[Your Name]

For a long-term relationship, the influencer’s audience, expertise, and industry need to match yours to a T. This way, a partnership and ongoing content creation together make a lot of sense—especially if you’re interested in an influencer product line.

4. Tapping onto the FOMO mentality

FOMO (fear of missing out) is real—especially in the influencer space. Influencers never want to be one to miss out on a great product, an amazing event, or a steal of a deal. Use this to your advantage by creating a sense of urgency in your outreach email.

There are a couple of different ways you can do this. The first is when you’re giving influencers sneak peek access into an upcoming launch.

Hi [Name]!

I’m [Your Name] from [Your Company]! I’m reaching out because my team thought you’d want to be the first to know about this brand-new product line we’re launching!

Would you like more information on when this will be going live?

Best,

[Your Name]

However, this strategy can also be used to tease an upcoming event. Inviting local influencers and offering them free tickets is a great way to get some free press for your event. Use this template below in such an instance.

Hi [Name]!

I’m [Your Name] from [Your Company]! I’m reaching out because we’re hosting an exclusive event to launch our next capsule collection and we thought you’d love an invite! Other notable attendees include [Name 1] and [Name 2].

Are you interested in attending? We’d love to get you and a friend set up with comped tickets!

Let me know!

[Your Name]

Make the influencer you’re reaching out to feel special and like they’re really going to be missing out on something if they don’t reach back out to learn more about the product launch, event, or whatever else you’re offering exclusive access to or information about.

5. Recruiting affiliate partners

If your brand is creating an affiliate marketing program, influencer outreach can be a great way to bulk up your initial affiliate partners. However, it can be difficult to get people that are new to your brand to sell your products for you.

This is why you should reach out to influencers you’ve already worked with in the past and/or offer free products before the influencer signs up for the program to make sure they feel comfortable becoming an affiliate. Using influencer outreach tools like [Tool Name], [Tool Name], or [Tool Name] can streamline this process by helping you identify warm leads, automate outreach, and track responses—all in one place.

Use a template like the one below to start tapping into your influencer network as an affiliate marketing strategy.

Hi [Name]!

I’m [Your Name] with [Your Company]. We’ve just launched our brand new affiliate program, and based on your recent posts sharing your fabulous [content type], we thought you’d be a great fit!

To get you started, we’d love to gift you a few

of your choice to see what you think. If you love them, we’d be thrilled to get you onboarded as an affiliate!

Our affiliates receive a [commission rate]% commission on every sale they make through their link, and we provide a ton of assistance to help our partners get the most out of our program as possible.

Let me know what you think! We’d love to work with you.

Best,

[Your Name]

Make sure you let your influencers know exactly what’s in it for them. Being an affiliate can be a lot of work—offering free products and guidance to getting started plus a generous commission is key to increasing the number of yesses you get in return.

Do’s and don’ts in your outreach emails

Ready to start recruiting some influencers to work with your brand? The above templates and the following tips can help you get started—and see success.

DO have a goal for your influencer outreach

Every campaign—even with influencer marketing—should have a core goal or objective. Are you trying to increase brand awareness? Increase eyes on a new product? Build relationships with influencers in your industry? Improve overall engagement online?

Make sure you pinpoint your goal before you send your outreach communication. Not only does this help guide the overall campaign, but it also helps you decide which template to use and what to say in your emails.

DON’T copy and paste templates without personalizing them

Templates are great for getting your emails started on the right track. Templates are not meant to be sent word-for-word to each influencer you reach out to.

Make sure you personalize each email to show the influencers that you’re actually familiar with the types of content they publish and that specific posts have made them seem like a great fit for your brand. Call out certain posts as well that really resonated with you to help them feel like they’re doing something right.

DO your research to find the best influencers

You shouldn’t be reaching out to every influencer with over 25,000 followers. You need to make sure the influencers actually make sense for your brand—and vice versa, that it would make sense for the influencer to promote your product.

Do your research and compile a list of influencers in your industry. Then section that list based on their follower count. Sometimes even working with micro-influencers with less than 10,000 followers can be a great strategy. Automate influencer research and outreach using tools like [Tool Name], which help you source email addresses at scale from [Platform Name] thought leaders and automate connection requests.

DON’T expect influencers to work for free

Free product is not enough of an incentive for a full influencer campaign.

Influencers are entrepreneurs running their own businesses, just like you. Therefore, it is important to compensate them for their work.

While offering free products can be a good way to create brand awareness, especially when starting out, it does not guarantee a return on investment.

When reaching out to influencers, be sure to avoid sounding like you expect them to work for free. Instead, inquire about their rates for collaborations to show that you are serious. If your email gives off the impression that you only want them to work for free products, they are less likely to respond.

DO send follow-up emails

Don’t hesitate to send follow-up emails. Influencers receive numerous emails daily and may overlook yours accidentally. Sending follow-up emails with engaging subject lines can help you stand out in their crowded inboxes.

Begin crafting effective influencer outreach emails

Now is the time to start composing your outreach emails and partnering with influencers to promote your brand. By using these templates and suggestions, you will be well-equipped to create personalized emails that deliver results. For additional assistance with your influencer marketing strategy, explore our new tool, InfluencerCandy.

Looking for more resources on influencer marketing? We’ve got you covered – check out the following articles:

• How to Initiate Influencer Marketing for Your Ecommerce Business (With Examples!)
• How Influencer Marketing Can Enhance Your Referral Programs
• How to Discover Authentic and Budget-Friendly Influencers for Your Brand
• How to Partner With Influencers Beyond Sponsoring Posts
• 5 Indications That Your Business Is Prepared for Influencer Marketing