10 Tips On How to Pitch Brands as an Influencer

Do not index

Consider you've built a successful YouTube channel and amassed a loyal audience. You want to make money from your channel, so you start researching. Quickly, you realize that scoring brand sponsorships is more complex than creating a few viral videos. Instead, you must learn how to get sponsored on YouTube and pitch brands as an influencer to get the ball rolling. This guide will help you draft a compelling proposal that gets you noticed by the right brands and boosts your income.

Aha Creator helps creators like you get sponsored on YouTube by connecting them with lucrative brand partnership deals. The best part? You can get viral through influencer marketing services like these.

How to Find Brand Deals As an Influencer

1. Brands Already Engaging with You Deserve Attention First

As a content creator, you already have some businesses engaging with your content. Why not start with them? Go through your comments, likes, and followers, and if you see any brands engaging with your posts, reach out to them. Who knows? They may be just the right brand you’ve been looking for.

If you haven’t done this already, you should. Many influencer marketing platforms provide brands and content creators the opportunity to find each other and collaborate. To get started, here is a list of some of the most popular influencer platforms: Aspire IQ, Influence—co, Brandbacker, Famebit, Collabstr, and Tapinfluence.

Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok aren’t just places where people post images and videos. They’re also places where you can find brands to work with. Using specific keywords in the hashtag search, you can do some deep digging and find other brands to contact. For example, if you’re a travel company, you may want to look up the hashtag #digitalnomad or #lovetravelling to see if you can find content creators or brands to connect with.

4. Check Out Your Competitors

You’re not the only one looking to collaborate with other brands. Whether you’re a business or content creator, your competitors probably have already worked with some brands. Check out your competitors’ social profiles to see who they work with. Look for sponsored photos and videos with specific products and tagged profiles. You’ll find brands that will be more than willing to work with you. Then, reach out to these brands with a pitch (which you’ll learn about in a second).

5. Pitch to Brands Directly

You’re probably already a fan of some brands, and if that’s the case, you can always reach out directly to them. Whether you’re a content creator or a business, connecting with brands you a) support and b) already have a history of collaborating with other businesses increases your chances of working with them. Email them once you have a list of brands you’d like to collaborate with. In your pitch, you want to answer Who you are and what you do. Any achievements that may help you or your business stand out. Then, you’ll want to Explain why you're a good fit for the brand. Add any data they may find helpful (engagement rates, prior work, follower count).

You may not think this is an essential element of brand collaboration, but it is. Consistently posting on social media is crucial. Why? Instagram's algorithm loves new content. The more you post, the more you're seen. Instagram loves engagement. The more you engage with other accounts, the better.

Collaborators want to see you're active on social media. This doesn’t mean you need to go wild and post every two minutes, but you should at least post a minimum of twice a week. Naturally, the more I post when my followers are most active, the more likely my posts will receive the most engagement (likes, comments, and shares).

Influencer Marketing Automation

Platforms That Pay Content Creators

Social Media Influencer Partnerships

How Much Do Digital Creators Make

Influencer Brand Partnerships

5 Niches Commonly Used by Influencers

Influencer Engagement

How Do Brand Deals Work

How to Reach Out to Brands as an Influencer

10 Tips On How to Pitch Brands as an Influencer

1. Leverage Aha Creator to Get Noticed by Brands

Aha Creator is a platform that simplifies the process of sponsorships for YouTube creators and businesses. Aha Creator handles negotiations for content creators, ensuring you get fair value for your influence. The platform’s matching system helps pair creators with relevant brands, maximizing the potential for successful collaborations. Sign up for our waitlist today, and we’ll work to connect you with partnership opportunities that align with your content and values.

2. Start By Posting About the Brand Organically on Instagram

Before you approach any brand, it’s crucial to post about them organically—and I mean organically. You’ll have a much better shot at success if you post about the brand on Instagram before reaching out. This shows that you’re either already a loyal customer or supporter despite not owning anything from the brand.

If you own a product from the brand, consider posting organic content and stories on your IG grid and tagging the brand. If you don’t own anything from the brand, consider sharing a post from the brand’s feed onto your stories and tagging them. Bonus points for explaining why you love the brand or product so much. This organic content will showcase your dedication to the brand, making you an ideal collaboration candidate.

