Today, I’m excited to share with you some of my personal secrets to crafting an influencer outreach email that not only gets noticed, but also receives replies.
As a consultant, freelancer or small business owner, you probably already know how important influencer marketing can be. You’ve seen the stats, read the case studies, and maybe even dabbled a bit in reaching out to influencers. But if you’re anything like me when I first started, you might also know how incredibly frustrating it can be to send out dozens, or even hundreds, of influencer outreach emails, only to hear crickets in return.
Well, I’m here to tell you that there’s a better way. A way to craft your influencer outreach emails that will not only get you noticed, but will also help you build meaningful relationships with influencers.
Understanding Influencer Marketing
Before we dive into the nitty-gritty of crafting an effective influencer outreach email, let’s quickly recap what influencer marketing is all about.
In a nutshell, influencer marketing involves partnering with popular individuals or entities in your industry – the influencers – to promote your product or service to their followers. These influencers have a large, dedicated audience that trusts their opinions and recommendations, making them a powerful marketing tool for your business.
But like any relationship, the connection with an influencer must be built on trust and mutual benefit. And that’s where your influencer outreach email comes in.
Crafting the Perfect Influencer Outreach Email: The Basics
When it comes to crafting an influencer outreach email that gets replies, there are a few basic principles that I’ve found to be extremely effective:
- Personalization:This goes beyond just using the influencer’s name in your email. Do your homework, learn about the influencer’s interests, recent projects, and overall brand. Show that you genuinely care about their work.
- Value Proposition: What’s in it for them? Be clear about what you’re proposing and how it will benefit the influencer.
- Brevity: Keep your email concise and to the point. Influencers are busy people and don’t have time to read through lengthy emails.
- Professionalism: While it’s important to maintain a friendly tone, remember to keep your email professional. This is a business partnership you’re proposing, after all.
Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s dive into the specifics of crafting an influencer outreach email that gets replies.
The Subject Line: Make a Great First Impression
Your subject line is the first thing the influencer sees, so make it count. You want to pique their curiosity and give them a reason to open your email. Here are a few tips:
- Keep it short and sweet.
- Make it personal. Use the influencer’s name if possible.
- Be clear about your intention. If you’re vague or misleading, your email might end up in the trash.
Here’s are some examples of a good subject line:
- “[Influencer’s Name], Ready to Co-Star in Our Next Big Thing?”
- “Your Magic Touch + Our Brand = Unforgettable Collab?”
- “We’ve Got a Spot Just for You, [Influencer’s Name]!”
- “Turning the Tables: We’re Influenced by You, [Influencer’s Name]!”
- “Dare to Dazzle Us, [Influencer’s Name]?”
These subject lines are designed to capture attention with their uniqueness and create intrigue about what’s inside the email. They also implicitly show respect and admiration for the influencer’s work, which can be a positive start for your collaboration.
The Opening Line: Build a Connection
The first line of your email should immediately build a connection with the influencer. This is where your prior research comes in. Compliment them on a recent post or project, or mention how you personally benefit from their work. The goal here is to show that you’re a genuine fan of their work, not just someone looking for a quick promotion.
The Pitch: Present Your Value Proposition
After you’ve built a connection, it’s time to introduce your value proposition. This should be a concise summary of what you’re proposing and how it will benefit the influencer.
Remember to frame your proposal from the influencer’s perspective. They’ll be more likely to engage with your email if they can immediately see the value in your proposal.
The Closing: Make it Easy for Them to Reply
Finally, close your email with a clear call-to-action. This could be a question, a request for a meeting, or a suggestion for the next steps.
Also, make sure to thank the influencer for their time and express your enthusiasm for the potential partnership. A little politeness goes a long way!
Using the Right Tools for Influencer Outreach
While crafting the perfect email is important, it’s equally important to use the right tools for your influencer outreach.
Here are five highly-regarded platforms:
- BuzzSumo – An excellent tool for finding influencers in specific niches, analyzing what content performs best, and monitoring your performance.
- NinjaOutreach – A comprehensive platform for influencer marketing, allowing you to find, contact, and manage your relationships with influencers.
- Traackr – This platform helps you discover influencers, manage your relationships, and measure the impact of your campaigns.
- Upfluence – Upfluence offers influencer search and analysis, campaign management, and in-depth reporting.
- AspireIQ – AspireIQ focuses on building authentic relationships with influencers and creating communities around your brand.
These platforms can save you a lot of time and help you keep track of your outreach efforts.
Template you can use
Subject: We’re Big Fans, [Influencer’s Name]! Let’s Create Together.
Dear [Influencer’s Name],
I hope this message finds you well!
I am [Your Name], [Your Position] at [Your Company Name]. I’ve been following your work on [Their Platform] for quite some time and I’m always inspired by the unique content you create and the strong connection you have with your audience.
We at [Your Company] believe that a collaboration between us could lead to some truly exciting content. Our brand values align closely with your own, and we think that your creative approach and engaging storytelling could showcase our [products/services] in a fresh, exciting light.
Our proposal is simple: [Include a brief but clear summary of what the collaboration would look like. This could include product reviews, sponsored posts, guest blogging, or anything else that is relevant].
In return for your valuable time and effort, we would be pleased to [outline your offer. This could include monetary compensation, free products, promotion on your own platforms, or other benefits that might appeal to the influencer].
I truly believe this could be a mutually beneficial partnership that would deliver unique value to your audience while promoting our brand in a genuine and engaging way.
We’d love to jump on a call to discuss this in more detail, to understand your thoughts and answer any questions you might have.
Looking forward to your reply!
Best Regards, [Your Name] [Your Position] [Your Email] [Your Phone Number]
Remember, every influencer is unique, so it’s essential to tweak this template according to the specific influencer you are targeting. This personal touch can significantly increase your chances of success.
Final Thoughts
Influencer marketing can be a powerful tool for your business. But like any marketing strategy, it requires a thoughtful approach and a genuine desire to build meaningful relationships.
With these secrets for crafting an effective influencer outreach email, I believe that you’ll not only increase your response rate, but also build lasting partnerships with influencers in your industry.
And remember, the key to successful influencer marketing is persistence. Don’t get disheartened if you don’t get a reply right away. Keep refining your approach, keep reaching out, and most importantly – keep believing in the value that your business has to offer.
Happy emailing!
