If your business, like many others, has been on the hunt for some influencers – you might understand the pain. From research to reaching out, a lot goes into the process. But one thing you might not have thought about is how do you reach out to them? And even more importantly, how do you *not* get ignored.
We have been at it for a few years now and have come up with a list of the hard learned lessons picked up along the way.
1. Follow and engage with them
Relationship building is a big part of working with influencers. If a stranger on the street invited you to their party, you’d probably say no, right? Or at least I hope you would – stranger danger and all… Well, it’s the same with influencers. If you haven’t interacted with or followed their content before reaching out, you’ve already fallen at the first hurdle. Like most people, influencers are likely to ignore DMs from random users. Start by following them and engaging with their content, showing them that you’re a fan of their work. This increases the chance of your message not only being read, but also getting a positive response.
2. Be upfront with your message
If the message you’re sending is vague and requires the influencer to ask a million and one questions before they can understand what they’re being asked – you’re probably not going to get very far. Simplicity is key with your opening message: Introduce yourself, let them know why you’re interested in working with them and explain what they will receive in return.
3. Give them creative freedom
The last thing content creators want when posting branded content is for their content to look… well…like branded content! Unlike many celebrities, influencers have built trust and loyalty with their followers, which is why many refer to their following as a community. For content to resonate with viewers, it must appear genuine. By controlling what influencers post, you’re taking away any chance the video has of performing well before it’s even been posted. Allowing influencers to have creative freedom ensures that the video aligns with their style, making it more relatable and appealing to their audience.
4. Avoid bombarding them with messages
No one likes a double texter, let alone a triple or quadruple texter. So why would an influencer…
Sometimes influencers don’t respond. There could be many reasons for this but at the end of the day, they don’t have to if they don’t want to. It can be tempting to keep messaging an influencer you’re really interested in working with, but if they haven’t responded to the first message (or two), the likelihood is they might not think working with your brand is the right fit for them. Messaging them multiple times is unlikely to increase the chance of a reply, so it might be better to move on.
5. Use the right channel
If you’re trying to message a TikTok influencer on their old Facebook profile from when they were 10 years old, you’re probably using the wrong platform. Try to find out which social media channel the influencer is most active on, as that’s where they are most likely to respond to direct messages. It’s also helpful to check their bio too, as sometimes they’ll have an email or link to contact them directly through.
6. Present yourself as professional
When reaching out to influencers, make sure you look like a genuine account. Sending a message from your dog’s Instagram account is probably not going to get you a reply, I mean you’d be lucky to even be left on read. With many scammers about, it’s important that your account looks reputable. Influencers are more likely to respond if they can see who you are, what your job is and what company (if applicable) you work for.
7. Make sure the offer is personalised
“Hi person we found on TikTok that we can’t even be bothered to insert your name here- would you like to work with us?”
Yeah, that’s not going to cut it. When reaching out, you need to make sure your message sounds genuine and personal. Take the time to address them by their name, mention specific content they’ve posted and express why they’re a great fit for your brand. If it comes across that you’ve just copied and paste the message multiple times to various other influencers, it’s going to feel very disingenuous.
Reaching out to influencers can be made easier when done in the right way. No one likes being ignored, so by approaching them with a tailored message, giving them the information they need and the space to decide, your chances of a ‘yes’ are much higher.
Interested in working with influencers? Get in touch below