3. Make Sure Your Vibe Matches the Brand’s Vibe

When you approach a brand about a potential partnership, they’ll evaluate you to see if it makes sense to work with you. Ask yourself if your vibe matches the brand’s vibe. Take a moment to compare your aesthetic, style, and values to the brand you’re reaching out to. Do they feel aligned? It’s essential to be aligned if you’re a smaller influencer because it will give you a competitive edge and make you more enticing to the brand. But don’t completely alter yourself or your content to fit every brand’s vibe you’re reaching out to. It’s essential to show up as you are and do so authentically! The brands you contact should feel like they would smoothly fit into your brand on social media.

4. Engage With the Brand’s Instagram Account

Here’s a tiny but mighty potential move to do before you reach out to a brand: engage with the brand’s Instagram account in as many ways as possible. What better way to show your commitment to a brand than showing the brand some organic love? Comment on their recent posts, post their product or Instagram posts on your stories with a tag, and don’t be afraid to send the brand a little love in their DMs.

(I always like DMing them, saying something like, “Omg, I love your clothes!! I just wanted to send you some love!! Take care!) You could send a compliment or even respond to their Instagram stories. The idea here is to show that you love the brand, organically engage with it, and have initiated a relationship with it.

5. Have Your Media Kit Handy

Be on your A-game and have your media kit handy when contacting a brand. A media kit is the digital influencer resume you will attach to your email pitch. Then, shop the media kit templates so you can get started on yours pronto and skip the frustration of designing one. (Ain’t no influencer got time to learn another thing besides everything else they’ve already taught themselves!) These media kit templates are boosted, chic, and so incredibly versatile. You can edit every aspect of them, drag and drop images, and customize them to fit your vibe perfectly or keep them as is.

It’s essential to include

Your bio and contact information An overview and snapshot of your social stats (hint: Later’s verified analytics report will help with this) Your community’s demographics — including where your followers are located, their gender, age, language, etc. A breakdown of your blog or website stats (if you have one) Previous partnerships and testimonials Examples of how you’ve built brand awareness, driven conversion, or traffic in previous partnerships Your rates (it’s helpful also to have a separate rate card that you can send to brands who inquire specifically about your rates)

6. Nail the Email Subject Line

The inbox of the person receiving your pitch will likely be flooded with internal company memos, project briefs, and other pitches. So, if you want your email to stand out, your subject line is vital. Make sure it’s short, concise, and direct. In other words, keep it simple. For example, a standard subject line format might look like [Brand Name] X [Creator Name] — [Detail About Pitch or Content Style]. In practice, it’d look like this: Later X Lizzo — IG Reel Partnership. You can also include a small greeting or emoji in the subject line to grab their attention.

7. Introduce Yourself

If you’re looking for a long-term partnership, building a genuine foundation is essential, and your pitch email is the first way to do so. The person receiving your email doesn’t need to know your whole life story, but it’s essential to paint a picture of who you are and why you’re introducing yourself. Try swapping out the typical blanket statement, “Our brands align, and I think this partnership would be a great fit,” for a few of your core values and how they complement the brand. TIP: Now’s a great time to hyperlink your top social media accounts!

8. Highlight What You Love About the Brand/Product

Brands tend to gravitate towards creators who’ve previously used (and loved) their product. Working with a brand you enjoy will make it easier to create content and speak to your community about it. When brainstorming what to highlight in your pitch email, use these prompts to get started: Do their values and mission align with mine? Has the brand done anything specific that resonated with me? What is my favorite way to use the product, and why do I love it? What is one thing I didn’t know about the product until I used it? Have I already created user-generated content about the brand? Have I noticed past collaborations with other creators that prompted me to reach out? TIP: Focus on your shared values and why you’d be the perfect match.

9. Link Your Instagram and Media Kit

Next, link your Instagram and Media Kit. Remember, you don’t want to make the brand work to find information, so link them straightforwardly or smoothly in a sentence.

Example 1 (straightforward)

“My Instagram My Media Kit”

Example 2 (smoothly)

“You can find my Instagram here and I’ve included my media kit for you to take a deeper look into my platform.”

Keep in mind the length of your email. If it’s on the longer side, consider the straightforward example. Choose a smooth example to show your personality if it's a little short.

Lastly, here's a tiny detail

I used to send my media kit as an attachment but recently started linking it directly to the email. This way, there’s a higher chance it won’t automatically deliver to their spam folder, and it also won’t take up as much space in your Google Drive.

