Most influencer outreach emails are terrible. They're either overly formal corporate speak that sounds like a legal document, or they're so casual they sound unprofessional. Neither approach works.
Over the past two years, I've sent—and tracked—over 800 influencer outreach emails. Our average response rate is 38-42%, which is roughly 4x the industry standard. Here are the exact templates we use, why they work, and how to adapt them for your campaigns.
Before the Templates: What Actually Matters
The template is only 30% of success. The other 70% is:
- Who you're reaching out to: Relevant creators who are actually a fit
- Timing: Not during major holidays or peak posting times
- Subject line: Personalized and specific, never generic
- Sender credibility: Email from a real person with a signature, not noreply@brand.com
If you're mass-blasting creators with "Exciting Partnership Opportunity!" as the subject line from a generic email address, no template will save you.
Template 1: The Specific Compliment Opener
Use case: First-time outreach to a creator you genuinely admire
Subject line: "Loved your [specific content piece] — quick question"
Template:
Hi [First Name],
I've been following you for [timeframe] and your [specific content type—e.g., "trying weird food" series / skincare routine breakdowns / budget travel guides] is exactly the type of content our audience is into.
The [specific recent post/video] you did on [specific topic] was particularly good—[one sentence about why: what you learned, what was unique, what resonated].
We're [your brand name], and we make [product category]. We're putting together a small group of creators to try [specific product/campaign] and share honest thoughts with their audience. No scripts, no weird requirements, just your authentic take.
Would you be open to a quick chat about what a partnership might look like? If not, no worries—I'll keep watching your stuff either way.
[Your name]
[Your actual title]
[Brand name]
[Your actual email signature with phone number]
Why this works:
- It's obvious you've actually watched their content (specific reference)
- You're not asking for free work ("partnership" implies compensation)
- The tone is respectful but not formal
- There's a clear next step ("quick chat") but low pressure ("if not, no worries")
Response rate: 45-50% for well-targeted outreach
Template 2: The Mutual Connection Intro
Use case: When you have a legitimate mutual connection or they've worked with a brand you're familiar with
Subject line: "[Mutual connection] suggested I reach out"
Template:
Hi [First Name],
[Mutual connection name] mentioned you'd be great to talk to about [topic/campaign type]. I saw you worked with [brand they've partnered with] on [specific campaign] and it was exactly the kind of authentic partnership we're looking to create.
Quick context: I'm [name] from [brand]. We're working with a handful of creators in the [niche] space to [specific campaign goal—e.g., "launch our new product line" / "create educational content about X" / "document their experience with Y"].
We're offering [compensation structure—e.g., "paid partnerships starting at $X" / "commission-based with guaranteed minimum" / "product + fee"] and complete creative control within some loose guidelines.
Are you taking on new partnerships right now? If so, I'd love to send over more details.
[Your name]
Why this works:
- Social proof via mutual connection immediately builds trust
- You've done your homework (mentioning their past work)
- Compensation is mentioned upfront (no bait-and-switch)
- You're asking about their availability (respecting their time)
Response rate: 50-55% (mutual connections are powerful)
Template 3: The Data-Driven Approach
Use case: When you want to signal that this is a professional opportunity with real budget
Subject line: "Partnership inquiry — [your brand] x [their name]"
Template:
Hi [First Name],
I've been tracking creators in the [specific niche] space and your engagement rate on [platform] caught my attention—[specific metric observation, e.g., "your comments section is unusually active" / "your audience clearly trusts your recommendations"].
We're [brand name], and we're building out our creator partnership program for Q[X]. We typically work with [number] creators per quarter on [campaign type] campaigns.
Based on your audience size and engagement, we'd be looking at:
- [Specific deliverable]: $[Amount]
- Usage rights: [Timeframe and scope]
- Creative direction: [Level of freedom]
- Timeline: [Realistic timeframe]
Is this the kind of partnership you'd consider? Happy to jump on a quick call to discuss details if the general parameters work for you.
[Your name]
[Calendar booking link—optional but helpful]
Why this works:
- You've clearly done research (specific metrics mentioned)
- Transparent about budget and expectations upfront
- Structured but not rigid
- Easy next step (call or email response)
Response rate: 40-45% (slightly lower because it's more formal, but attracts serious creators)
Template 4: The Product Seeding Approach
Use case: When you want to start with gifting before pitching paid partnerships
Subject line: "Would you try [product category]? No strings attached"
Template:
Hi [First Name],
This might be random, but I think you'd actually like our [product]. I've seen you talk about [related topic] a few times, and [specific reason why your product is relevant].
