Tips & Tricks about How to Write a Future Collaboration Email
To teach you how to write this irrefusable request for a future collaboration, take a look at the tips and tricks that we’ve laid out bellow. Each tip and or trick, will be aimed specifically at teaching you how you can go about making your collaboration requests all the more irresistible in the eyes of the influencer.
1. Offer FREE Samples
This sample email template shown below, from NinjaOutreach, is a great example of an email that the receiver couldn’t possibly refuse — because it offers FREE samples. Not just to the receiver, but also three extra product samples that the receiver can offer up to their audience as a giveaway. This is a pitch that you see being offered a lot these days, and you’ll notice that there are a lot of influencers doing just that on YouTube, Instagram, etc.
Key Points
- No monetary compensation is required to pay for the promotion.
- Your product will be viewed positively by the influencer’s audience.
- It’s relatively easy to do, just arrange for your products to be sent over to the influencer for them to review.
2. Offer BETA-testing Benefits
If your brand is more focused on service-based products, then you can switch things around a bit and offer unlimited access to the program, tool, etc. that you’re selling. This can be done in conjunction with the ‘BETA’ stage of your program, so you can get tips from the influencer on how they may want to improve the product at a later date. Doing it that way means that you won’t be guaranteed any promotion, but the reviews from well-known influencers in your niche is just as valuable in the long-run.
Key Points
- No monetary compensation required for the reviews.
- You’ll be able to receive an honest review from a known-influencer.
- You’ll be offering the influencer first-look at a brand-new product.
3. Offer Information
Referencing from the previous tip, sometimes it’s enough to offer the influencer the ‘first-look’ on something. Especially if what you’re offering is information. Again, much like with the previous tip, you may not be able to get much out of the collaboration, but who would refuse information that is given freely and without expectations? No one!
Key Points
- There’s no reason to deny freely given information.
- It will notify the influencer that a product/service of interest will be available.
- As the template shows, it needn’t to be complicated.
4. Be Complimentary
If you don’t have much to offer, then your best option is to be as complimentary as possible. Like the example template from Medium, shown below, you need to be respectful and make sure that the receiver knows that you think highly of them. Of course, don’t be so overly saccharine that it appears fake — be honest, and make sure that you do not come on as either forceful or rude.
Key Points
- No monetary compensation required.
- If done correctly, you may gain the respect of the influencer.
- Simple but highly effective.
5. Promise Mutual Benefits
Again, if you’re not sure what kind of benefit to offer, you may want to just keep things simple by promising a relationship that is mutually beneficial (as is shown in this sample from Entrepreneur.) Think of it as an introduction to an ongoing relationship, and a promise that the collaboration will benefit both parties.
Key Points
- Is done often between influencer x influencer collaborations.
- Simple and to the point — opens avenues for future collaborations.
- Promises benefits for both parties.
6. Feature the Receiver
If you’re still concerned about not being able to offer anything, you can always feature the receiver prior to sending the email (as is shown in the sample template below.) You can even mention this feature on your email. It will also make the email more personal if you take the time to look into the influencer’s profile and go through their content.
Key Points
- It’s a very easy and cheap way of offering a ‘benefit.’
- Featuring them prior to sending the email will confirm to the receiver that you are interested in their work.
- Which will endear them to be less likely to refuse.
7. Do Your Research
As a sort of extension to the last tip, you may want to research the influencer that you want to collaborate with before you actually send them that email. Not just to look at their growth tendency or availability — do research and educate yourself on what is important to them. If you can find ways to fit the things that you learn in your email (meaningfully), then that will endear you to them and make it less likely for them to refuse.
Key Points
- Knowing things about someone shows interest.
- It will make you appear more personable and likeable as a person.
- It’s another way of being ‘complementary’ and respectful
8. Invite them to an Event
Events are one of the best ways to connect with people — and it’s statistically more likely for someone to say yes when they’re being asked face to face (rather than through online communications.) Of course, you will still need to invite the influencer to the event through an email, but it will be so much easier for you to proceed with the collaboration in person.
Key Points
- People are statistically more likely to say yes during an event.
- Influencers like to go to events to connect with other influencers and brands
- Hosting an event is a great promotional campaign in and of itself.
9. Offer to Share Profits
This is a pretty big move, and not something that can be offered to just anyone. But, if you do have the means to do it, you should go for it. Many brands these days are offering affiliate links and promo codes to their influencer of choice so that both sides of the collaboration are able to merit from each and every sale. This may even end up saving you more money than if you had chosen to offer a flat fee instead.
Key Points
- Mutually beneficial on both sides (profits are shared per sale.)
- Takes away all the research required for offering a flat fee.
- It's one of the most popular methods of collaboration between brand and influencer.
10. Send Follow-Up Email
Have all your attempts so far been failures? Well, don’t stop now! If you don’t get a response, then send a follow-up email. If done appropriately, it can install a sense of urgency in the receiver and potentially make them less likely to refuse your request for a future collaboration.
Key Points
- Has the double-benefit of making the project more urgent.
- The second message is good for confirming approval or rejection.
- It’ll make sure that the no-reply was not caused by technical issues.
