How to reach out to a creator, with 4 email templates

Most brand emails to creators fail for boring reasons. They go to the wrong inbox, they hide the money, or they ask for a "collab" without saying what that means. Fix those three things and you are already ahead of most of the inbox. This guide covers where to send the email, what to put in it, when to follow up, and four templates you can copy.

Where do you find a creator's business contact?

Find a creator's business contact on their channel or profile first, because most professional creators list an email for brand deals there. On YouTube, open the channel's About section and select "View email address." YouTube's help center notes you can only see it if the channel owner added one. Creators using YouTube Creator Partnerships can also add a separate business contact email for a manager or agent.

On Instagram, professional accounts can add a Contact button near the top of the profile with an email address, phone number, or directions. On TikTok, look in the bio and any link-in-bio page. For newsletters, look for an "advertise" or "sponsor" link in the footer, or simply reply to an issue.

If none of that works, check the creator's website and the "business inquiries" line at the end of their video descriptions. A DM should be your last resort, and only to ask where to send a proposal. A full pitch in a DM tends to get lost among fan messages.

What should a first message to a creator include?

A first message should say who you are, why you chose this creator, what you want made, when, and what you will pay, in under 150 words. That is everything a creator needs to answer yes, no, or "here is my rate." Here is the order that works:

• One line on who you are and what you sell, with a link.
• One specific reason you picked them. Name a video or post.
• The deliverable: platform, format, length, and how many.
• The timing: when it should go live.
• The money: a number, a range, or a clear statement that you have a paid budget.
• Any rights you need beyond the post itself, such as running it as an ad.
• The next step you want, like a reply with their rate card.

Write a subject line that says what the email is. "Paid YouTube integration for [Brand], March" gets opened. "Collab opportunity!!" gets filtered. Send from a company email address with a working website. A free email account with no site looks like a scam, whether it is one or not.

Mention disclosure early too. The FTC's endorsement guidance tells advertisers to instruct creators on how to disclose their connection to the brand, "including exactly how you want them to make the disclosures." Saying it in the first email shows you run things properly.

When should you reach out, and how often should you follow up?

Reach out four to six weeks before you need content live, and follow up once after five to seven business days. Creators who do sponsorships often plan their content calendar weeks ahead, and a request for something "next week" either gets declined or costs more.

If you hear nothing after the first follow-up, wait another week and send one last short note. Then stop. Three emails is persistent. Five is a reason for the creator to block your domain.

Reply to your original email when you follow up instead of starting a new thread. The creator sees the full context in one place, and so does a manager if the email gets forwarded.

Which email template should you use?

Use the template that matches what you are offering: a paid deal, a no-strings gift, a longer partnership, or a follow-up. Replace everything in square brackets and cut anything that does not apply. Each one is short on purpose.

Template 1: Paid offer to a first-time partner

Use this when you are offering money to a creator you have never worked with.

Subject: Paid [platform] integration for [Brand] in [month]

Hi [first name],

I'm [your name], [your role] at [Brand]. We make [one-line description of the product] for [who buys it]. [link]

Your video "[video title]" is why I'm writing. The way you [specific thing they did] is exactly how our customers talk about [the problem you solve].

We'd like to pay you for one [length] integration in a [format], live between [date] and [date]. Our budget is $[amount]. If your rate is different, send it over and we'll talk.

What we'd need:
- One integration with a link and a discount code we provide
- A draft to review [number] days before posting, for factual accuracy only
- A clear "ad" label in the video, as US and UK disclosure rules require
- Organic posting only. Running it as a paid ad would be a separate conversation

If this sounds good, reply with your rate card or media kit and your next open dates.

Thanks,
[your name]
[Brand] | [website] | [phone]

Template 2: Gifting ask with no obligation

Use this when you want to send free product and are not asking for a post in return.

Subject: Can we send you [product]? No strings attached

Hi [first name],

I'm [your name] from [Brand]. We make [product] and I've followed your [topic] posts for a while, especially [specific post].

We'd love to send you [product] with no obligation to post anything. If you like it and decide to mention it, please make clear you got it free from us. Disclosure rules apply to free products too.

If you're up for it, reply with a shipping address and your [size, shade, or flavor]. If not, no problem at all.

Thanks for what you make,
[your name]
[Brand] | [website]

Template 3: Long-term partnership

Use this after a first deal went well and you want a recurring arrangement.

Subject: A [number]-month partnership with [Brand]?

Hi [first name],

Thanks again for the [video or post] on [date]. [Result you can share, such as orders on their code or new email signups] made it one of our best creator partnerships so far.

We'd like to talk about something longer. Here's a starting point:
- [number] posts a month on [platform] for [number] months
- A fixed monthly fee of $[amount], plus [percent]% of sales on your code
- Exclusivity in [narrow product category] for the length of the deal, paid for in the fee
- Early access to new products, and a say in what we make next

All of this is open to change. Could we get 20 minutes on a call in the next two weeks? A few times that work for us: [times and time zone].

[your name]
[Brand] | [website] | [phone]

Template 4: Polite follow-up

Use this five to seven business days after your first email, as a reply in the same thread.

Subject: Re: [original subject line]

Hi [first name],

Bumping this in case it got buried. Short version: $[amount] for one [deliverable] on [platform], live by [date].

If the timing or budget doesn't work, a one-line no is completely fine and helps us plan. If someone else handles your partnerships, I'm happy to send this to them instead.

Thanks,
[your name]

How should you respond to a creator's rate card?

Respond to a rate card by checking the price against the creator's recent views, then accepting, countering with a reason, or changing the package. A rate card is a creator's list of prices per deliverable. It is a starting point, not a final bill.

Start with cost per thousand views, also called cost per mille (CPM). Divide the fee by the views you expect and multiply by 1,000. Say a creator quotes $3,000 for an integration and their last ten videos averaged 60,000 views in the first month. That works out to $50 per thousand views. Run the same math for everyone on your shortlist and the outliers jump out. The cost calculator does this for you, and our guide to creator sponsorship cost explains how rates are set.

If the price is above your budget, change what you are buying before you haggle. Drop paid ad rights, which creators often price separately. Offer flexible dates. Book two posts instead of one for a lower per-post rate. Add a commission on sales so the creator earns more if it works. Ask what the price includes, too: revisions, how long the link stays up, and any usage rights or exclusivity.

If you still cannot meet the rate, say so plainly and leave the door open. "That's above what we can do this quarter. Can we come back in [month]?" keeps the relationship intact.

Why do creators ignore brand emails?

Creators ignore brand emails that make them do the work of figuring out the offer. The most common reasons:

• No budget mentioned. Creators assume you want free work.
• "Collab" with no details. A creator cannot say yes to something undefined.
• Obvious mass emails, especially with the wrong name or a generic compliment.
• Asking for content in exchange for "exposure."
• Big asks for a small fee, like permanent ad rights or long exclusivity for a single post.
• Long emails with attachments. Many creators will not open files from strangers.
• Free email addresses and no website, which look like a scam.
• Five follow-ups in two weeks.

Every item on that list is fixable in the first draft. Fix them before you hit send.

What happens after a creator says yes?

After a creator says yes, send a written brief and a short contract before any work starts. The brief tells them what to make. The contract covers payment, deadlines, usage rights, disclosure, and what happens if something goes wrong. Our guides on writing a creator brief and what to put in a creator contract cover both, with templates.

Pay on time. Creators talk to each other, and the brand that pays within a week of the post going live gets better rates and faster replies the next time.