16 Real Influencer

Pitches That Actually

Got an Answer and
Some That Didn’t

joinstatus.com
 16 Real Influencer
Pitches That
Actually Got an
Answer and Some
That Didn’t

Are you sometimes stuck wondering why an influencer never replied to

that email you sent two weeks ago? I mean, you thought you were doing
everything right. You were polite, engaging and even followed up when you
didn’t hear back. So what went wrong and why didn’t you get a response?

Reaching out to influencers can be hard, and we all know that first
impressions are everything. Knowing exactly how to pitch to influencers
will help your outreach tactics become more effective and less like a
tiresome letdown. We’ve put together a collection of real influencer pitches
that actually got an answer, along with some that didn’t, to help get you on
the road to successful pitching. We’ve also included pitch templates your
brand can customize for more effective pitching.
Why pitch influencers in the first place?
1. I NFLUENCERS ARE A CREDIBLE SOURCE. A whopping 92% of consumers trust
recommendations from individual people, even strangers, over a brand’s recommendation. This
speaks volumes when it comes to what influencers can do for your brand.

2. I NFLUENCERS PROVIDE A THIRD-PARTY ENDORSEMENT. Being backed by an influencer is

beneficial because their audience is your buyer persona. They trust and value the opinions of the
influencers they follow, which makes you come across as credible when you partner with them.

3. I NFLUENCER POSTS GET HIGHER ENGAGEMENT RATES. These rates also come at lower
costs compared to traditional marketing. This can be great for not only startups and small
businesses, but even smart businesses that want to reach a select group of followers more
specific to their product.
Pitches That Worked
There’s a lot that goes into influencer pitching. Maybe even more than you thought. It’s a mix of
having a personal approach, yet not being too lengthy or sounding clingy. The examples below are
all real brand pitches that influencers received, appreciated and answered:
Pitches That Didn’t
While influencer pitches can and should be simple, that doesn’t mean they don’t require effort. Here
are examples of pitches that didn’t get a response…or even worse, were marked as spam by the
influencer.
We also asked our network of Statusphere influencers for examples of their biggest pet peeves when
brands pitch them - specifically ones that will guarantee no response.

When brands reach out to

When brands pitch to influencers influencers and address them by
using a template and forget to fill it their blog/handle name instead of
out. Example: “Hey [insert influencers their real name.
name] we’d love to collab with you.”

When brands ask to collab with

When brands misspell the influencer’s influencers, but want them to pay
name because they failed to look at for the product/only get paid when
their profile/email to find it. others use their code to buy the
products.

When brands do specific outreach to

influencers without looking at their page When brands use generic/
to see if it’s a good match. Example: A impersonal pitches to recruit
weight loss company/binge eating disorder influencers. Example: “Hey girl!”
awareness organization reaching out to
influencers who do not/never have focused
on those topics.

When brands pitch to

influencers asking them to
When a brand isn’t mindful of reach out to collab. Ex: “We love
the influencers they are working your style, DM our main account.”
with. Example: Sending an influencer
another person’s contract.

Remember these, because they’re the quickest way to get an influencer to delete your message and
possibly write off your brand forever.
How to Start Reaching out to Influencers
Now we know why it’s important to pitch to influencers and how some brands excel or epicly
fail with first impressions. But before you start drafting that DM, it’s time to run through the
communication basics you need to know. Check out some general info below as well as some
outreach do’s and don’ts to better understand how successful pitching works:

• Every influencer is unique, so your communication with them should be as well.

• Templates exist, but that doesn’t mean there’s a formula for the perfect pitch. Just follow the
key guidelines to improve your chances of success.

• Each method of contacting influencers has its purpose:

— DMs are best for short and to the point messages.
— Email allows for longer messages and can include much more information about the offer.
— Blog contact forms give the influencer control, which they might prefer.

Outreach Do’s
1. PITCH INFLUENCERS WHO ALIGN WITH YOUR BRAND.

This should go without saying, but it’s often something that is missed (and why you’re not getting
a response). It ensures that you are gaining an influencer who has a genuine passion for your
product. Not to mention, their followers will most likely be interested too.

2. DO YOUR RESEARCH.

Really get to know the influencer and be able to make conversation about their life and interests.
This will go a long way, especially when you’re one person out of hundreds who may be contacting
them. You’ll stand out and increase your chances of a reply if you can add a human element in your
pitch to them.

3. BE MINDFUL OF THEIR TIME AND CONTACT PREFERENCES.

Always send messages during the business hours of their time zone and keep your pitch at a short
2-4 sentences in most cases. You should also know how they prefer to be contacted and use that
method for outreach. Be patient and don’t be discouraged if you don’t hear back right away. They
may not check their messages for a few days, even a week.
4. PERSONALIZE YOUR MESSAGE, BUT STAY FOCUSED.

Do this by mentioning something about them that you’ve seen on their feed, such as a trend
they’ve been loving or one of their passions. However, don’t drag it out too long in risk of having a
lengthy message.

5. TREAT THEM LIKE THEY AREN’T JUST A MARKETING TOOL.

Doing so will make the experience more personable and less transactional. Influencers work
hard on the content they create, so make it a point to let them know you value their work and are
excited to genuinely get to know them.

