How to Write an Influencer Proposal

Crafting an influencer proposal that gets a yes feels like a mix of art and science. Get it right, and you spark a powerful partnership, get it wrong, and your email gets lost in a crowded inbox. This guide will walk you through the essential steps to write a proposal that influencers actually want to read, breaking down everything from the prep work to the final ask.

Before You Write: The Essential Groundwork

Jumping straight into writing without a plan is a recipe for a proposal that feels generic and uninspired. A little bit of homework goes a long way and shows the creator you're serious about a genuine partnership, not just blasting a template to a hundred accounts. Before you type a single word, cover these bases.

Define Your Campaign Goals

First things first: what are you actually trying to achieve? An influencer collaboration without a clear goal is just shouting into the void. Vague goals like "get more exposure" won't cut it. Instead, get specific using the SMART framework (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound).

• Brand Awareness: Are you a new brand trying to get on the map? Your goal might be to achieve 1 million impressions and 50,000 profile visits within a 30-day campaign period.
• Sales and Conversions: Are you launching a new product? The goal could be to generate 200 sales through a unique affiliate code within two weeks of the first post going live.
• User-Generated Content (UGC): Do you need authentic content for your own social channels? The goal might be to acquire 10 high-quality video assets you have the rights to repurpose for the next six months.

Knowing your goal shapes every other part of your proposal, from the deliverables you request to how you measure success.

Identify the *Right* Influencers

Mega-influencers with millions of followers aren't always the answer. The best partnerships come from finding creators whose audience perfectly aligns with your target customer. Look beyond the follower count and dig into the data that really matters:

• Engagement Rate: A 10,000-follower creator with a 5% engagement rate (likes, comments, shares, saves) is often far more valuable than a 100,000-follower account with a 1% rate. It shows their audience is active, loyal, and actually listening.
• Audience Demographics: Ask for their media kit or use platform analytics to check if their audience's age, location, and interests match your ideal customer profile. It doesn’t matter if they love your brand if their followers are in a completely different demographic.
• Brand Fit and Authenticity: Does their content mesh with your brand’s personality? If you're a sustainable, eco-friendly skincare brand, partnering with an influencer known for fast-fashion hauls will feel inauthentic and confuse both of your audiences. Look for creators who are already talking about the problems your product solves.

Do Your Research

This is the step that separates the pros from the spam. Influencers can spot a copy-paste template from a mile away. To show them you’re a real human who values their work, invest a bit of time in getting to know them.

Scroll through their feed. Watch their Stories. Read the comments on their posts. You’ll quickly get a sense for their tone, an inside joke with their community, or a recent project they were passionate about. Mentioning something specific in your opening line - "Loved your recent series on finding the best coffee in Brooklyn!" - instantly builds rapport and proves you’ve done more than skim their bio.

Anatomy of a Winning Influencer Proposal

Once you've laid the groundwork, it's time to assemble the proposal itself. Think of it like a story: you need a strong opening, a clear plot (the campaign idea), and a compelling call to action. Here are the key sections every great proposal should include.

1. The Personalized Opening

Your opening line is the most important part of the entire message. It determines whether they keep reading or hit delete. Avoid generic and lazy openers at all costs.

DON'T SAY THIS: "Dear Influencer, I work for [Brand] and we love your content. We'd like to collaborate."

TRY THIS INSTEAD: "Hey [Influencer's Name]! My name is [Your Name] from [Your Brand]. I've been following your YouTube travel vlogs for a while, and your editing on the latest Iceland video was absolutely stunning. It really made me want to plan a trip."

See the difference? The second example is specific, genuine, and demonstrates a real appreciation for their work. It shifts the dynamic from a cold transaction to a warm conversation between two people who value great content.

2. The "About Us" Snapshot

Don't assume they know who you are. Provide a one-to-two sentence summary of your brand. Keep it concise, focused on your mission, and relevant to them. Connect what you do with what they care about.

Example: "At [Your Brand], we create plant-based, cruelty-free supplements to help busy people stay energized. Seeing your focus on holistic wellness and real-food nutrition, I thought our new matcha blend could be a natural fit for you and your audience."

3. The Campaign Concept & Creative Brief

This is the heart of your proposal. You need to explain the "big idea" behind the collaboration. The goal here is to balance clear direction with creative freedom. Influencers build their audience by being creators, not billboards. They know what resonates, so let them do what they do best.