Would you be open to me sending you [product] to try? Genuinely no strings attached—if you love it and want to post about it, great. If not, that's fine too. I'd just love to get it in the hands of people who'd actually appreciate it.
If you're down, just reply with your shipping address and I'll get it sent out.
[Your name]
[Brand name]
P.S. If you're ever interested in a paid partnership down the line, I'd be happy to discuss that separately. But this is just about getting you the product first.
Why this works:
- Low pressure—you're not asking for anything in return
- The P.S. plants the seed for future paid work without making this feel transactional
- Casual tone feels genuine
- Easy yes (just send an address)
Response rate: 60-65% (highest response rate of all templates because it's low commitment)
Important: This only works if you genuinely mean "no strings attached." If you send product then immediately follow up asking for posts, you'll burn the relationship.
Template 5: The Campaign-Specific Brief
Use case: When you have a specific campaign with defined parameters and need to move quickly
Subject line: "[Campaign name] — would this be a fit?"
Template:
Hi [First Name],
We're launching [specific campaign/product] on [date] and looking for [number] creators to participate. Your [specific content type] seems like a natural fit.
Here's the overview:
What we're asking for:
[Specific deliverable with format and length]
Timeline:
[Specific dates for content creation and posting]
Compensation:
$[Amount] + [product/additional perks if applicable]
Creative freedom:
[What they can/can't do—be specific]
Full brief attached [if you have one—keep it to 2 pages max].
Are you available for this timeline and does the scope work for you? I can answer any questions over email or we can schedule a quick call.
[Your name]
Why this works:
- All critical information in the initial email (no back-and-forth just to learn basics)
- Respects their time by being direct
- Clear next steps
- Professional without being corporate
Response rate: 35-40% (lower because you're asking for more upfront, but responses are more qualified)
Subject Line Formulas That Work
Your subject line determines if the email even gets opened. Here's what works:
High performers:
- "Quick question about [specific content piece]"
- "Partnership inquiry — [brand] x [creator name]"
- "[Mutual connection] suggested I reach out"
- "Loved your take on [specific topic]"
- "Would you try [product]? (no strings attached)"
Terrible performers:
- "Exciting collaboration opportunity!" (generic, sounds spammy)
- "We'd love to work with you!" (vague, every brand says this)
- "[Brand name] Partnership" (no context, easy to ignore)
- Anything in ALL CAPS
- Anything with excessive exclamation points!!!
The Follow-Up Strategy
About 60% of our responses come from follow-ups, not the initial email. Here's the sequence:
Day 0: Send initial outreach
Day 4: First follow-up (if no response)
Day 10: Second follow-up (if no response)
Day 20: Final follow-up (if no response)
Follow-up template:
"Hey [Name], just bumping this up in your inbox—totally understand if you're swamped. If you're not interested or don't have availability, just let me know and I'll stop bothering you!"
That last line is critical. It gives them permission to say no, which paradoxically makes them more likely to engage.
What Not to Do (Real Examples from Our Inbox)
We receive influencer pitches too (for partnerships, tools, etc.). Here are real examples of what doesn't work:
The vague pitch:
"We'd love to collaborate with Influencer Radar on some exciting opportunities. Are you available for a call this week?"
(What opportunities? Why should we care? This gets ignored.)
The bait-and-switch:
"We'd love to send you our product!" [then immediately asks for a post in the next email]
(Just be upfront about what you're asking for.)
The novel:
[8 paragraphs about their company history, mission, values, and product features]
(Nobody reads this. Get to the point.)
The desperate:
"We've reached out several times and haven't heard back—are you interested???"
(This reeks of desperation. Three follow-ups max, then move on.)
Personalization at Scale
"But I'm reaching out to 50 creators—I can't personalize every email!"
Yes, you can. It takes 2-3 minutes per creator to:
- Watch their 2-3 most recent posts
- Find one specific thing to reference
- Customize the first paragraph
That's 2-3 hours for 50 emails. If you're not willing to invest that time, why should they invest time responding?
Tools like Mailshake or Lemlist can help with mail merges while maintaining personalization fields, but don't use them to blast generic templates. Use them to scale genuinely personalized outreach.
Tracking What Works
Keep a simple spreadsheet:
- Column A: Creator name
- Column B: Template used
- Column C: Date sent
- Column D: Response (yes/no)
- Column E: Result (partnership, declined, ghosted)
After 50-100 emails, you'll see patterns in what works for your brand and niche. Your results will vary from ours based on your product, category, and target audience.
The goal isn't to get 100% response rate—it's to get responses from the right creators who are actually interested in working with you. A 40% response rate from well-targeted outreach beats an 80% response rate from spray-and-pray generic emails every time.
