As a micro-influencer with around 2000 followers, I’ve had my fair share of experience with influencer marketing and influencer outreach. From beautifully written emails and DMs to borderline spam-y generic template emails, I’ve seen it all.
This week I decided to position myself on the other side of this situation and dip my toes into creating an influencer outreach email sequence for Byroe.
Byroe is a salad-inspired, luxury skincare brand with a big focus on clean, cruelty-free beauty. As a luxury brand, Byroe stands in a category of its own. With innovative products and a unique, playful concept Byroe is a brand that goes against the grain.
About a year ago Byroe reached out to me via Instagram DM and offered to send me some of their products. It was a well-written message and it was approachable. As a micro-influencer, the fact that they reached out to me meant the world.
There’s nothing wrong with reaching out to influencers via Instagram DM but –– looking back at my experience –– a luxury brand like Byroe might have more success in establishing themselves as a serious luxury brand if they did their outreach via email.
With that in mind, I went back to all the brand emails I’ve ever gotten and dissected what I liked about them and what I didn’t. I also did a bit of research on what makes a good email and how to format them to get successful results. After that, it was time to build the project.
The Influencers
The key to successful influencer marketing is good influencer outreach. You want to establish a relationship with content creators and the way to ensure that is through effective and personal communication.
If your brand is planning to do influencer outreach you first need to know who you want to reach and why. Do you want big influencers or micro-influencers? Are you trying to get your product in front of the widest possible audience or are you looking for people with specific niches?
Once you answer those questions, do your research and create your contact list.
For Byroe’s contact list I looked for people who create content around beauty and lifestyle. That is the content that aligns with what the brand is selling and, more often than not, the people who follow those influencers are also interested in what Byroe has to offer.
I looked for influencers with a high engagement in their posts as opposed to a high follower count. If you reach out to an influencer that has 100k followers but only gets 800 likes and 200 comments, their engagement is very low. They don’t have a lot of active followers that are listening to what they have to say and purchasing what they recommend.
If you reach out to an influencer with 2000 followers, an average of 700 likes and 150 comments your ROI will be much higher. This influencer’s followers actively engage with their content and listen to what they have to say. Don’t be fooled by the wrong numbers.
The key is to look for a high engagement rate, not a high follower count.
Last but not least, I looked for people who create high-quality content that is aligned with Byroe as a brand. Byroe’s Instagram is filled with bright pictures and videos that feature their products and ingredients, so people who have a similar picture style or editing style might be the best fit.
I came up with a simple spreadsheet and included all the information needed to reach out to these influencers. Most content creators have their emails and real names linked to their Instagram profiles so they make it easy to contact them. They want you to contact them. If you want to work with someone who doesn’t provide their email you could use a tool like Hunter.io to find it.
Once I added all the information into the spreadsheet, I got to drafting a few specific sample emails to reach some of these creators. Let’s dissect them.
The Emails
The most important things I wanted to include in all the emails were:
- A compelling subject line. To get the recipient to open the email, you need to give them a reason why. Making the subject line of your emails stand out from the others is an art and, if you do it well, it can bring you the results you want.
- Keep the emails short. Most people skim emails when they first get them. If there’s too much content in the email, they won’t go back and reread it all. But if you keep it short, they’re more likely to go back and do so.
- Make the emails personal. There’s nothing worse than a generic, template email. Adding personal details about the recipient in the email makes the exchange feel more like a conversation. Personal emails might take more time but they help cultivate meaningful relationships.
- Have a single ask. In the spirit of keeping my emails short, I also wanted them to be as simple as possible. I focused on only adding one ask per email to avoid overwhelming the recipients and have a higher response rate.
Introductory Email – Become a part of our PR list
The first email is an introductory email to someone to whom the brand has never reached out before. An email like this is a great way to establish an initial relationship with a content creator.
Subject: Want to be a Part of Byroe’s PR List?
Hey Beverly,
I'm Isa and I’m part of the marketing team at Byroe. Byroe is a salad-inspired, luxury skincare brand with a big focus on clean and cruelty-free beauty; and we’re looking to expand our PR list.
Team Byroe is a fan of your simple, aesthetically pleasing Instagram feed and –– since I know you love skincare products –– I thought you might like to try some new ones!
I would love to send you some of our products to try. If you are interested, please let me know your skin type and skin concerns so I can put together a Byroe bundle for you. Also, please provide a mailing address and phone number for delivery purposes.
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask!
Cheers,
Isa
I’m keeping the subject line to the point and phrasing it as a question to keep the reader curious. I’m also including an element of what the email is about.
Since I’m talking to a new person it’s important to introduce myself and Byroe as a brand so the recipient has a clear understanding of what we’re about. Then I move on to talking about how I found the influencer and some things we love about her content to make the email personal. And lastly, I move on to why I’m contacting them or my ask.
It’s a very simple and straightforward email but it gets the job done.
Follow Up to Introductory Email – send five days after the first email
Follow-up emails might not sound like a big deal but following up with people is important. Sometimes emails get lost or people forget to respond. People have lives outside of email. A short follow-up like this next one gives you a second chance to connect with them.
Subject: Do You See Byroe Products in Your Future?
Hello Beverly,
I’m following up regarding my last email. I wanted to check in and see if you’re still interested in receiving a customized Byroe bundle and be a part of our PR list?
If you are, please let me know your skin type and skin concerns so I can put together your Byroe bundle. In addition, please provide a mailing address and phone number for delivery purposes.
I look forward to hearing from you!
