In short
- Every first message needs five parts: who you are, the exact ask, what you pay or give, the disclosure label and a date. Anything missing costs a reply cycle.
- Use different templates for paid, barter and long-term asks. Barter needs the retail value; a long-term ask needs a paid trial month first.
- Follow up twice at most, three to four days apart, and add something new each time. After that, close the loop politely.
- Never offer exposure as payment, hide the ad label, demand a positive review or ask a creator to pay for anything.
A good influencer outreach message lets the creator say yes, no or "send details" after one read. It names who you are, one piece of their work you actually watched, the exact ask, what you pay or give, the disclosure label and a date. Paid, barter and long-term asks need different wording, because a creator weighs each differently. This post gives eleven templates for situations our guide to how to find influencers in India does not cover, and a list of lines you should never write.
The parent guide has the three basics: a first DM, an email and a WhatsApp follow-up. Use those as your base, and come here for rights asks, barter, hybrid offers, long-term deals, negotiation, follow-ups and declines. For the channel as a whole, see the complete guide to influencer marketing in India.
Before you write: channel and subject line
| Channel | Use it for | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Instagram DM | Nano and micro creators who list no email | Links, attachments and long paragraphs. Messages from accounts a creator does not follow usually go to a requests folder, so a short note is more likely to be opened |
| Creators with a business email or a manager; anything with a rate card or rights | Vague subject lines such as "Collaboration". Say paid or barter, the brand and the month | |
| After the creator has given you a number | First contact; it feels like an intrusion |
Good subject lines say the type, the brand and the date: "Paid Reel with ad rights: [brand], [month]" or "Barter: [product] for your [niche] audience". The Instagram behaviour above is general product knowledge, not a published figure; menus and inbox folders change with app versions.
The five parts of a first message
| Part | What to write | Example phrase |
|---|---|---|
| Who you are | Your name, role and brand, in one line | "I'm [name], brand lead at [brand]" |
| Proof you looked | One specific piece of their content | "Your Reel on [topic], the part where you [detail]" |
| The ask | Deliverable, count and window | "One Reel and one Story set between 10 and 20 March" |
| What you give | Fee or product with retail value | "₹[amount]" or "[product], retail value ₹[amount]" |
| The label and the date | Disclosure and a reply-by date | "Labelled as a partnership. Could you reply by Friday?" |
Eleven templates
Replace every [bracket]. Cut anything that does not apply. Each template is a starting point, not a script to paste.
1. Paid Reel with ad rights (DM)
Use this when you plan to run the post as a partnership ad.
Hi [Name], I'm [your name] at [brand], which makes [one-line product]. I watched your Reel on [topic] and liked how you [specific detail]. We're booking creators for one paid Reel in [month]. The fee is ₹[amount], and we'd like the right to run the Reel as a partnership ad for [30 or 60] days, priced as a separate line. It will carry a clear partnership label. Could you send your rate for the Reel and for the Reel with ad rights, plus your last 30 days' reach and audience location? A reply by [date] would help.
Why it works: it prices the rights openly, which saves a round of negotiation. Our creator ads and whitelisting service explains the terms.
2. Paid package to a manager (email)
Subject: Paid campaign enquiry: [brand] and [creator], [month]
Hi [Manager's name], I'm [your name] at [brand]. We'd like to book [creator] for [number] Instagram Reels and [number] Story sets, live between [dates]. Every post will carry a partnership label, and drafts come to you for approval before posting. Please send a rate card with rights, exclusivity and GST as separate lines, a current media kit, audience location, age and gender screenshots, and availability for [dates]. Our budget for the full package is ₹[range]. I can share the one-page brief on a 15-minute call if that is easier.
3. Barter first message to a nano creator (DM)
Hi [Name], I'm [your name] from [brand]. We make [product]. I liked your Reel on [topic]. We'd like to send you [product], retail value ₹[amount], to try. If you like it, we'd ask for [a Reel or a Story set] by [date], with a Free gift or Collaboration label. There's no cost to you and you can keep the product. We want your honest view, not scripted praise. If you're interested, please send a delivery address and a phone number for the courier.
Why it works: it leads with what you give and states the cost to the creator, which is nothing.
