How to Pitch to Brands as a Micro Influencer
If you have a lower follower count, you’re probably wondering how to pitch to brands a micro influencer. It’s true, you don’t need to have hundreds of thousands of followers to start monetizing with brand partners.
Especially right now, more and more brands are looking for micro influencers to work with because of their highly engaging audiences. Most smaller creators have these highly engaged audiences because they’re able to actually spend the time chatting with people individually vs. creators who have millions of followers and have absolutely no realistic way to speak to everyone.
Today, we’re sharing the things you need to know about pitching to brands with a low follower count and the brand pitch email template that you can use to guide you through getting started.
Don’t forget that we interviewed Jordynn Nicholson, a successful influencer and creator creator, on our podcast Soulcial Scoop, and it’s available now for you to binge everywhere you listen to your podcasts. You’ll learn everything about how to get a brand’s attention.
What to do before pitching
You only get one first impression when pitching to a brand, so it’s incredibly important that you take the time to perfect that interaction.
So, how can you present yourself well to your dream brands?
Ensure that your profile is well-branded.
If a brand can come onto your profile and within 3-5 seconds really get a good understanding for who you are, what your mission is, what your content looks like, and who your audience is, then you’re in a great place. It’s easier for them to feel comfortable investing in a creator that looks well-branded as it shows that you’re really putting in the work that it takes to be a great creator and brand partner. It’s hard for a brand to invest in someone who doesn’t have much direction.
Only pitch when you’re feeling really great about your community and content.
If you’re feeling really down about your content or your engagement is much too low, you’ll probably want to work on fixing those problems first before you introduce yourself to a brand officially.
Think about it from the brand’s perspective. They’re investing money in you so that you can create high-converting content that will make everyone want to know more about the brand and even make a purchase. How can you do that if you’re feeling lost with your content and your audience isn’t really interested in what you’re sharing?
Do your research into that brand.
Going into your pitch email with some information that shows you’re actively paying attention to what that brand is doing is one way to have a leg up on other creators who are pitching to the same brand.
Who would you rather invest your money in: Someone who says they love your brand or someone who shows that they love your brand? Actions speak louder than words.
Spend time “warming up the brand”.
The “warming up” process for me typically includes following them on the platforms that I want to work with them on first. Then, I spend about 10-14 days interacting with them. I’m replying to their Stories, I’m commenting on their new posts, I’m asking questions in the DMs or the comments that show I’m genuinely interested in them and their products, etc.
The reason I do this is because it helps the brand get used to hearing my name a bit so that when I’m pitching, my name might be a bit more familiar.
This process is a huge part of the Anti-Pitch Method that we created an entire free masterclass on. This method is all about creating genuine relationships to get your foot in the door, and it’s been proven to show a much higher response and success rate than your typical cold pitch. You can learn more about it in the description below.
Share the brand organically.
Look, I get it. No one wants to create free content about a brand because they think that it will take away from the chances of working with that brand in a paid capacity later, but this couldn't be further from the truth.
About 50% of my partnerships in 2022 have actually started this way. I’ve mentioned the brand a few times in Stories, maybe tagged them in an Instagram post, or even created a TikTok video about them.
This is a great way to show that I am genuinely interested in sharing the brand with my audience because I lovethem vs. just because I want to make some money. Many brands who I have tagged or mentioned have reached out to me to work together in a more formal capacity on new content or, at the very least, have asked to purchase usage rights to the content that I already created.
What brands to pitch to
Plain and simple: Just about any brand will be open to hearing you out, so there’s no specific list of brands that work with micro influencers and those who don’t. If you can prove to a brand that you really love them, are loyal to them, and can create high-converting content for them that your audience will really love, then chances are, if there’s an opportunity at that moment, maybe you’ll be considered for it.
Overall, it’s all about building relationships. You need to prove your loyalty to this brand and show that that you’re in it to help them flourish.
If you’re interested in learning more about how to find the contact information for your favorite brands, let me know in the comments and I can make a video for you.
All of our Soulcialmate Monthly Creator Members also have access to our Collaborative Brand Email list where we’re consistently adding new brand contacts as a group so that you’re able to spend less time researching contact information and more time creating relationships with these brands.
What your email should look like
A. Introduction
“Hope you’re doing well. My name is Kristen Bousquet, and I’m a Charlotte-based content creator on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube [platforms will be linked to my profiles] sharing self-care and business tips for creators to help them monetize their online influence.”
B. Personal Connection
“When I was first getting started as a business owner, I had a really hard time figuring out the logistics, but I used Tailor Brands to help me file for my LLC. So much easier than doing it on my own!”
C. Why Your Audience Cares
“With my audience consisting of mostly entrepreneurs, creators, and small business owners, they’re going through a lot of the same struggles I was that Tailor Brands actually helped me solve. They’d get a lot of use out of the website builder, email services, and help with LLC formation.”
D. Optional: Stats
“See below for an inside look on my platforms and my audience:
X% engagement rate
Top cities include:
X% of my audience is [top age bracket]”
E. Open Invite
“What marketing goals are you currently working on at Tailor Brands for the upcoming quarter? I’d love to grab a virtual coffee with you and discuss some ideas I have to help raise brand awareness and get Tailor Brands some new users. When are you free in the next few weeks?”
Now, what happens after you send your pitch? What do you do if they respond? What if they don’t? Let me know in the comments if you want a part two.
Don’t forget that we interviewed Jordynn Nicholson, a successful influencer and creator creator, on our podcast Soulcial Scoop, and it’s available now for you to binge everywhere you listen to your podcasts. You’ll learn everything about how to get a brand’s attention.
