Are you looking for a few tips to improve your email communication?
As a content creator/influencer, my main mode of communication with the brands I work with is email communication. I pitch, negotiate, and secure brand deals through emails. And over the past few years, I’ve learned that other bloggers struggle with emails. I’ve also been in email chains where influencers accidentally hit “reply all” and I see the previous email threads between them and the brands.
If you’re looking to improve your email communication or just want a few tips to improve your pitches to brands, this blog post is for you.
Here are 8 tips to improve your email communication:
1.State your purpose in your subject line
If you’re a blogger or influencer trying to pitch a brand for a potential collaboration, state your purpose with a verb. Here are a few subject lines I’ve used in the past:
- “Requesting a Brand Collaboration: Brand Name x Emma’s Edition”
- “Instagram Collaboration Request: Brand Name x Emma’s Edition”
Social media managers, marketing managers, and public relations agencies are running various campaigns at different times. You can help make their lives easier but stating why you’re reaching out in your subject line.
2. Make your email readable
Most people (including PR agencies and brands) skim their emails. Many people also read their emails on their phones. You have to make your email easy to read and easy to skim. Writing in long paragraphs doesn’t make your emails easy to read.
You can space out paragraphs to help break up your intro, body, and conclusion of your email. Additionally, you can also use:
3. Use bullet points
Bullet points are effective to sharing dates, options, and break down ideas. For example, if I’m trying to schedule a time to speak with a brand or PR agency, here’s what I would include in the email:
“May you please let me know if this time/or date would work for a phone call?
- Friday May 22nd at 2pm
- Monday May 25th at 3:30pm
- Tuesday May 26th at 4:00pm”
Bullet points are also great if you’re listing out the deliverables you want to pitch to a brand. Here is an example:
“Here are the following deliverables I’d love to create for the brand:
- 1 blog post
- 1 Instagram post
- 1 tweet”
4. Keep paragraphs short
If you are using paragraphs in your emails, I’d recommend keeping those paragraphs 3-5 sentences. It helps to envision what 3-5 paragraphs looks like on your phone. If you send yourself a draft of the email, you’ll be able to see how long it looks on your phone.
5. Use bold to highlight important pieces of an email
If there’s something specific you want your audience to focus on, like a call to action, make sure you bold the text. Here is an example of when I used this:
“Hi brand!
Attached are the photo options and the drafts of the caption + IG stories. May you please let me know if the brand has any updates to the copy? I know the target publish date is at the end of the week and I want to ensure we’re able to meet that date.”
6. Link to relevant links
If you’re sharing with the brand your Instagram, blog, or YouTube channel, make sure you link your channels inside the email. You’ll save the person reading the email time by linking to your platforms. Rather than them having to pull up Instagram or Google your blog, they’ll be able to see your platforms in one click.
Personally, my email signature has my Instagram and blog linked for reference:
Sincerely,
Emma Cortes
@emmasedition | @contentcreativespodcast
7. For brand collaboration pitches, your email format should answer all these questions/include this information:
Intro:
- Who is the audience/person receiving this email?
- Who are you?
“Hi Brand,
My name is Emma Cortes. I’m a Seattle lifestyle/fashion content creator. I’m reaching out to see if your brand would be interested in working together next month”
Body:
- What are you offering?
- What are your metrics or stats?
- Why should this person/brand care?
I would love to create an Instagram post and stories as well as blog post highlighting your brand. I’ve been using brand’s products for years and align with the brand values. I believe my audience would also be excited to learn more about your brand’s products.
Below are a snap shot of my metrics for your reference:
Instagram: XXX
Blog: XXX
Conclusion:
- When are you looking for a response by?
- A thank you
May you please let me know if this type of collaboration would align with the brand’s marketing and business goals? If so, please let me know by the end of the week.
Thank you!
8. Be professional
If you’re pitching a brand for the first time, I recommend keeping it straightforward and professional. Please don’t greet brands with “hey girl hey” or a gif. There is a time and place for everything. You can definitely show who you are and still be professional.
You can still be professional if you pass on a brand campaign. Telling a brand “sorry I only do paid deals and you should be ashamed you’re only offering free product” leaves a terrible impression of who you are.
You can simple say, “At this time, I’m only prioritizing paid campaigns. While I appreciate you taking the time to reach out about this gifted opportunity, I’m going to have to pass. Thank you!”
What other tips do you have to improve your email communication?
Thank you for reading!
Love,
Emma
Photos: Maddy