How to Pitch to Your Favourite Brands As An Influencer (Even If They Don’t Know Who You Are Yet)

If you’ve ever looked at your favourite travel hotel, fashion brand or skincare company and thought… “I’d love to work with them, but they’re way out of my league.” I’ve been there. So here is my ‘how to pitch to your favourite brands as an influencer’ guide.

The truth is, most creators wait for brands to find them. They spend months creating content, hoping an email lands in their inbox.

The creators who land dream collaborations? They don’t wait.

They pitch.

Some of my favourite partnerships have happened because I introduced myself first—not because a brand magically discovered me.

If you’re a lifestyle or travel creator wondering how to pitch brands without sounding awkward or salesy, this guide will walk you through exactly how to do it.

One of the biggest mistakes new influencers or bloggers make is believing brands only work with creators they discover themselves.

That’s simply not true.

Marketing teams are busy. They don’t know every amazing creator on Instagram or TikTok.

By reaching out professionally, you’re putting yourself on their radar before everyone else.

Remember:

Brands don’t hire creators because they have the biggest following.

They hire creators because they solve a marketing problem.

Your job is to show them how.

Step 1: Choose Brands That Actually Fit Your Content

This sounds obvious, but it’s where many creators go wrong.

Don’t pitch 100 random companies.

Pitch the brands you’d genuinely use if they never paid you.

For example, if you’re a travel creator, think about:

• Hotels you’ve stayed in
• Airlines you love flying with
• Travel luggage brands
• Swimwear brands
• Skincare you pack on every trip
• Camera equipment
• Coffee shops or restaurants you genuinely recommend

Authenticity is incredibly valuable.

If your audience believes you already love the brand, the partnership feels natural.

Step 2: Research Before You Pitch

Before sending an email, spend ten minutes researching.

Ask yourself:

• Have they worked with creators before?
• What style of content do they repost?
• Are they launching something new?
• Do they have a creator programme?
• Who is the marketing contact?

The more personalised your pitch feels, the harder it is to ignore.

Step 3: Find the Right Person to Contact

One of the biggest mistakes creators make is sending an email to a generic inbox and hoping for the best.

Instead, spend a few minutes finding the right contact. It can dramatically increase your chances of getting a response.

1. Check Their Website

Many brands have dedicated pages for:

• Press
• PR
• Marketing
• Partnerships
• Influencer Collaborations
• Creator Programmes

A quick Google search like:

• Brand name + influencer marketing
• Brand name + PR contact
• Brand name + collaborations
• Brand name + media kit
• Brand name + creator programme

can often lead you straight to the right page.

2. Use Google

Don’t underestimate the power of Google.

Search terms like:

• “Brand name PR email”
• “Brand name influencer contact”
• “Brand name marketing team”

can uncover press releases, media contacts or partnership pages that aren’t immediately obvious from the website.

3. Send a Friendly Instagram DM

If you can’t find an email address, don’t be afraid to introduce yourself via Instagram.

Keep it short and friendly.

For example:

Hi! I absolutely love your brand and would love to explore a collaboration. Could you let me know the best email address or contact person for influencer partnerships? Thank you!

Notice that you’re not pitching in the DM—you’re simply asking for the best person to contact.

4. Look on LinkedIn

Many marketing managers, influencer marketing executives and social media managers list where they work on LinkedIn.

A quick search for the brand can help you identify the people responsible for creator partnerships. While you don’t necessarily need to message them there, knowing their name allows you to personalise your email instead of writing “Hi Team.”

5. Check Their Social Media Bio

Some brands include a dedicated partnerships email in their Instagram or TikTok bio, especially smaller businesses and boutique hotels.

It’s always worth checking before digging any deeper.

My Biggest Tip

Don’t send the exact same email to 100 brands.

Spend an extra five minutes researching each company, mention something specific that you genuinely like about them, and explain why your audience is a good fit.

A personalised pitch will always stand out more than a copy-and-paste template, and brands can usually tell the difference.

Step 4: Lead With Value, Not Your Follower Count

Here’s what brands care about:

• Can you create beautiful content?
• Can you tell a story?
• Does your audience trust you?
• Will your content help them sell their product?

Notice what isn’t first on that list?

Follower count.

Micro creators land incredible collaborations every day because they know how to create valuable content.

Instead of saying:

“I have 12,000 followers.”

Say:

“I create aspirational travel and lifestyle content that inspires women to book memorable experiences and discover brands they’ll genuinely love.”

Step 5: Keep Your Email Short

Brand managers receive hundreds of emails.

Respect their time.

A simple structure works best:

• Introduce yourself.
• Explain why you love the brand.
• Share why your audience is a good fit.
• Suggest a collaboration idea.
• Include your media kit.
• Finish with a friendly call to action.

Rejection Doesn’t Mean You’re Not Good Enough

Sometimes brands won’t reply.

Sometimes they’ll say no.

Sometimes they’ve already allocated their budget.

It isn’t personal.

Creators who consistently secure partnerships aren’t necessarily the most talented—they’re often the most consistent.

Keep pitching.

Keep improving.

Keep creating.

Your dream brand isn’t going to know you exist unless you give them a reason to.

Every collaboration starts with a conversation, and every conversation starts with someone pressing “Send.”

Pitch professionally. Be genuine. Focus on how you can help the brand, not what you want from them.

The worst outcome is no reply.

The best outcome? You could be working with the brands you’ve been dreaming about for years.

And trust me—that first “yes” makes every unanswered email worth it.