You should round out your pitch with a high-level overview of your rates, a call-to-action (CTA) to review your media kit, and an invitation to continue the conversation. While your rates will also be included in your media kit, including them directly in the email will make it easier for the brand to gauge whether they have enough budget for a partnership. Are you new to setting your rates? Unfortunately, as the influencer marketing industry is still relatively new, there’s no universal one-size-fits-all pricing rule.

Historically, many digital marketers have adhered to the one cent per follower (or $100 per 10K followers) rule as a starting point. However, in recent years, Later’s influencer marketing team has noticed an increase of about $300-$500 per 10K followers. Our suggestion? Use these numbers as a baseline. TIP: Referring to resources like Clara for Creators and FYPM can significantly help set rates.

Best Ways To Communicate With Brands as an Influencer

1. Emailing Brands Directly: The Most Effective Way to Reach Out to Brands for a YouTube Collaboration

If you want to contact a brand about a potential collaboration, emailing them directly is the most effective method. I use this method 99% of the time when contacting brands for sponsorships. Sometimes, this process gets complicated if I need help finding the correct email address. Here’s how to locate the correct contact email for a brand collaboration.

2. Check the Brand’s Website Contact Page

Most businesses have a “Contact Us” page on their websites, a great place to find email addresses. You may find a general customer service email such as "hello@____.com" or "info@____.com." Before you contact them, look for a PR (Public Relations) email instead. The influencer industry has become so established that many brands have dedicated PR contacts for collaboration inquiries. Search for keywords like PR, public relations, collaborations, or partnerships to locate the correct email address.

3. Use Instagram

If you are already on Instagram and discover a brand you want to work with, click the Email button on their profile. This allows you to get quick access to their email address and potentially contact the right person about a collaboration.

4. Look on LinkedIn

LinkedIn is another effective place to locate specific email addresses. To find the right contact for a brand collaboration, search the brand name and keywords like PR, public relations, collaborations, influencer, influencer manager, and influencer partnerships. If you don’t pay for LinkedIn’s premium features and the emails are blocked out, try to find the first and last name of the PR contact. Then, send emails in the following format: firstname@brand.com, firstnamelastname@brand.com, firstinitiallastname@brand.com, and so on.

5. Ask Fellow Creators for Help

If you’ve built strong online and offline relationships with creators in your industry, don’t underestimate the potential of that connection and people’s willingness to help you. Ask a fellow influencer for an email. My tip? Offer something in return to show that you’re willing and able to support them. That being said, fair warning: Many influencers do not like to share contacts—especially if you haven’t established a connection or friendship with them beforehand. One reason might be that they worked extremely hard to get that email or connection in the first place.

Another is that some influencers don’t feel comfortable sharing their contact or say they need permission to share first out of respect for the PR rep. Others find that it’s not fair to have someone ask for that information, especially if, previously, there was no connection established. Lastly, you might compete directly with the influencer who is requesting the email. After all, this is business baby.

6. Understand the Risks of Direct Messaging

Direct messaging a brand on social media can also pave the way for contacting brands. However, there are some things you need to keep in mind first. The people who run brand accounts aren’t always responsible for influencer partnerships. Your message might not be seen, read, or responded to because you aren’t contacting the right contact for the right thing. If you experience this issue, try another method or follow up and ask for the right contact for your inquiry.

Another thing to note is that when you reach out via DM, the brand’s first impression of you is your message and how your Instagram looks. Consider whether DM or email might be more in your favor regarding how you pitch yourself, especially if you want to send a media kit along with my pitch. Also, if you reach out via DM, you will have a higher success rate if you reach out to smaller brands. Smaller brands tend to have a faster response time, can read more messages, and overall have a more minor team, so that means fewer people you have to work through to get to the right contact.

Mistakes To Avoid While Pitching Brands as an Influencer

1. Personalization is Key: Avoid Generic Pitches to Brands

Influencers make a big mistake when they send brands generic, cookie-cutter outreach emails. These pitches lack personalization and make no impression on brands. If you want to stand out from the crowd, take the time to customize your pitch. Start by researching the brand. Learn about its mission, values, and target audience. Then, tailor your pitch to show how you align with the brand’s identity. If the brand has worked with influencers, mention those campaigns to show you’re familiar with their previous work. Then, explain how you can build on their success. Always address the brand by name and use the contact person’s name (if available) to create a personal touch.

