How to Get in Touch with Influencers

Reaching out to influencers can feel like sending a message in a bottle and hoping it washes ashore somewhere useful. You’re not alone if you’ve sent dozens of emails only to get silence in return. But strong, game-changing influencer partnerships aren’t built on luck, they’re built on a smart, genuine approach that respects their time and offers real value. This guide will walk you through exactly how to find the right influencers for your brand, craft a message they’ll actually read, and build relationships that go far beyond a single sponsored post.

Before You Press Send: Preparing for Outreach

Success in influencer outreach begins long before you write a single subject line. Jumping straight to DMs without a clear strategy is a recipe for wasted time and missed opportunities. Taking the time to build a solid foundation ensures that when you do make contact, you’re connecting with the right people for the right reasons.

Step 1: Define What Success Looks Like

First, what do you actually want to achieve? "Getting the word out" isn't a goal, it's a wish. Get specific. Are you trying to:

• Drive sales for a specific product? Your goal might be "Generate 50 sales of our new skincare line in 30 days through influencer affiliate codes."
• Increase brand awareness? A better goal is "Increase our brand mentions on Instagram by 20% this quarter."
• Generate high-quality user-generated content (UGC)? Aim for something like, "Acquire 10 high-quality video assets from creator partners for use in our social media ads."
• Grow your own social media following? Try, "Gain 1,000 new, targeted Instagram followers from collaborator shoutouts."

Your goal will dictate the type of influencer, the kind of campaign you run, and the platforms you focus on. A direct sales goal might lead you to Instagram Stories with swipe-up links, while a content generation goal may focus on high-quality TikTok videos.

Step 2: Find the Right Influencers (Not Just the Biggest)

With your goal in mind, it’s time to find your partners. Resist the urge to only look for accounts with hundreds of thousands of followers. Your most effective messengers are often those with smaller, more dedicated communities.

Where to Look for Potential Partners

Finding talent isn't about aimless scrolling. You can be methodical:

• Follow the Hashtags: Search for specific, niche hashtags related to your industry. If you sell custom hiking gear, searching #vanlife, #solofemaletraveler, or #optoutside will lead you to passionate creators.
• Check Your Competitors: See who your competitors (or brands you admire in adjacent industries) are working with. Look at their tagged posts and mentions to discover creators who are already active in your space.
• Analyze Your Own Followers: Who are your biggest fans already? Sometimes your best advocates are already in your audience, creating content about your brand or your industry for fun. They might be smaller nano-influencers with super-engaged followers.
• Use Platform Tools: Platforms like TikTok have their own Creator Marketplace, which can help you find partners based on demographics, audience size, and interests.

Micro vs. Macro: Why Smaller is Often Better

It's easy to be dazzled by huge follower counts, but the most value often comes from micro-influencers (10k-100k followers) and even nano-influencers (1k-10k followers). Why?

Their audiences see them less as "celebrities" and more as "friends." A recommendation from them feels authentic and trustworthy. Not only that, but their engagement rates are often significantly higher than macro-influencers because they can maintain a more personal connection with their community. Plus, they are far more affordable and accessible for small and growing brands.

How to Vet an Influencer's Profile

Once you have a list of potential partners, it's time to do a little homework. You need to make sure they're a good fit before you reach out. Here's a quick checklist:

• Engagement Rate: Don't just look at follower count. Look at likes and, more importantly, comments. A simple formula is (Likes + Comments) / Followers x 100. An influencer with 10,000 followers and 500 average likes has a 5% engagement rate, which is quite good for Instagram. Abnormally low engagement is a red flag.
• Audience Quality: Read the comments. Are they generic ("Nice pic!") or are people having real conversations? Generic comments from accounts without profile pictures might indicate fake followers or bot activity.
• Content Alignment: Does their aesthetic, tone, and overall message fit with your brand? If your brand is bright, energetic, and playful, an influencer with a moody, minimalist feed probably isn't the right match, no matter how great their numbers are.
• Past Partnerships: Look at their previous sponsored posts. Do they feel forced or authentic? Do they work with brands you'd be comfortable being associated with? If they promote a different product every other day, their audience might have endorsement fatigue.

Crafting an Outreach Message That Gets an Answer

Once you’ve found the perfect potential partner, the real work begins. How you approach them can make or break the opportunity. Remember, popular influencers receive dozens, if not hundreds, of pitches every week. Yours needs to stand out.

Step 3: Build a Connection Before You Pitch

The absolute worst way to start a conversation is with a cold email from a stranger. The best way is to be a familiar face. Before you ever think about asking for something, give something: your attention.

For at least a week or two before reaching out, become a part of their community:

• Follow them on their primary platform.
• Leave thoughtful comments on their posts. Go beyond "Great shot!" and say something specific, like, "That editing tip about adjusting shadows in Lightroom just saved me so much time. Thanks for sharing!"
• Reply to their Stories or polls.
• If they have a newsletter, subscribe to it.

