Are you wondering: ‘how to reach out to brands as an influencer’?
The situation is you’re great at making awesome content. But you understand that likes and follows won’t cover all your costs. You keep posting and hoping brands will notice and want to work with you.
But why wait? You know that there are many content creators out there, and new ones keep showing up. Waiting for brands to make the first move may seem like forever. So, how to reach out to brands and monetize your content through partnerships?
Let’s try to find out. Here, we’ll cover everything about how to pitch yourself to brands. It’s all about being proactive. And this applies to all of you who want to be influencers, especially if you don’t have many followers as yet.
Once you’re good at pitching, you’ll create even more opportunities for brands to collaborate with you. Now, let’s dive in!
Why Do You Need to Pitch Brands as an Influencer?
Here are the reasons why you need to pitch brand as an influencer:
1. Brands Want to Find You, But Can’t
Don’t think you’re the only one looking for partnerships. Many brands are also searching for the perfect influencer to promote their products.
But the online world is huge, and it’s quite challenging to stand out in the crowd. Who knows, your unique character, real connection with your audience, and creative skills might be just what brands want. It’s just that the brands can’t find you.
With that in mind, it’s good to reach out and open the door for an opportunity to work together. This active approach connects your hidden talents with what brands need, helping both sides.
2. You Show You’re Serious
Reaching out to brands as a content creator is a big step. It shows you’re serious and dedicated to your work. It shows you’re ready to invest time and effort in a mutually beneficial relationship.
This proactive approach makes you stand out from creators who wait for opportunities.
Your first message to a brand is a chance to make a strong impression. Brands like people who are enthusiastic and committed. When you reach out, you’re not just another name in their inbox. You could be a long-term partner.
Making the first move can signal you’re not just after a one-time deal. Some brands often prefer this.
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3. You Can Align with Brands Better
If you reach out first, you can pick the right brand for you and your audience.
Think about it. You’ve spent a lot of time connecting with your audience and keeping up your reputation as a content creator. This connection is based on the things you both care about.
When you decide to work with brands, you’re not just picking any brand. You’re choosing one that fits well with what you and your audience believe in. This way, the content you make doesn’t just help the brand. But they also matter to your audience.
Knowing this can help you learn how to reach out to brands as an influencer.
4. You Stay in Charge of Your Creativity
As the one reaching out to brands, you hold the power to shape the partnership. You can do that by suggesting content that resonates with your audience.
In other words, it will be easier to stay authentic. Keep in mind that your unique style is what initially attracted your audience and brands. It’s important to keep it that way.
You can make sure that what you create is something you’re proud to share. It aligns with your audience’s preferences and the brand’s objectives.
5. You Have More Ways to Earn Money
You won’t learn how to pitch yourself to brands if you’re okay with what you’ve earned from ads. Don’t you?
But you realize that working with brands makes you look more reliable. Plus, it helps you on your journey as a content creator. Not to mention that you should not put all your eggs into one basket.
There are lots of chances for content creators to earn from many sources, including influence marketing. So, why not try them all?
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6. You Can Build a Diverse Portfolio
What’s the reason why pitching brands as an influencer is a good idea? A great portfolio, of course.
Imagine yourself as a social media influencer in the gaming niche. You’ve already collaborated with big names like Razer, Logitech, Artisan, and SteelSeries. You will notice that these collaborations will strengthen your gaming influencer portfolio.
You heard it right. Working with different brands, especially in the same niche, not only makes you better dealing with partnerships but also makes other companies think that working with you is beneficial.
In other terms, you become more attractive to other companies and give value to your fans and the brands you work with.
7. You Can Reach a Wider Audience
Your great portfolio and collab post will help you reach more people. Brands may share your sponsored content, showing it to their audience, too.
This is a great chance to get more followers. New people might follow you for a long time, making your influence and reach grow. It’s about building a community that helps both you and the brand.
Well, you have every reason to know how to reach out to brands as an influencer. Now, let’s jump into the main information about how to pitch yourself to brands right.
Read More: How to Get Brand Deals As A Social Media Influencer
How to Reach Out to Brands as An Influencer
These are the steps you need to do when you want to know how to pitch to brands:
1. Research the Brand
When you want to work with brands as an influencer, start by doing good research. This is the most important first step. You need to know who the brand is.