4. Barter plus fee to a larger micro creator (email)
Subject: [Product] plus a fee for your [niche] audience
Hi [Name], I'm [your name] at [brand]. We'd like to send you [product or bundle], retail value ₹[amount], and pay ₹[amount] for one Reel and one Story set, labelled as a partnership, live by [date]. If you prefer product only, we'd ask for one Story set instead. Could you tell me which suits you, and send your last 30 days' reach and audience location? I'll send the brief and contract once you confirm.
5. Hybrid reply after a creator declines pure barter
Thanks for replying, [Name], and for being straightforward. A Reel takes real time. Could we do [product] plus ₹[amount] for one Reel, with [rights]? If that doesn't work, no problem. I'd like to keep you on our list for a paid round in [month].
6. Long-term ask after a good first campaign (email)
Subject: Three months together after [campaign], [Name]?
Hi [Name], thank you for [campaign]. Your Reel drew [specific result, such as comments asking where to buy]. We'd like to book you for three months: [number] Reels and [number] Story sets a month, a fixed monthly fee of ₹[amount], a code in your name and partnership-ad rights for [period], priced as a line. We'd treat month one as a paid trial, review the numbers together and extend if they hold. Exclusivity would cover [category] only, for the contract period. Could we speak for 15 minutes this week?
Why it works: it cites a real result and offers a trial month, so the creator is not committing to three months on faith. Our creator ambassador programmes follow the same ladder.
7. Local visit-and-post invite (Hinglish DM)
Hi [Name], main [your name], [brand] se. Aapki [area] wali food reels mujhe bahut pasand aayi, khaaskar [specific Reel]. Hum [date] ko naya menu launch kar rahe hain aur chahte hain ki aap aakar try karein. Aapka meal hamari taraf se hoga (menu price ₹[amount]). Hum ek Reel ya Story chahte hain, Collaboration label ke saath, [date range] ke beech. Aapko koi kharcha nahi aayega. Interested ho toh bata dijiye, main time aur menu bhej deta/deti hoon.
For city-led searches, see how to find local influencers in your city.
8. Asking for audience data after a rate card
Thanks for the rate card, [Name]. Before I take it to my team, could you share your insights for the last 30 days: audience location (cities and countries), age and gender, and reach on your last five Reels? We ask every creator for the same, so this is not a doubt about you. I'll come back within two working days of receiving them.
What to do with the screenshots is in how to read influencer audience insights.
9. Negotiating when the quote is above budget
Thanks, [Name]. Your work is a good fit, and ₹[quote] is above the range I have for this campaign (₹[range]). Three ways to close the gap: one Reel instead of two, 30 days of ad rights instead of 90, or no exclusivity window. Would any of these work? If not, I'd like to stay in touch for a later campaign.
10. Two follow-ups
Follow-up 1, three to four days after the first message:
Hi [Name], one detail I left out: the shoot window is [dates] and the product ships the week after you confirm. Happy to answer any questions. A yes or no is fine either way.
Follow-up 2, a week in:
Hi [Name], I'm closing this shortlist on [date], so this is my last note. If you'd like to be considered, reply with your rate and the audience screenshots. If the timing is wrong, I'll keep you in mind for the next round.
11. Declining kindly
Thanks for sending this, [Name]. We've filled this campaign, and I'd like to keep you on our list for the next one. May I get in touch in [month]?
Do not share the reason in terms that reveal another creator's data. "The audience mix does not match this brief" is enough.
What never to write
| Line | Why it fails | Write this instead |
|---|---|---|
| "We'll give you exposure." | Exposure is not payment, and good creators have heard it often | A fee, or a product with its retail value |
| "No need to mention it's an ad." | ASCI treats paid and free-product posts as ads needing a label, and the brand shares responsibility | "It will carry a clear partnership label." |
| "Only positive feedback, please." | Endorsements must reflect the creator's own view, and the Department of Consumer Affairs says endorsers should not endorse what they have not used | "We want your honest view." |
| "Pay ₹[amount] for shipping" or a deposit | Charging creators turns a collaboration into a sale | The brand pays for product and courier |
| "Post within 24 hours of receiving it." | A rushed post is a weak post | A window of days, counted from delivery |
| "Budget: up to ₹[amount]" when you mean half | Creators compare notes | A real range |
| "Guaranteed sales" | Neither side can promise one | A target both sides will track |
| "Send your PAN and bank details." in the first message | Sensitive data, no reason yet | Ask only after they accept |
| "Other creators are doing it for free." | It insults the work | Leave it out |
| "Dear influencer" copied to a hundred accounts | It reads as spam and gets ignored | A named opening and one specific detail |
The disclosure line carries the highest stakes. ASCI's guidelines require a clear label whenever there is a material connection, including free products, and the brand shares responsibility for the post. The Department of Consumer Affairs' Endorsement Know-hows say the same. In ASCI's second check of Forbes India's Top 100 Digital Stars 2024, 76% still failed disclosure norms. Putting the label in message one filters out creators who will not use it. This is general information, not legal or tax advice.
