A good influencer outreach email template for a tech company says three things in the first two lines: what you are launching, when, and why you picked this person. Below are eight copy-ready messages, by email and X DM, for every step from first contact to saying no.
Each one is under 120 words and written the way a founder writes, short and specific. We send messages like these every week: Doomers AI books founders, engineers and creators from a network of 1,000+ to carry AI launches on X.
Before you send anything
Creators who post about AI get pitched constantly, and most pitches read like a mail merge. The ones that get answered show that a person read the creator's feed and has a real launch with a real date.
- Name the post that made you write. One specific post of theirs beats any compliment about their content.
- Lead with the date. A launch window is the thing a creator has to check first, so give it to them first.
- Say it is paid. Say up front that it is paid and carries X's paid partnership label. Hinting at "a collab" wastes both sides' time.
- Ask for their median. Price on what their posts typically do. What we check before we pay a creator lists the rest.
- Send from a person. A founder's name and email gets opened. A marketing alias gets filtered.
Find the right people before you write to anyone. How to find influencers covers where to look and how to vet.
First contact for a launch
1. First contact by email
Use it when you have their email and the launch is one to two weeks out. Pick the window first: the best time to post on X has the hours that work for launches.
Subject: Paid post for our launch on [date]? Hi [Name], I'm [your name], founder of [Company]. We're launching [product] on [date], [one line on what it does]. I'm writing because of your post on [topic]. [One sentence on why it was relevant.] Your readers are the people we build for. Would you be up for a paid post in the launch window, [time] to [time] ET? You'd write it your way from a one-page brief, with X's paid partnership label on it. If you're open to it, what's your rate for one post? Happy to give you product access first so you can try it. [Your name] [Company] | [X handle]
2. First contact by X DM
Use it when DMs are open and email is not listed. Keep it shorter than the email, because a DM is read on a phone.
Hey [Name], [your name] here, founder of [Company]. We're launching [product] on [date]. Your post on [topic] is the reason I'm writing. Would you do a paid post for it? Your words, from a short brief, with X's paid partnership label. Happy to send details and product access. What's the best email for this?
Asking for a rate
3. Rate request
Use it when a creator says yes in principle but has not named a number. Asking for the median and the audience by role tells you whether the number is fair.
Thanks [Name], great to hear. To get this right, could you send: - Your rate for one post on X on [date] - Your median views across your last 20 posts - Roughly who your readers are by job (engineers, founders, investors...) Scope on our side: one post, organic only, no ads from it and no reuse off X. Paid within 7 days of posting. If you usually price usage or reply time separately, tell me and we'll work it in. [Your name]
Expect a wide spread. B2B creator rates has the ranges we see across the network, and what to agree before anyone posts covers usage rights and exclusivity.
Handing over the brief
4. Brief hand-off
Use it once the rate is agreed, ideally three to ten days before the launch. Attach the brief and repeat the three things nobody should have to search for.
Subject: Brief for [product], live [date] at [time] ET Hi [Name], Brief attached. The short version: - Your window: [time] to [time] ET on [date] - The one thing to land: [claim]. Say it your way. - Label: X's paid partnership label, plus a plain line Your product access invite is in your inbox. If you want a fact check, send a draft by [date]. One round, facts only, and if we haven't replied in 24 hours it's approved. On the day, [engineer name] (@[handle]) is on call for anything technical in the replies. Thanks, really glad you're in. [Your name]
The influencer brief template has the full one-pager to attach.
Following up
5. Follow-up when there is no reply
Use it once, four or five days after first contact. If there is still nothing, move on.
Hi [Name], one quick follow-up on the paid post for [product] on [date]. If the timing doesn't work, no problem at all, just let me know and I'll stop bugging you. If it might, I can send the brief so you can decide with the details in front of you. [Your name]
6. When the launch date moves
Use it the moment the date changes. A launch that moves twice should be re-scoped, so offer them a clean way out.
Hi [Name], heads up: our launch has moved from [old date] to [new date], same window, [time] to [time] ET. Does the new date still work for you? If it doesn't, completely understood, and [we'll pay a kill fee of $(amount) / you're free to drop out with no hard feelings]. Sorry for the shuffle. [Your name]
After the launch
7. Thank-you with results
Use it within a week of the launch. Send their own numbers, so they know what their post did and want to work with you again.
Subject: Your post for [product], the numbers Hi [Name], Thank you for carrying our launch. Here's what your post did: - [views] views, [replies] replies, [bookmarks] bookmarks - [clicks] clicks on your link, [signups] signups [One specific thing: a reply that turned into a customer call, a question that changed our docs.] Payment went out on [date]. We launch [next thing] in [month], and I'd love to have you on it. [Your name]
Read the result post by post before you send this. Launch attribution covers what to count, and the launch directory shows what launches like yours did.
Saying no politely
8. A polite no
Use it when the rate does not fit, the audience is wrong for this launch, or someone has asked to run it without the label. Answer quickly and leave the door open where you mean it.
Hi [Name], thanks for coming back so quickly. We're going to pass on this one. [Pick one: It's above what we can spend on this launch. / Our buyer for this release is mostly (role), and I don't think it's the right fit for your readers.] I'd like to keep in touch for [next launch or topic], where it fits better. Thanks again for considering it. [Your name]
If the reason is disclosure, say so plainly and stop there. A creator who will not use the paid partnership label is a liability for the brand, and the disclosure guide explains why.
Questions we get asked
What should an influencer outreach email include?
What you are launching and the date, one specific post of theirs that made you write, a clear statement that the post is paid and carries X's paid partnership label, and one question they can answer quickly, usually their rate. Keep it under 120 words and send it from a person.
Should I contact influencers by email or DM?
Email if it is listed, because terms and briefs end up in email anyway. Use an X DM when DMs are open and no email is public, keep it to four or five lines, and ask for the best email in the same message.
How many times should I follow up with an influencer?
Once, four or five days after the first message. If there is still no reply, move on. Creators who post about AI get pitched constantly, and a third message usually costs you the next launch with that person.
Should I mention the fee in the first message?
Say clearly that it is paid in the first message, then ask for their rate. Asking also tells you whether they price on followers or on median views. Creators who quote from their median are usually easier to plan a launch around.
Can an agency do creator outreach for a launch?
Yes. A launch agency with its own creator network skips cold outreach entirely, because the relationships, rates and medians are already known. Doomers AI books founders, engineers and creators from a network of 1,000+ for AI launches on X, with every paid post labelled.