If you’re just starting out on your creator journey, chances are you’re going to have to reach out to a few brands before they start reaching out to you.
We promise it’s not as scary as it sounds.
And to get you started learning how to reach out to brands as an influencer, we’ve put together a quick guide to help you get fully prepared to crush your next collaboration pitch. All you need to do is bring the confidence!
What to have before reaching out to brands
We know you’re eager to start landing those brand deals, but before you start reaching out to brands, we need to get a few things straight first. Here are some steps you can take to put your best foot forward and let brands know you mean business:
A GRIN for Creators account
GRIN for Creators helps you find aligned brands and active campaigns you can work on. It also has a profile section, which essentially acts as your digital resume. So, before you start firing off those outreach messages, take a few minutes to set yourself up in GRIN for Creators and get familiar with the landscape.
All relevant creator metrics and information
Before you start researching brands, you first need to do a little research on yourself. Comb through the metrics on your primary social media platform and pull everything a brand might need to determine if you’re the right fit.
Remember, follower count is important, but it isn’t the end-all-be-all. Most brands will be far more interested in your engagement rate and audience insights.
GRIN for Creators will pull some of these metrics automatically. Others, you’ll need to collect yourself. Here is a list of everything you’ll need:
- A short bio (~50 words)
- Your primary social media platform + handle
- Audience demographics
- % of male-female followers
- Average age range
- Location
- Social media metrics
- Follower count
- Engagement rate
- Weekly video views
- Average impressions
- Your specialties (fitness coach, photographer, chef, or any unique skills that set you apart)
- Contact information
A media kit
Once you’ve gathered all relevant metrics, it’s time to compile everything into a media kit. Feel free to use our free template as a starting point. This is a chance to show a little extra personality, so speak in your natural voice and make it look great!
When you’re done, export your document to a pdf or slide deck so you can easily attach it to your next outreach email.
Pro Tip: Leverage your GRIN for Creators profile as a digital resume when reaching out to brands. Just sign up (for free), fill out your profile, and start finding partnerships!
A portfolio
You can add a portfolio to the end of your media kit, or you can have a separate document. Either way, this is your chance to “show off” a bit and tell brands about any work or past collaborations you’re particularly proud of.
It’s also a good idea to add a little extra context to the content you include. Here are a few questions to consider:
- What made the collaboration successful?
- What made you excited to work with this brand?
- How could this content apply to the partnership you’re seeking now?
An engaging platform
Whichever platform you choose to include, your potential partner should be able to see that you have a connection with your audience. Do your best to respond to positive comments on your content and go live in a setting where you have a chance to respond to your audience in real time. You’re already including your engagement rate in your media kit, but doing these little things will let brands know you’re willing to go the extra mile.
An area of focus
Being a jack-of-all-trades isn’t always as appealing as it sounds. Try to zero in on what you do best and focus primarily on that. This eliminates some brands you might otherwise reach out to, but it will also increase your chances of nailing down a partnership with the right brand.
How to reach out to brands as an influencer for collaboration
Ready to start reaching out? Let’s go through the process.
Use GRIN’s Brand Search and Campaign Finder tools.
The easiest way to find brands to partner with is using the Brand Search tool on GRIN for Creators. This feature allows you to narrow your search to easily identify companies aligned with your personal brand. Just enter your preferred criteria, and viola—we’ll populate a list of potential partners just for you.
If you’re looking for a specific campaign to hop on, the Campaign Finder tool might be your best bet. With this tool, you can filter by active projects and quickly apply to the ones to which you think you can add the most value.
Do your homework.
Don’t start reaching out to brands before you know some details about them first. Here are a few things to investigate:
- Origin story
- Mission statement
- The type of influencer collaborations they’ve done in the past
- Their primary social media platforms
Knowing the details will help you determine if they’re really a good fit, so you don’t waste time promoting a brand you don’t actually care about or want to use. It will also give you a chance to include some more personal information in your outreach.
Plant the seed.
When you identify a brand you like, engage with its social media content to see if you can get on the team’s radar. Don’t ask for a collaboration in the comment section. Just make a few comments here and there to let them know you’re a fan.
How to contact brands: your best options for success
Let’s quickly touch on a few different ways you can reach out to the brands you identify through GRIN for Creators:
Direct message
Social media DMs are the perfect way for creators to connect with brands because they’re personal, direct, and show initiative. Plus, it’s where most brand managers already hang out, making your pitch hard to miss. The best part? GRIN for Creators automatically pulls the social handles for each brand in its Brand Search tool, so you never have to go searching for the right @.