The goal is simple: when your name appears in their email or DM inbox, they should have a flicker of recognition. They're more likely to open a message from someone who seems like a genuine follower.

Step 4: Find Their Business Email (and Why It's Better Than a DM)

While a DM can work for very small creators or as an initial icebreaker ("Hi Sarah, love your hiking content! What's the best email to send a partnership idea to?"), email is the gold standard for professional outreach. It shows you’re serious, keeps the conversation organized, and respects the DM inbox as a space for community interaction. Where do you find it?

• The social media bio: Many influencers have an "Email" button right on their Instagram profile or list it directly in their bio.
• Link-in-bio services: Check their Linktree, Stan Store, or other link service. They often list a business email there.
• Their website or blog: An "About Me" or "Contact" page is a common place to find a professional email address.
• YouTube's "About" tab: On desktops, channels can display a business inquiries email address.

Step 5: Write the Perfect Outreach Email

This is it. Your message needs to be personal, concise, and value-driven. Think less like a marketing blast and more like a personal note to someone you professionally admire.

A Subject Line That Stands Out

Their inbox is crowded. Your subject line needs to be clear and intriguing. Avoid generic titles like "Collaboration."
Try something more specific:

• Collaboration Idea: [Your Brand Name] x [Influencer's Niche]
• Big fan of your latest YouTube video on [Topic]
• Quick question about a partnership for your [Platform] audience

The Opening: Make It Personal

The first two sentences are your entire pitch. They must prove this isn't a copy-and-paste email. Referencing your earlier engagement is a great strategy.

Instead of: "Dear Influencer, I'm from XYZ Brand and we sell eco-friendly coffee."
Try: "Hi Sarah, I loved your recent Reel on finding hidden camping spots in the Rockies. My team and I are huge fans of your adventurous spirit. It's why I'm reaching out."

The Pitch: Keep It Concise and Clear

Now, get to the point. Briefly introduce your brand (one sentence) and clearly state your proposal. Don't leave them guessing what you want.

Good example: "I'm the founder of Trailhead Coffee, and we make compostable coffee pods for outdoor lovers. We're looking for partners for a paid collaboration this spring and think your audience would be a perfect fit."

Clearly state what you're offering. Is it a gifted product, an affiliate partnership, or a paid campaign with a specific budget range? Transparency builds trust from the start.

The 'Why': Connect Their Audience to Your Brand

Show them you've thought about why this is a good fit for them and their audience, not just you. This demonstrates that you respect their community.

For example: "Since your followers are so passionate about sustainable travel and leaving no trace, we thought they'd really connect with our mission to cut down on single-use plastics on the trail."

The Call to Action: Make it Easy for Them

End with a simple, low-friction next step. Don't ask them to do a lot of work.

Avoid: "Let me know what you think and what your rates are."
Instead, try: "If you're interested, I’d be happy to send over details about the campaign deliverables and budget. Are you open to exploring this further?"

From First Contact to Campaign Kickoff

Sending the email is just one step. Knowing how to handle the follow-up, negotiations, and relationship-building is what separates one-off promotions from powerful, long-term brand advocacy.

Step 6: The Art of the Follow-Up

Influencers are busy. Emails get lost. It's perfectly okay to follow up. Wait 3-5 business days and send one polite follow-up. A simple reply to your original message works best:

"Hi Sarah, just wanted to check if you had a chance to see my email. No worries if the timing isn't right, but thought I'd check in one last time. Thanks!"

If you don't hear back after that, it's best to move on. Don't be pushy - it can damage you and your brand's reputation.

Step 7: Negotiating and Moving Forward With a "Yes"

When you get an interested reply, it's time to iron out the details. Be prepared to discuss:

• Deliverables: Exactly what content will they create? (e.g., one Instagram Reel, one TikTok video, and three Stories).
• Timeline: When will the content be posted?
• Usage Rights: Are you allowed to repurpose their content on your website or in your own ads? This often costs extra.
• Compensation: Get clear on the payment, gift, or affiliate structure.

For any paid collaborations, always get the terms in writing. A simple contract or email agreement protects both you and the creator.

Final Thoughts

Getting in touch with influencers effectively isn't about spamming hundreds of accounts, it's about making deliberate, genuine connections. When you invest the time to research partners, personalize your approach, and focus on providing value for them and their audience, you're not just buying a promotion - you're building a powerful partnership that can drive real growth.

Once those exciting collaborations go live, managing the new wave of conversation is the next critical step. At Postbase, we built a unified inbox to bring all your comments and DMs from every platform into one clean feed. This makes it effortless to monitor the buzz from an influencer campaign, engage meaningfully with new followers, and nurture the community your partners help you build, without the chaos of switching between a dozen apps.