2. Pitching to Mismatched Brands

Another common mistake influencers make is pitching to brands that don’t share their audience. If your followers don’t align with a brand’s target demographic, the content may fail to resonate, leading to poor engagement. When that happens, both the brand and the audience lose interest. To avoid this mistake, research potential brand partners thoroughly and align with those whose values, products, and audience demographics match your own. This alignment enhances authenticity, maximizes the campaign's impact, and creates a win-win scenario for the brand and the influencer.

3. Neglecting Your Media Kit

Your media kit is your professional resume when pitching to brands. Ignoring this essential tool or presenting an incomplete media kit is a significant influencer mistake. Your media kit should have up-to-date metrics such as follower count, engagement rates, and demographics. To build credibility, highlight any successful collaborations with other brands. Lastly, include high-quality images of yourself and your work to make your media kit more attractive.

4. Not Pitching to Brands Actively Seeking Influencers

Many influencer marketing platforms allow brands to post their campaigns and seek pitches from creators. One of the most significant challenges for influencers is finding brands that want to work with them. Casting Calls close the gap. Look at the brands calling for influencer pitches.

5. Overlooking the Brand’s Needs

Another common mistake is focusing solely on what you want without considering the brand's needs and expectations. Successful brand collaborations are mutually beneficial. To ensure your partnership meets the brand’s goals, propose valuable ideas. Suggest creative and unique campaign ideas that align with the brand’s objectives. Next, ask questions. Inquire about their goals, target audience, and critical messages to understand better how you can serve them. Lastly, offer multiple collaboration options. Present different collaborations (e.g., social media posts, blog articles, giveaways) to give the brand flexibility in choosing what suits them best.

6. Crafting a Poor Bio

Part of your influencer marketing pitch should offer a bio. It should explain who you are, what you do, and who you cater to. Often influencers craft a generic bio, like “I’m a food blogger,” or “I post about tech.” Answer the question, “What makes you different?” To combat generic bios, get specific. Explain your niche, your audience, and the problem you solve. For example, describing yourself as “a food blogger that helps busy moms get dinner on the table in under 30 minutes” is more specific and attention-grabbing.

Influencers often need to pay more attention to social proof when pitching to brands. Testimonials and successful case studies can significantly enhance your credibility. To improve your pitch, gather testimonials from previous brand partners and include these in your pitch. Next, highlight instances where your content increased engagement, sales, or brand awareness. If you’ve received any awards or recognitions, don’t forget to mention them.

8. Forgetting to Follow Up

Everyone is busy, and that includes marketers. As an influencer, don’t mistake a brand’s lack of response as disinterest. It’s a good idea to send a follow-up message three to five days after your initial outreach. The follow-up should be short and straightforward, asking the marketer if they’ve had a moment to consider your proposed collaboration.

9. Poor Communication Skills

Effective communication is critical in influencer-brand relationships. Written emails or delayed responses can positively impact potential brand partners. Your pitch should be clear, concise, and free from grammatical errors. If you haven’t received a response within a week or two, send a polite follow-up email. Lastly, timely responses to brand inquiries demonstrate professionalism and eagerness to collaborate.

10. Asking for Too Much Too Soon

While it’s important to know your worth, asking for too much too soon can turn brands away. Balancing your tasks with what you can genuinely offer is critical. If you’re new to influencer marketing, consider offering an initial lower-cost or free collaboration to build a relationship. When quoting your rates, provide a detailed explanation of what the brand will receive in return. Lastly, show a willingness to negotiate mutually beneficial terms.

How to Email a Brand for Collaboration

Influencer Marketing Trends

Content Creator for Brands

YouTube Brand Connect

YouTube Sponsorship Websites

Partnerships for Small YouTube Channels

Benefits of Influencer Marketing

Benefits of Digital Collaboration

Best Influencer Brand Collaborations

Aha Creator streamlines brand partnerships for YouTube creators and businesses alike. For content creators, we handle the heavy lifting of brand deal negotiations, ensuring you get fair value for your influence. Our matching system helps pair creators with relevant brands, maximizing the potential for successful collaborations. Sign up for our waitlist today, and we'll work to connect you with partnership opportunities that align with your content and values.