How to Pitch and Respond to Brands + Templates

Knowing how to pitch and respond to brands is crucial when trying to secure a deal. The back-and-forth can be intimidating because the brand’s media representative holds the key to a potentially lucrative collaboration. I still find myself treading lightly because I don’t want to scare someone off with my request for compensation. I try to push that feeling aside and remind myself that our time and work is worth more than a free bottle of lotion.

We work hard as influencers and deserve to be adequately compensated. When you boil down what we do, we are, in short, contract advertisers. You would never ask an advertising firm to work for free, so why should we be treated any differently? Learn how to pitch and respond to brands and avoid being roped into a crapy collaboration.

Below are examples of how I pitch and respond to brands. Some have bore fruit, and others have gone unanswered. Regardless, I was professional, polite, and firm. Brands have declined my rate and later circled back around. Don’t let the fear of losing out on a campaign shy you away from standing your ground. On the same hand, it’s good to be open to negotiation. Often times, the brand will meet you in the middle, so don’t burn the bridge!

“Pitch and Respond to Brands” Overlook

• Free vs. Paid Work
• What to Include in Your Email
• Find the Right Media Contacts
• Pitching Templates
• Response Templates

Helpful Instagram Resources

When you start pitching and responding to brands, they going to ask for your insights and past work. Are you ready for that? Check out my media kit and rate sheet templates for an easy start. They’re all 100% customizable and easy to personalize; just drag and drop your pictures. All the cute stuff is done for you!

If you have your media kit set but want to step up your Instagram game with a cohesive and bright feed, I can help with that too! My Lightroom Mobile Presets are ideal if you’re shooting with your phone; no professional DSLR needed!

Free vs. Paid Work on Instagram

I wholeheartedly believe in being compensated for my work, but when I first started influencing, I did do product for promotion. Anyone that tells you they didn’t is a liar. You have to build your portfolio and show paying brands that your work is worth payment. In the beginning, I found collaborations through ApexDrop and Trend.

Occasionally ApexDrop has killer products like full-size vacuums and air purifiers. My friend Alex received a year supply of eco-friendly laundry detergent, and the money saved was absolutely worth it! When I’m eager for new clothes or bedding, I work with them on their Pact campaign. They send you a $100 gift card, and that’s A-okay with me.

Trend, on the other hand, updates their products less frequently, but they pay! The starting rate is $25 per product, and that increases for every five projects you complete. Use code SHESTRAYED-6002 when downloading the app to let them know their favorite pain-in-the-ass influencer sent you!

What to Include in Your Pitch Email

It’s time to curate the perfect pitch and response! There are a few things you’ll want to include, but every situation is different, so don’t get bogged down with an email checklist. The order and layout of these must-haves are entirely up to you. You’ll notice that I do not include my rate in my introductory email. Some influencers may do things differently, but I believe that no one wants to talk about money right off the bat. I like to draw them in with my wit, charm, and portfolio before sharing my rates.

• Introduction: sell yourself and make it fun!
• Purpose: why are you reaching out?
• Flattery: express your interest in a specific product/service
• Boast: share some goodies about yourself!
• Plan: give them a taste of how you’d show off their product/service
• Link: hyperlink your social media accounts so they can see your sweet face and hard work!
• Stats and Insights: don’t make them dig for it
• Samples: link to your previous work

Find the Right Media Contacts

Finding the right media contacts is going to take a bit of leg work, but it’s worth it. Avoid reaching out through Instagram as your first step, unless they are a small brand, of course. Often, social media managers run those accounts and have nothing to do with influencer campaigns.

To find the correct media information, I locate the contact page for my desired brand. Often, there will be an email address for the marketing or media team on that page. If it’s not available, Google “[brand] media team/contact information.” Try a few variations of that until you get lucky.

If you’re still not able to snag the right contact information, and you desperately want to work with the brand, search for their media team members on Linkedin (LOL). It’s a stretch, but your eagerness may pay off. I would prefer to work with an influencer that jumped through hoops to get to me, than the sloth that expects me to kiss their ass.

When all else fails, reach out through social media and ask for the media team’s contact information. I have done this countless times, and I have had very few issues. Normally the folks running the accounts appreciate you not bombarding them with your lengthy pitch, and are happy to get you off their backs.

Pitching Templates

If you find the templates below helpful, feel free to copy and paste them to your Notes folder to save for later use. I suggest keeping a master set and only editing copies. Doing this will ensure that you never have to go digging around the internet for my templates! The templates I’ve included are a generic pitch, complimentary hotel stays, and pitching as a group.

Generic Pitch

Hello [contact]

My name is [NAME], and I’m a [NICHE]. I have worn/flown/used [BRAND PRODUCT/SERVICE] for X years and have enjoyed every second of it!

I’m reaching out to you today in hopes of working together on a future collaboration. My Instagram account, [LINK IG ACCOUNT] [PURPOSE + VALUE OF YOUR ACCOUNT]. I believe my audience would enjoy your [SPECIFY ITEM, COLLECTION, FEATURE] because [REASON].