Best,
Isa
For this second one, I created an even shorter email. I wanted the subject line to stand out amongst others and capture the reader’s attention so I also phrased it as a question. For the content of the email, I paraphrased the most important elements of the last email to confirm if they’re interested or not.
I didn’t reinvent the wheel. I just shortened it and sent it again to hopefully get an answer.
Affiliate Email – Become a part of our Affiliate Program
The next set of emails I made are for a hypothetical affiliate program. For this program, I only focused on people with whom Byroe already established a relationship with, so there’s no need for introductions.
Subject: Erica, Become a Part of Byroe’s Affiliate Program! Hey Erica, Thank you for your continuous love and support of Byroe. To express our gratitude for all you do for Byroe, we’re excited to invite you to join Byroe’s first-ever Affiliate Program! As an affiliate you will: - Receive a 10% commission on every sale you drive via your unique referral link - Earn up to 15% commission during special events - Get a unique 10% discount code on new product launches for your followers - Get sneak peeks of Byroe’s newest launches before they’re announced to the public We have a lot of exciting launches and events coming up this year and they might be the perfect opportunity to earn money while doing something you love. Join now so you don’t miss out! If this sounds like something you might be into, please apply here. Once our team reviews and verifies your account, you will be good to go. And, as always, if you have any questions regarding the affiliate program, don’t hesitate to reach out to isabella@byroe.com. All the best, Byroe Affiliate Team
Since this email is made to be informative, I kept the subject line straight to the point.
For the content of the email I wanted to keep it short but there was more information that needed to be included. I started out expressing gratitude for the support on byroe and then I got straight to the point. I added some perks that affiliates can expect if they join the program and a few more details to hopefully convince them to join. In the end, I have a call to action that requires no back and forth emailing and I provided a clear point of contact for questions.
Again, I tried to keep it as concise as possible to sustain the reader’s attention.
Follow Up to Affiliate Email – send five days after the first email
The follow-up email would be sent if the recipient didn’t apply to the affiliate program or didn’t respond to the previous email.
Subject: Take a Sneak Peek at Byroe’s Newest Launch! Hi Erica, I’m reaching out to let you know that we’re launching our Tofu Gel Cream next week and I thought you’d like to be the first to know.The Tofu Gel Cream is a unique vegan weightless gel-cream that is safe for ALL skin types, especially for those with sensitive and redness-prone skin. And it should be hitting your mailbox soon! If you’re interested in more sneak peeks at our new launches, 10% commissions, and a unique discount code for your followers; apply for our Affiliate Program here. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions! Best, Isa
With this email, I wanted to give the creators a taste of what being an affiliate would look like. I shared a sneak peek at a new product and included some summarized details from the previous email. Again, it’s a good reminder if they missed that one. Or a good way to convince them to join if they weren’t sure yet.
Collaboration Email – Paid Opportunity
The last set of emails is for creators that Byroe wants to collaborate with. This could be with an influencer the brand already has an established relationship with, or with a new influencer which is the case in this email.
Subject: @Juanskindiary x Byroe | Paid Collaboration Opportunity
Hey Juan,
The Byroe team has been following your Instagram profile for a while, and we love your product photography and the way you share your skincare journey. Not to mention your insane before and after stories!
My name is Isa and I work for Byroe. Byroe is a salad-inspired, luxury skincare brand with a big focus on clean and cruelty-free beauty. Since you’re passionate about sharing your skincare journey and making beauty products look beautiful, I thought I would reach out to see if you would be open to testing a few of our products and doing a paid collaboration on Instagram!
If you’re interested, please let me know and include your rate card with your response.
Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing back from you!
Cheers,
Isa
For the subject line, I wanted to keep it straightforward so that the reader knows what to expect. I also made sure to include that this is a paid opportunity for full transparency from the get-go.
I started the email with where we found the influencer and what we love about their work. I followed up with a simple introduction and the initial proposition for a paid collaboration on Instagram. I also asked for their rate card because that’s important information that the brand needs to know before making any agreements. Lastly, I closed with a thank you because being polite is always a good way to sign off.
The email is simple, clear, and it outlines the next steps to avoid confusion.
Follow Up to Collaboration Email – send five days after the first email
Subject: Up for a Paid Collaboration with Byroe?
Hi Juan,
The Byroe team can’t stop raving about your latest shelfie on your Instagram. The combination of lighting, product placement, and close-ups make it a perfect picture. And it’s exactly what Byroe is looking for!
In case you missed my last email, I’d love to send you a few products to test out and do a paid collaboration on Instagram. Please let me know if you’re still interested and include your rate card with your response.
Let me know if you have any questions or if anything needs clarification.
I look forward to chatting with you!
Best,
Isa
For the follow-up, I went back with a question for the subject line and included some elements of what the email is about.
The content in this email is a bit more specific. I picked the creator’s latest Instagram post and highlighted what team Byroe liked about it. This shows the influencer that the brand is actively looking at his work and genuinely wants to collaborate with him. The second half is, again, a summarized version of the first email in case he missed it or forgot to respond.
Conclusion
After completing this project I’ve learned how hard it can be to make things simple. Influencer outreach is not about fancy, long emails with a bunch of graphics that you send out to hundreds of content creators. Creating short, compelling emails that add value to the recipient is much more meaningful than well-designed emails.
The one thing that makes influencer marketing successful, is when a brand sets out to build genuine relationships with influencers. So that should be your main goal when reaching out to creators.
As long as you keep your emails or DMs short, grammatically correct, clear, and genuine, you’ll be on your way to successful influencer marketing.
Isabella Bonifasi 