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One of the best ways to generate steady income as an influencer is to work with brands. An influencer marketing campaign is a win-win for both parties. Influencers get paid and brands get an authentic ad placed in front of a tailored audience. So, how can an influencer connect with brands? Most influencers send an email or connect through an influencer marketing platform like ours. But this influencer outreach email template can make this connection easier. 

We’ll look at what brands want in an influencer, what to do before reaching out to a brand, and provide an email template to help partner with brands of your choice. 

What do brands look for in an influencer?

Before you reach out to a brand, it’s important to know what they’re looking for. You may need to put in some work before you craft your email pitch. 

Brands typically want influencers who:

  • Have at least 1,000 followers.
  • Are engaged with their audience.
  • Post regularly.
  • Take their role seriously.
  • Have professional-looking channels with full bios and high-quality content.
  • Showcase a variety of content (images, videos, graphics).

What to do before sending a cold email to a brand

There are a few steps to take before you connect with a brand, which include:

Engage with the brand on social

Take some time to engage with the brand on social. Like their posts, comment on their content, and share your thoughts. Think of this as “warming up” a brand. You’re trying to make a connection before you send the email.

Get a contact name

When you apply for a job, you’re encouraged to get the name of the hiring manager for your cover letter. You should do the same here. Take a minute to send a quick DM and ask whom you should contact for sponsored ads

Know the brand

Your emails need to be personal. To do that, you need to know the brand. You should be familiar with several of their products, know what the company stands for, and be familiar with recent ad campaigns. Ideally, this brand is one you already support. If not, spend a fair amount of time researching the company before reaching out. 

Email template for influencers to connect with brands

When you’re ready to craft an email pitch, it should have these five components: 

  1. Introduction with niche specification.
  2. Product talk.
  3. Campaign specifics.
  4. Metrics.
  5. Conclusion.

Introduction with niche specification 

Start with a short, one-sentence introduction that explains who you are and what niche you focus on. 

Product talk

Which product are you interested in sponsoring? You need to be specific here. Marketing coordinators want to see that you’ve done your homework. A generic, “I love all of your products” won’t cut it. 

Look for the exact product name online and make sure you get the proper name; watch for proper spelling, capitalization, and spacing. 

Specify the product you want to rep and explain why you like it. This is a good time to talk about your experience with the product or share a quick story about using it. 

Campaign specifics  

What kind of collaboration would you propose? Again, be specific. Tell the brand what kind of content you’d like to create, what it would entail, and which platform you’d share it on. 

Your goal here is to tell the brand what you can do for them. Choose your words carefully. Focus on the brand and the campaign instead of how awesome you are.

Metrics

Marketers love metrics, so add a few to your pitch. Provide the following metrics:

If you’re part of our influencer marketing platform, you can provide a link to your profile, which gathers these metrics for you. 

In addition to metrics, if you have worked with any other brands, provide links to the campaigns. A media kit usually provides this type of information, so if you have one, share the link to it.

Conclusion

When you sign off, you should include links to your social profiles and end with a call to action. What do you want to happen next? Do you want to set up a meeting? If so, make that your call to action.

A better way to connect

If sending cold emails to brands feels like a challenge, consider joining IZEA’s influencer marketing platform. You can showcase your channels, explain your talents, and join a directory of “for-hire” influencers that brands use regularly to find talent. 

No email template needed. You simply chat via DM through the platform, negotiate a deal, and receive payment all in one place. 

These tools are meant to connect influencers and brands and remove the barriers involved in launching an influencer marketing campaign. 

Influencers:

Looking to partner with industry-leading brands? Create your free profile today. 

Marketers:

The world’s biggest brands trust IZEA’s influencer marketing software and managed solutions. Find out which solution is right for you.