Influencer outreach campaign: templates that get replies

Creators who are worth working with get a lot of brand messages, and many of them read like mail merges. Yours gets a reply if it reads like you watched their videos and have a real offer. Outreach is one step in a wider influencer marketing strategy, and it comes after the shortlist, not before.

How do you run an influencer outreach campaign?

Six steps, in order:

1. Build the list. Our rule of thumb: 3 to 5 times as many creators as you need, because many won’t reply or won’t fit.
2. Qualify before you write. Check recent views, audience country and past brand deals. Our creator vetting checklist covers it.
3. Find the right channel. Business email in the bio first, then a manager, then a DM.
4. Send a short first message. One per creator, personalised in at least one line.
5. Follow up once or twice. Then stop.
6. Send the brief to the yeses. The details live in the influencer brief, not in the first message.

Step 1 is where most campaigns go wrong. A great message to a creator with collapsing views is still a bad deal. Our guide to finding TikTok influencers covers the search itself. If you need a starting list fast, search creators by niche, country and followers in the free database: 200 rows, no signup.

The influencer outreach templates

Copy, fill the brackets, and cut anything that doesn't apply. Every template is under 150 words on purpose.

First contact: paid partnership (email)

Subject: Paid TikTok collab with [Brand], [month]

Hi [first name],

I'm [your name], [role] at [Brand]. We make [product in
one plain sentence].

Your video on [specific video or topic] is why I'm writing.
[One line on why it fits: the audience, the format, the way
you talk about X.]

We'd like to pay you for [1-2 TikToks] in [month]. Budget
is [$X-$Y] depending on deliverables and usage. We'd also
like to run the videos as ads for [90 days], priced on top.

If that's interesting, what's the best way to send a short
brief? If you have a rate card, send it over.

Thanks,
[Name]
[Brand], [website]

First contact: DM, no email in bio

Hi [first name], I'm [name] from [Brand] ([what you make]).
Loved your [specific video]. We have a paid TikTok collab
for [month], budget [$X-$Y]. Where's best to send details?

Gifting or seeding offer, no posting required

Subject: Can we send you [product]? No strings

Hi [first name],

I'm [name] from [Brand]. We make [product]. Your [topic]
videos made us think you'd actually use it.

We'd like to send you one, free, with no obligation to post.
If you do post about it, please tag it as a gifted product.

If you're up for it, reply with a shipping address and
[shade/size]. If not, no worries at all.

[Name]

UGC creator (content for your ads, not their feed)

Subject: UGC brief for [Brand], paid

Hi [first name],

I'm [name] at [Brand]. We're looking for [3] UGC videos for
our paid ads: [format, e.g. 20-30s unboxing and first use].
They run on our accounts, not yours.

Budget is [$X] per video including [6] months of ad usage.
We ship the product, you film within [10] days.

Portfolio link and rates welcome. Is this a fit?

[Name]

Follow-up (send once, 4 to 5 days later)

Hi [first name], one quick follow-up on the [Brand] collab.
Still [budget range] for [deliverables] in [month]. If the
timing's off, just say so and I'll stop writing.

Reply to a rate that's over budget

Thanks for the rate card, [first name]. That's above what
we have for this one: our budget is [$X]. Could we make it
work with [one video instead of two / shorter usage / no
exclusivity]? Totally fine if not, we'd love to keep you
in mind for a bigger campaign.

What gets an influencer outreach email ignored?

• No pay information. Creators skip vague "collab" messages because many turn out to be unpaid.
• Fake personalisation. "Love your content!" with no detail reads as a mass send. Name a real video.
• Asking for a call first. Put the offer in writing. A call is for after they're interested.
• Long messages. If the first email needs scrolling, the brief has leaked into it.
• Wrong channel spam. Email, DM and a comment on the same day looks desperate.
• Exposure as payment. Be clear about what you're offering, even if it's only product.

How to keep outreach legal and clean

If you send outreach by email at volume, treat it as commercial email. The FTC's CAN-SPAM compliance guide says the law makes no exception for business-to-business email. Use your real name and brand, an honest subject line, a physical address in your signature and an easy way to opt out. If someone says no, take them off the list.

Disclosure starts in the outreach, too. Say in the first message that any post needs an #ad or gifted tag. The FTC's disclosure guide for influencers says free products count as something of value, so even a no-strings gift needs disclosure if the creator posts about it. Saying so early avoids an awkward conversation after the post is live.

How to track an outreach campaign

A spreadsheet is enough under 100 creators. One row per creator, with these columns:

Column	Why it matters
Handle, channel, contact	So nobody gets messaged twice by two people on your team
Median views, audience country	So you can rank who to chase first
Date sent, follow-ups	So you stop after two
Status	Sent, replied, negotiating, signed, declined
Rate quoted and agreed	Your own rate benchmarks for next time

Look at reply rate by template and by creator size after the first batch. If one template is getting more replies, send more of it. If big creators ignore you and small ones say yes, that tells you where your budget fits. Our guide to influencer rates by follower count helps you set the range before you ask.

For creators: how to answer brand outreach

If you're a creator reading this: reply with a rate card, your usage and exclusivity terms, and how far ahead you book. Ask for the budget if it isn't stated. A clear "this isn't a fit" is better than silence, and brands remember who answered.