Why Influencer Requests Fail (Plus Solutions)

Collaboration is the name of the game in online marketing these days.

More and more brands now realize the power of partnership.

Joining hands with like-minded brands or bloggers yields bigger, better, and faster results.

Whether you are doing a product launch, need affiliate partners or want an original quote from an expert to bolster your content, you must reach out. To achieve your goal, craft a magnetic outreach email. One that sweeps the recipient off their feet so they agree to help you.

In particular, influencer marketing (beware of fake influencers!) is all the rage. Swarms of companies and entrepreneurs are courting the favor of influencers through email. Sadly, most of these requests fail. In this post, I’ll explore why this happens. Importantly, I’ll provide tips on how to solve the problem.

Let’s dive in.

Influencer petitions fail because…

#1. Your request is abrupt

Imagine this:

Two e-mails hit your inbox simultaneously.

One is from a total stranger. The other is from a guy you were chatting with on Twitter the other day. His name sounds familiar.

Whose email will you open if you only had five minutes?

It’s an easy decision, right?

The second guy’s email. You ignore the stranger because you have no relationship with him.

Yes, you can still achieve some results through cold outreach, But with a prior connection with the niche rockstar, your prospects of success increase tenfold.

Here are quick tips on how to start a relationship with an influencer:

  • Comment on their blog posts. Not drab comments, but value-packed hard-to-ignore ones.
  • Share their stuff and tag them when you do.
  • Attend their online events like webinars or summits. Contribute. Ask sharp questions. Engage. Be unforgettable.
  • Join their list and respond to their welcome email. You’ll instantly get into their radar because most people don’t do this.

When you already have a warm relationship with an influencer your ask becomes natural. It’s asking for a favor from a friend. And, as you know, true friends help each other out.

#2. Your request is generic

General appeals for help don’t yield results.

Why?

Simply because they’re not specific enough. They go something like:

“Dear Grandiose Guru,

Hi there

Please help me spread the word about this guide I’ve written. I know with your generous help it’ll definitely catch fire on social media and touch many lives.

I’d be glad if you assist.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Yours

Marvelous Maven.”

This person isn’t clear about what they want. Your ask must be specific. It should address basic questions:

  1. What do you want?
    Say exactly what you want in plain language without being ambiguous e.g. I’m asking for a 100-word answer to this question…
  2. Where is this happening?
    Name the channel or place e.g. This is a guest post for Copyblogger.
  3. When do you want it?
    You must attach time to your ask-without a deadline, your request is parked e.g. I’m submitting the post on [insert date].
  4. How do you want them to help?
    State the one concrete step you want the influencer to take to help you with your mission e.g. Please share this post on Twitter if you like it. Here’s the link.

Specificity is attractive.

#3. Your request is huge

Would a guy in his right senses ask for a lady to marry him on the first date?

Of course not 🙂

That’s too big an ask for someone you barely know.

So the request falls flat. You’re asking for too much too early.

You can’t ask for a joint venture in your first email. Duh. No ways. That will not happen even if you try a hundred times using the best outreach email templates on the planet.

The solution?

Two things.

First, start by giving. Give again and again. Give more than you take. You can point out a broken link, share the influencer’s content or link to their posts and so on. Giving triggers reciprocity and builds goodwill towards you.

Second, start small. Increase the size of your solicitations as the relationship grows. Little by little. For instance, ask for a share before asking for a link. Linking to a site is a big deal. If your requests grow bigger as the relationship becomes stronger, your odds of success rise exponentially.

#4. Your request is lengthy

We live in a crazy-busy world.

Attention spans are shrinking. Scientists believe we now have shorter attention spans than goldfish, that can focus on a task or object for 9 seconds or fewer. The longer your message, the fewer your chances of hearing back.

Brevity is crucial.

  • It crystallizes your message.
  • It helps you get to the point quicker.
  • It shows you respect the recipient’s time.

Time-starved influencers appreciate conciseness. A happy influencer is likely to do what you’re asking for.

Data from HubSpot shows emails between 50 and 125 words have a response rate above 50%.

The Master Key To Successful Influencer Requests

Your requests for help from the stars in your niche don’t have to fail.

So, what’s the secret to success?

Simple.

Make it easy for them.

  1. Be known first.
  2. Be specific.
  3. Begin with small asks.
  4. Be brief.

That’s it.

It all boils down to effortless convenience for the niche leader you are wooing. Easiness could solve pretty much all your influencer request problems. That’s not to say everyone you reach out to will respond positively. But it means you’ve done your part to make it easy for them to say yes.

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Author: Qhubekani Nyathi

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