First, check their website. Look at their social media pages, too. Also, read any recent news about them. Then, learn about what the brand believes in and who they want to reach. Your ideas must match theirs.
A study by Survey Monkey found that 55% of people are more likely to buy from a company with the same ideas as them. So, if you hold certain beliefs that align with your followers and the brand, your role as an influencer becomes more straightforward, increasing your chances of success.
2. Know Your Worth
How to reach out to brands as an influencer? Understand your value before starting any strategy to pitch yourself to a brand. It’s all about showing brands what you can bring.
Start by looking at your analytics. Social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube provide information about your audience and engagement on their dashboard. If you want more detailed data, you can use social media management tools for more information.
Don’t get it wrong, it’s not just numbers; it’s about trust. Brands usually want $5.78 back for every dollar they spend. If you can provide the information, they can decide if working with you is good for their business.
Next, ensure your information is organized right. This way, when you send your email, brands can understand your data without getting confused or having to ask questions.
3. Engage with the Brand’s Content
Don’t be a stranger to the brand. Before pitching out to brands as an influencer, it’s important to interact with their content.
Start by following the brand on all their social media accounts. Pay attention to what they post and how they interact with their audience. When a brand posts Q&A content or polls, be sure to join in.
If you’re wondering how to pitch brands as an influencer, this can be a smart strategy to begin with. Why? It shows you have expertise or interest in the same things as the brand. It’s even better if your followers have the same interests.
What will brands think of you when they see that you have dedicated followers? Let’s say if the brands are Razer or Elgato, and your niche is gaming. They’ll see you as someone who can promote their products, with the expectation that your followers will buy the products due to your influence.
4. Prepare a Media Kit
Engaging with brands is important, but it’s not everything. When you’re figuring out how to reach out to brands as an influencer, creating a media kit can be your top strategy.
What’s a media kit? Think of it as your resume. It’s a brief overview of who you are, what you can do, and why a brand should work with you. In your media kit, you’ll share basic info like your name, niche, and social media stats.
Just like a professional resume, your media kit should be tailored for each brand you reach out to. You can also showcase your past collaborations with other brands and emphasize the success of those campaigns. This might include engagement rates, sales, or any relevant information.
Did you know that 92% of marketers believe influencer marketing works? Yes, your past successes show that you’re good at it, so it’s a good idea to highlight your achievements in your media kit.
5. Get Ready to Send Professional Emails
When you’re ready, it’s time to send an email to the brand you’ve chosen. But why is email the preferred choice over direct messaging on social media?
While you have the flexibility to use any communication medium to connect with your preferred brand, email stands out as the more preferred option for several specific reasons:
- More professional — You can use your own domain for professional emails to make them look trustworthy.
- More details — You can include detailed proposals with a media kit and ideas, which is better than social media.
- Easy tracking — You can track conversations, which is helpful for collaboration details.
- Broader teach — Email is widely used to ensure your proposal reaches all brands.
- Effective follow-ups — You can easily send follow-up emails for a better response.
Start by addressing the recipient by their name, if possible. Personalized emails work better. Keep your pitch concise and compelling but not too long. Finally, proofread your email before sending it.
6. Craft a Subject Line
We are trying to break it down, now. The next step in reaching out to brands as an influencer is crafting a compelling subject line for your email. This is how to reach out to brands as an influencer effectively. Why?
The subject line is the first thing a brand sees and 35% of people open emails because of the subject line. So, your subject line needs to grab their attention.
Start by keeping it short but make it relevant and engaging. Use the brand’s name or a recent campaign to show it’s not a generic email. You can also make it stronger by offering your unique value. This will quickly let the brand know you have what they want.
If you know how to do it right, then you can create a sense of urgency. You can use words like “important” or “the best time to do X”.
Some examples of subject lines are:
- “Let’s Collaborate on a Twitch Stream to Unveil Secret Boss Strategies in ‘Starfield’?”
- “Interested in Working Together on a YouTube Series Exploring the Lore of ‘One Piece Odyssey’?”
- “How About Making a Step-by-Step Cosplay Tutorial for ‘Genshin Impact’s Electro Archon, Raiden Shogun’ Together?”
7. Introduce Yourself Briefly
Let’s dive deep into how to pitch yourself to brands through email. And the next important part is the introduction.
Microsoft found that people usually pay attention for only eight seconds. So, you have a short time to make a good impression. With that in mind, start by saying your name and what you do. Keep it short but interesting.