Reading the replies
| Reply | What it usually means | Next move |
|---|---|---|
| Rate card, no screenshots | Interested, not yet vetted | Template 8 |
| "Please email my manager" | The creator is represented | Template 2, sent to the manager |
| "Yes, but my rate is ₹[amount]" | Open to a deal | Template 9 if above range |
| "I don't do barter" | The product is below their price | Template 5 |
| Asks for the full fee upfront | Guarding against non-payment | Offer a milestone: part on script approval, the rest after the post is verified |
| No reply | Missed it, busy or not interested | Templates 10 and 11 |
Our own practice is to pay creators after deliverables are verified, with TDS handled; our guide to TDS 194R and GST on influencer payments explains the tax side.
Track what works
Keep a simple sheet: sent date, channel, template used, replied, rate, insights received and status. After 30 messages you will see which opening gets replies. Change one thing at a time, such as the subject line or the first sentence, so you know what worked. For micro creators, our guide to finding micro-influencers lists where to find the names, and for gifting, how to find influencers for barter collaboration covers who says yes.
Once a creator says yes, send the brief and the contract. Our influencer campaign brief template and influencer contracts in India guides cover both. Use the engagement rate calculator before you agree a fee, and our influencer vetting checklist before you book.
If you would rather not write fifty messages, send us a brief. We reply within two working hours, return a vetted plan scored with the Gully Score within 48 hours of the brief call and never charge creators a fee.
Sources
- Indian consumers and influencers: coverage of a 2025 Kantar-backed study of consumers and brands, Campaign India (12 Jun 2025)
- India creator-economy research report page: brand behaviour survey, Q1 2026 (vendor estimate), Influencer-platform vendor research page (accessed 31 Oct 2026)
- ASCI half-yearly complaints report 2025-26, ASCI (Nov 2025)
- ASCI Guidelines for influencer advertising in digital media, ASCI (accessed 31 Oct 2026)
- Endorsement Know-hows! for celebrities, influencers and virtual influencers, PIB, Department of Consumer Affairs (20 Jan 2023)
Frequently asked questions
What should I say in the first message to an influencer?
Say who you are, name a specific piece of their content, state the ask and the budget or what you give, mention the disclosure label and give a date. Keep it under 100 words, with no links. A creator should be able to say yes, no or 'send details' after one read.
Should I DM or email an influencer?
Email when the creator lists a business email or a manager, because it fits rate cards, rights and attachments. Use a DM for nano and micro creators who do not list one. Messages from accounts a creator does not follow usually go to a requests folder, so keep a DM short.
How many times should I follow up with an influencer?
Twice at most. Send the first follow-up three to four days after the first message with something new, such as the shoot window, and the second a week in, with a closing date. After that, assume no and keep the creator on a list for a later round.
How do I offer barter without sounding cheap?
State the product's retail value, ask for content in proportion to it, say there is no cost to the creator and offer a fee if the ask is larger. A fair message leads with what you give. Our barter collaboration guide has the fair-swap table.
How do I reply when an influencer's rate is too high?
Thank them, state your range and offer ways to close the gap: fewer deliverables, a shorter rights window or no exclusivity. Do not question their value. If none works, ask to stay in touch. A respectful no often leads to a yes at the next campaign.
Do I have to mention the disclosure label in outreach?
It is wise to. ASCI treats paid and free-product posts as advertising that needs a clear label, and the brand shares responsibility. A creator who pushes back on a label in the first conversation is a brand safety risk. See ASCI influencer guidelines.