6. TRY PARTNERING WITH THEM ON A LONG-TERM BASIS.

Instead of a one-off campaign, try building a long-lasting relationship that will make outreach for
future collaborations a breeze. Affiliate links and ambassador programs are great ways to build
relationships. Even having several sponsored posts from the same influencer builds a relationship
between your brand and them, as well as their followers.

7. BE CLEAR ABOUT ANY COMPENSATION.

To a brand, it may seem obvious what they want out of the relationship, but an influencer may be
looking for something completely different. Always have that conversation so everyone is on the
same page.
Outreach Don’ts
1. DON’T MISSPELL THEIR NAME, OR ANYTHING FOR THAT MATTER.

Again, you’d think this would go without saying but when you’re reaching out to multiple
influencers at once, this can be a pretty common mistake. Double checking before you hit the
send button will ensure this won’t happen.

2. DON’T BE CORNY, YOUR BRAND VOICE IS ENOUGH.

Keep your message simple and real. Stay professional and true to your brand’s authentic voice.
Don’t get caught up in using trendy slang or memes if that’s not natural to your brand.

3. TEMPLATES ARE FINE, BUT NEVER COPY AND PASTE THE SAME MESSAGE TO
MULTIPLE INFLUENCERS.

Yes, templates are easy to use and convenient, but always plug in information specific to each
influencer when using them. If you don’t, you’ll end up sounding generic and uninterested in the
influencer - yikes.

4. DO NOT SPAM!

Following up after a few days is fine, but after that, leave them be. Repeatedly messaging the
influencer to get a response puts them in an awkward situation while making your brand look
bad. If you haven’t heard back after one follow-up a few days after your initial message, walk
away. Remember, mutual interest from both parties is key.

Take out the Risk, Contact Statusphere

As you can see, successfully pitching influencers takes a lot of time and effort. You can DIY it, or
get an influencer marketing platform to help you out. At Statusphere, we do the hard work for
you by aligning your brand with influencers who fit your company from our network of micro-
influencers.

The stress of personalizing pitches is taken care of by us - not to mention saving you time from
scrolling through endless profiles on Instagram. From there we handle the shipping, influencer
communication and legalities, so you can focus on your other marketing efforts. If your brand is
interested in running influencer marketing campaigns, our Statusphere team has you covered.
Click here to learn more about the process and contact one of our influencer marketing
specialists.
Instagram DM and Email Templates Your Brand Can
Personalize
We’ve put together 6 pitch templates to get you started with influencer outreach. Use these to
craft personalized and concise messages to start building your influencer network!

GENERIC COLLAB/PRODUCT FEEDBACK PITCH TEMPLATE

Email Template

Hey [Insert Influencer Name],

I have been following your profile on [insert social media platform] and really loved your
post(s) on [insert topic]. [Insert another sentence about their feed that adds a human
element].

My name is [insert name here] and I work for [insert company name]. We [insert what
you do/sell]. Since [insert what they are passionate about or what they like to post about
that coincides with your brand], I thought I would reach out to see if you would be open to
testing our product and doing a collaboration together!

Let me know if you are interested and I will send more details!

Thanks!

[insert your name here]

DM Template

Hey [insert influencer name],

The team and I loved your post about [insert description of related post]. At [insert
company name here] we [insert what you do/sell]. We’d love to send some your way so
you can give it a try and share with your audience!

Let me know if you’d be interested - thanks! -[insert your name here]

BRAND AMBASSADOR PITCH TEMPLATE

Email Template

Hey [insert influencer name],

My name is [insert name here] and I’m with [insert company here]. We have been
following your profile on [insert social media platform] and love your posts on [insert
topic]. We would like to invite you to become a brand ambassador for our company! We
think your [insert a reference to a topic they post about] really aligns with our company’s
mission [insert info about what you offer and your brand’s purpose].

As a brand ambassador, you’d partner with us for [insert how you plan to utilize your
ambassadors].

If you’re interested, I’d love to chat more with you to go over what our brand ambassador
program is all about!

Thanks!

[insert your name here]

DM Template

Hey [insert name here],

We’re launching a brand new campaign for our [insert product here] and would love for
you to be a brand ambassador for our company, [insert company name here]! Since you
are also [insert a reference to a topic they post about], we’d love to talk more in depth
with you about our brand and how we see you being a part of it. If you’re interested,
please email me at [insert email here].

We’re excited to have you join our team!

[insert your name here]

GIVEAWAY COLLAB PITCH

Email Template

Hi [insert influencer name here],

My name is [insert name here] and I work for [insert company name]. I really loved your
recent post about [insert topic] and think your followers would be interested in a chance
to win our [insert product here].

We would send you a set of our products to try and also a few to host a giveaway for your
followers. The rules to win would be simple, [insert giveaway rules].

If you’re interested, I’d love to chat more with you about the details!

Thanks!

[insert your name]

DM Template

Hey [insert name here],

We love your [insert topic] content and think you’d enjoy our [insert company name
and products]. We’d love to send you a bundle of our products for you to try and host a
giveaway for your followers! Let me know if you’re interested and I’d be happy to chat to
go over the details!

Thanks!

[insert your name]

joinstatus.com