I would love to create fun, high-quality content to support any upcoming events. Below are my current Instagram stats and a few examples of previous collaborations.

Instagram Stats:
– X Impressions 7 days
– X% engagement rate
-x followers

Collaborations:
– Neutrogena HydroBoost
–Project sunscreen at Ulta
–Zales jewelers

With this information in mind, I would love to discuss a collaboration that would absolutely knock your socks off!

Thank you!

Complimentary Hotel Stay

Hello [CONTACT]

My name is [NAME], and I’m a [NICHE]. I planning a trip to [city] from [dates] and I would love to collaborate with [hotel chain] during my stay!

I have stayed with [hotel chain] countless times, as it is my go-to chain for comfort, safety, and the best mattresses in town! Your property is a perfect fit for me and will be for my audience as well!

in exchange for a complimentary stay, I can offer [ig posts, stories, blog posts, videos]. this is guaranteed to provide [benefits].

BELOW ARE MY CURRENT INSTAGRAM STATS AND A FEW EXAMPLES OF PREVIOUS COLLABORATIONS.

Instagram Stats:
– X Impressions 7 days
– X% engagement rate
-x followers

Collaborations:
(if you’ve worked with hotels before, add that here!)
– Neutrogena HydroBoost
–Project sunscreen at Ulta
–Zales jewelers

I have also attached my media kit to offer you a deeper dive into my work. I would love to discuss a collaboration that would be beneficial for myself and [hotel chain].

all the best,

[name]

Pitching as a Group

Hello [CONTACT]

My name is [name], and I’m a [niche]

I am reaching out to you on behalf of myself and fellow [niche or city] influencer and blogger [friend] [their @].

Together, [friend] and I provide our combined audiences of [#] with [value]. Our platforms serve as [more value!]. We believe our combined audiences are eager to learn more about [brand], [reason]. 

We are interested in collaborating with [brand] for the upcoming [season or event]. [why are you interested in working with them]

As [city, niche] content creators, we are often asked for [x,y, z] recommendations. We would love to add [brand] to that list! In exchange for , we are offering [x].

If you’re interested in working with [friend] and me, please let us know! We would love to discuss a collaboration that would be beneficial for [brand] and our audience.


all the best,

[names]

Response Templates

Responding can be a little tricky. The goal is to make it clear that your time is worth more than a frozen bag of chicken nuggets, but you’re also open to negotiating a rate that works for both you and the brand. Be professional, be polite, be firm. The responses I’ve included consist of a generic response, a request for compensation, and declining an offer, but keeping the door open for future opportunities.

Generic Response

Hello [SENDER]

Thank you for reaching out! I appreciate the kind words! after looking at [BRAND’s account], I believe this would be extremely beneficial for my audience. In the past, They have shown great interest in [general product/service]!

I would love to create fun, high-quality content for [brand]! Before we agree to terms, may I please have more details about the deliverables for this campaign? I would also like more information regarding the marketing budget.

Below are my Instagram stats and a few examples of previous collaborations.

Instagram Stats:
– X Impressions 7 days
– X% engagement rate
-x followers

Collaborations:
– Neutrogena HydroBoost
–Project sunscreen at Ulta
–Zales jewelers

Thank you for reaching out. I am looking forward to spreading the word about [ product/service offered ]!

all the best,

[name]

Requesting Compensation After Being Told There is No Marketing Budget

Hello [SENDER]

Thank you for getting back to me! I understand that [brand]’s marketing budget does not allow for compensated collaborations; however, I am unable to take on unpaid work at this time.

As I mentioned before, my rate for one static post and three high-quality images is [x], but I am happy to negotiate a price that is best suited for myself and [brand].

If this is something, you are interested in discussing, please let me know. I have posted about [something similar] in the past, and my engagement was through the roof! I am happy to provide screenshots of those insights!

Thank you, and I look forward to working together in the future!

All the best,

[name]

Declining an Offer

Hello [SEnder]

Thank you for getting back to me! I appreciate your time, but I am unable to take on unpaid work at this time. I do, however, enjoy [BRAND] and know my audience would as well!

If [brand]’s marketing budget changes in the future, please let me know. I would love to discuss a collaboration that is beneficial for both myself and [brand].

Thank you again for your time, and I hope to hear from you in the future.

All the best,

[name]

Time to Start Pitching!

Let’s get to pitching! Use these templates to pitch and respond to as many brands as possible, without being a spammy pain. You will receive countless rejections and most people will ghost you, but keep trying! Hard work and persistence pays off, so let’s secure that bag, ok?

Good luck and I wish you the best. If you’re just starting, don’t get discouraged. Every person with a successful career, regardless of what it is, was exactly where you are now. The feeling of inadequacy will fade, and in time you will have big brands spamming your email! Keep at it. If my mediocre ass can do it, you’ll be just fine.

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