• The Big Idea: "We're launching our new noise-canceling headphones and want to partner with creators for a 'Find Your Focus' campaign, showing how you get into the zone for your creative work."
• Creative Freedom: "We'd love to see your unique take on this. Whether it's showing how you edit a video, write a script, or plan your content, we're excited to see your process."
• Key Messaging & Guardrails: Provide a few non-negotiables. "The one thing we ask is that you clearly mention the 30-hour battery life and show the product's traveling case. Otherwise, the script, style, and tone are completely up to you." List any required hashtags (e.g., #brandpartner #ad) and accounts to tag.

4. Deliverables and Timeline

Get specific about exactly what you need. Vague requests lead to confusion. A bulleted list is your best friend here.

Example Deliverables:

• Two (2) Instagram Reels, 30-60 seconds each, featuring the product in use.
• One (1) TikTok video, 15-30 seconds, following a popular trend but adapted for our brand.
• A set of four (4) Instagram Stories with a direct link to the product page.

Example Timeline:

• Product Shipment Date: October 5th
• Draft for Review Deadline: October 15th (for legal checks, not creative direction)
• Publish Day for Post #1: October 20th
• Publish Day for Post #2: October 27th

5. Compensation & Perks

Time to talk money. Be upfront and respectful. Don't ask for their rates and then ghost them. Present a fair offer based on their size, engagement, and the scope of work.

Good approach: "Based on these deliverables, we have a budget of $[XXXX] for this partnership. We're also happy to provide you with a full year's supply of our product. We’re open to discussing this to find a rate that feels great for both of us."

Being transparent about your starting budget saves everyone time. If your offer is far below their standard rate, they can politely decline instead of going through a lengthy back-and-forth. Emphasizing flexibility shows that you see this as a negotiation between partners, not a take-it-or-leave-it deal.

6. Next Steps & Call to Action

End your proposal with a clear, low-friction next step. Don't leave them guessing what to do next.

Instead of "Let me know what you think," try: "If this collaboration sounds like a good fit, I'd be happy to hop on a quick 15-minute call next week to answer any questions. You can also reply here with your media kit if you prefer. Really looking forward to the possibility of working together!"

Best Practices to Make Your Proposal Stand Out

A solid structure is great, but a few extra touches can turn a good proposal into an irresistible one.

• Keep it Scannable: Influencers are busy. Use headlines, bold text, and bullet points to break up your text. They should be able to get the gist of your offer in 30 seconds.
• Be Hyper-Personalized: We mentioned this before, but it's worth repeating. Referencing a specific piece of their content is the single best way to cut through the noise.
• Use a Killer Subject Line: Make it clear and compelling. "Collaboration Idea for You" is weak. "Partnership Opportunity: [Your Brand] x [Influencer's Handle]" is direct and professional.
• Show Them the Mood Board: If you have a clear vision, include a link to a simple mood board or concept doc. This helps them visualize the campaign and shows you've put real thought into the creative direction.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Your Outreach

Avoid these common pitfalls that instantly land you in the "no" pile:

• Negotiating in DMs: A DM is fine for an initial "Hey, I'm from [Brand], where's the best email to send a partnership proposal?" but don’t try to execute the whole deal there. It's unprofessional and hard to track.
• Offering "Exposure" as Payment: Creators are running businesses. Paying with free product can sometimes work for gifted collaborations with micro-influencers, but expecting significant work for "exposure" is disrespectful.
• Sending a Vague Mass Email: Using Mail Merge with `Hi {first_name}` isn’t personalization. If your proposal could be sent to 100 different people without changing anything but the name, it’s not strong enough. Make each one feel like it was written just for them.
• Massive Attachments: Don't clog their inbox with huge files. Send a link to a Google Drive or Dropbox folder if you need to share large brand assets or media kits.

Final Thoughts

In the end, a successful influencer proposal boils down to respect. It respects the creator’s time by being clear and concise, respects their creativity by offering freedom alongside guidance, and respects their business by providing fair compensation. By treating it as the beginning of a true partnership instead of a simple transaction, you’ll not only get more positive replies but also build stronger, longer-lasting relationships.

Once your proposal gets the green light and the campaign kicks off, things can get busy fast. From our experience running campaigns, keeping track of when each piece of influencer content is scheduled to go live over different platforms is critical. We built Postbase with a visual calendar that helps us see the entire campaign at a glance, making it easy to spot gaps and ensure everything posts on time. It also helps manage the flood of comments and engagement coming in from the campaign in one unified inbox, which saves a ton of time switching between apps.