Email allows for a more detailed and professional introduction. You can attach your media kit, portfolio, and detailed collaboration ideas, giving brands a comprehensive view of what you offer. It’s also easier for brands to forward your information to relevant team members.
The downside: It can be tricky to find email addresses for the right contacts. You may be able to pull them from the brand’s website. They might also have contact info for creators in their social media bio. If not, DMs are going to be your best bet.
This is technically going to be a DM, but we feel that reaching out on LinkedIn is a bit different than outreach via Instagram and TikTok DMs. LinkedIn outreach is a bit more “serious” and professional. Plus, it allows you to connect directly with decision-makers.
Brand website
Sometimes brands have landing pages on their websites where creators can apply to work with them directly. GRIN for Creators automatically pulls these landing pages into its Campaign Finder tool, but it’s worth keeping an eye on when you are surfing the web.
How to pitch yourself to brands as a creator.
Outreach best practices will remain mostly consistent no matter how you are reaching out. The main point is to keep your initial outreach short and sweet. Let the prospect know why you’re reaching out and how they can follow up with you.
What to include in your pitch
At this point, you should have a few intriguing prospects you’re ready to reach out to. Here’s what to include in your pitch:
- Short intro: Introduce who you are and what you do, but keep it short!
- Purpose of contact: You’re looking for a partnership, but let the brand know why you chose them specifically.
- Value prop: Make sure the brand knows exactly what you bring to the table.
- CTA: Close with a clear call to action, so the brand knows how to follow up.
- Media kit/portfolio: Give the brand some additional information on your qualifications. Send them your media kit and portfolio. Or better yet, just shoot them a link to your GRIN for Creators profile!
Brand pitch examples
Need a little extra inspiration? Here are few templates you can use when reaching out to brands:
Product enthusiast
Hey [Brand Name] team!
I’m [Your Name], a [brief description of what you do, e.g., fitness enthusiast and content creator], and I absolutely love your [specific product].
It’s been a game-changer for me, and I’d love to share my passion for it with my followers.
Do you have some time to chat about how we can showcase your amazing products together?
PS – Feel free to check out my [GRIN for Creators profile] to get a better feel for engagement metrics and content style.
Cheers,
[Your Name]
[Your Contact Information]
Storytelling approach
Hi [Brand Name] team,
I’m [Your Name], a [brief description of what you do, e.g., lifestyle blogger and content creator].
Your [specific product] has truly transformed my daily routine, and I’d love to share this journey with my audience.
I believe that together, we can create a compelling narrative around how your product helps people achieve [specific goal].
Let’s discuss how we can bring this story to life!
PS – Feel free to check out my [GRIN for Creators profile] to get a better feel for engagement metrics and content style.
Best,
[Your Name]
[Your Contact Information]
Audience insights
Hi [Recipient’s Name],
I’m [Your Name], a [brief description of what you do, e.g., tech influencer and YouTuber], and I’ve been closely following [Brand Name]’s innovations.
My audience consists primarily of [demographic], who are always looking for [specific benefit your product offers]. I’m confident that we can create content that not only engages my audience but also drives value for your brand.
Could we schedule a call to explore this potential partnership?
PS – Feel free to check out my [GRIN for Creators profile] to get a better feel for engagement metrics and content style.
Looking forward to your response!
Best regards,
[Your Name]
[Your Contact Information]
Be communicative.
Communication is key for any relationship. After you’ve sent your pitch, be sure to keep a close eye on your inbox so you can respond to any follow-ups as quickly as possible.
At this stage in the game, it’s essential to always put your best foot forward. Let your potential partners know you’ll be easy to communicate with and eager to start the partnership.
Follow up with your partners.
There’s nothing wrong with being excited about a potential partnership. If you haven’t heard from the brand you reached out to after a couple of days, don’t be afraid to send them a follow-up. But if you don’t get a response after one or two extra attempts, it’s probably best to move on.
Following up with brands is also important after you’ve started a partnership. Check in from time to time to make sure they’re happy with your work and have all the data they need to determine the success of your partnership.
Key takeaway: Be confident, personable, and professional to nail your next brand collaboration outreach.
So, are you ready to land your dream partnership? We know reaching out to brands might seem intimidating at first, but you can pull it off with a little planning and persistence. Keep your message short and sweet, but don’t be afraid to be yourself. You got this!
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