Also, if you have had any engagement with the brand recently, mention that. It can help your pitch. Make sure to say that in your introduction.
Here’s an example to inspire you:
“I hope you’re doing great. I’m Alex, a gamer and streamer on Twitch and YouTube. I recently tried your HyperX Cloud II Gaming Headset and was really impressed by how good it sounded. My viewers loved it when I showed it on my stream.
I also took part in your recent poll on Instagram about the headset. I voted that it’s amazing and even shared some quick thoughts in the comments.”
8. Highlight What You Love About the Brand
Let’s say you just started. If you’re figuring out how to pitch to brands as a micro-influencer, being genuinely interested in the brand is key.
Start by mentioning specific products you admire. Your pitch should have both facts and emotions. After that, explain why those particular things from the brand mean a lot to you personally. This can make your pitch stronger.
If you can clearly explain what you like about the brand, and the brand agrees to use that as the idea for the sponsored content, your job will be easier.
Bear in mind that 86% of people think being real makes them like a brand more. Also, when a brand uses influencers to promote their product, people often buy more for that reason.
For example, you can say:
“HyperX, especially the HyperX Cloud II Gaming Headset, impresses me with its great design and features. As someone who spends hours gaming and streaming, comfort is a top priority.”
9. Showcase Your Past Work
What’s the next step in how to pitch to brands? Share your past work. Brands think about this when they decide to work with you. The key here is quality and relevancy.
Begin by picking your best collaborations or projects. Highlight the ones where you helped the brand reach its goals using its marketing strategy.
If you can, put in reviews from your past brand partners. Also, make it easy for the brand to see your previous work. You can include links to collaborations with brands that have gained huge views or engagement.
10. Share Your Rates
In steps one and two, you’ve learned about the brand and figured out your worth as a social media influencer. Now, you can tell them how much you charge. This is important in how to reach out to brands as an influencer.
The reasons to do this are:
- It shows how you think about being paid fairly for the collaboration
- It shows how professionally you think about the rates, valuing yourself based on how well you can perform as an influencer.
Don’t fret. 77% of businesses have allocated budgets for influencer marketing. When they see your value and potential return, it becomes easier for the brand to decide if they can work with you and if your rates fit their budget for promoting specific products.
To do it correctly, begin by proposing a price range, not a set amount. This shows you’re open to discussing it. Some influencers might request anywhere from $100 to $1,000 for every 10,000 followers.
Also, make sure to clarify what’s included in each rate. While you can make it fixed in the contract later, it’s better to mention it upfront for brands to consider.
11. Follow Up Politely
Don’t expect a quick reply to your email pitching out to a brand. It might take days or weeks for the brand to decide and respond.
Don’t rush, but don’t forget to check in later. That said, having the right mindset is important in understanding how to reach out to brands as an influencer.
Wait a bit to let the brand think about your pitch. Then, send a short and polite follow-up email. Express your excitement for working together again.
12. Maintain a Positive Relationship
You’ve learned how to pitch to brands as an influencer. You think you’ve done your part and hope it will give you a good result. But what if they say no?
Don’t be discouraged. Keep a positive connection even if they decline your pitch. Respond to their email, thanking them for their time. If they didn’t provide a reason for the rejection, politely ask for feedback. It can be helpful for your future attempts.
Lastly, keep the door open for future chances. Even if it’s not the right moment now, it might be later. Tell them you’re ready for future collaborations and keep interacting with their online content.
13. Stay Updated on Industry Trends
The influencer industry changes a lot. It’s important to stay updated with the latest trends while learning how to pitch yourself to brands. You can do that by reading industry blogs, listening to podcasts, and networking with other influencers.
Also, keep an eye out for new platforms and technologies. If you think a different platform or approach might work better, feel free to contact brands and suggest another collaboration.
Final Thoughts on How to Pitch Yourself to Brands
Thanks for reading the article all the way through. Your commitment to becoming a great content creator in the influencer marketing industry is awesome. And now, you’ve got the knowledge on how to reach out to brands as an influencer.
What have you learned? Some of the steps are:
- Start with brand research.
- Get to know your worth.
- Create an engaging pitch email.
- Follow up politely.
- Maintain a positive relationship.
These steps are the key to knowing how you pitch out a brand. But don’t forget, the most important step is the one you’re ready to take. So, why wait? Your next big success might be just an email away.
