17 min read
| September 17, 2022
Working with Instagram influencers can be a great way to reach new audiences and build brand awareness. Ideally, the best way to build your brand is to establish a relationship with an influencer and build on the partnership over time. However, before you can do that you need to select the right fit and reach out to them, and the way in which you do this can have a direct impact on whether or not they decide to collaborate with your brand. If you don’t follow the right strategy and work out how to contact Instagram influencers in the most effective way, then your plan will be dead in the water.
So, what’s the right strategy and channel to engage with an influencer? How do you capture their attention?
Join us as we share 5 valuable tips to help you make better influencer connections.
Example: What not to do
It can often be difficult to connect with Instagram influencers, even if they are nano- or micro-influencers. This is mainly because they are primarily focused on building their own brand, and your message can often get lost in all the noise. It’s all about knowing how to find the right influencers and how to contact Instagram influencers in a way that captures their attention and convinces them that collaborating with your brand is an opportunity they can’t afford to miss.
Before we look at what you should do, let’s start but looking at an example of what not to do.
Take a look at this sample email:
“Hey! We are currently looking for influencers to try out our new range of beauty products. By being an ambassador for our brand, you will get three FREE lipsticks and gain tons of exposure. Just DM the word “INFLUENCER” to our page @Beautiful_Lips to claim your spot”
So, what’s wrong with this message?
Put simply, it:
- Isn’t personalized
- Doesn’t include anything about the influencer themselves or their content
- Lacks any precise details about the campaign
- Fails to introduce your brand’s values
How to contact Instagram influencers effectively: top tips
Ok, we’ve seen what not to do. Now let’s look at 5 top tips to help you understand how to contact Instagram influencers in a way that piques their interest and opens up the channels of communication.
Engage with the influencer
The first step in understanding how to contact Instagram influencers is knowing how to engage with them.
It’s important to take the time to establish a relationship before making contact, especially if this is the first time you’ve reached out to them. Start by following them on the social network you’d like to work with them on. Like their posts and leave comments. Mention them in posts and share their publications. Make sure they understand that you are interested in what they have to say. This shows that you’re not only familiar with their work, but also that you’re a fan. That way, they will be far more likely to respond when you eventually approach them about a potential influencer marketing collaboration.
Use the right channels
It’s also important to use the right channels to make your initial contact. Although you might be following an influencer on Instagram, it’s often best to contact them via email, not via DM. Emails are more professional, and they tend to elicit a higher response rate. You can probably find an influencer’s email address on their social media bio or website. If you can’t find contact information, comment on one of their posts and ask them to share their email address.
Plan ahead
It’s important to plan in advance. This is especially true during busy periods such as Christmas or the summer holidays. If you are planning to launch an influencer campaign during a peak period, make sure you reach out to your influencer well in advance. Remember, they’re people too and they need time off occasionally.
Never leave it until the last minute to make contact with an influencer. Plan ahead and spend as much time as possible getting to know your chosen influencer and explaining everything they need to know in order to prepare a successful and effective campaign and create meaningful relationships with your buyers.
Arrange an introduction
Arranging an introduction can be a highly effective strategy if you and your chosen influencer have any mutual connections. Asking someone familiar to you both to make a formal introduction can help an influencer warm to you and develop a sense of trust that will make them far more likely to be open to the possibility of forming a partnership together.
Send a personalized and clear offer
Finally, the most valuable “how to contact Instagram influencers” tip we want to share with you today is that you need to make sure that when you first contact an Instagram influencer, your offer is both personalized and clear. And that means doing the opposite of what we saw in the “What not to do” example at the top of this post.
Firstly, make sure you refer to the influencer by name so that they understand that your message is specifically targeted at them, not a generic wider audience. Tell them why you are a fan of their work, and why you think they would be a good fit for your brand. You should also tell them a little bit about your own brand values and be upfront about what you’re proposing. Explain what you’re looking for, what your expectations are, and what your timeline is. Be specific about deliverables, platforms and the overall goals of your campaign. That way, everyone is clear from the start and nobody’s time is wasted.
Finally, make sure you include a clear call to action so that your connection can progress to the next level: a successful partnership that provides you with an ROI that meets your expectations.
