Looking to save your sales team hours of tedious influencer research and cold emailing? If you're tired of spreadsheets, manual LinkedIn searches, and chasing people who never reply, this guide is for you. We're getting straight to the point on how to automate influencer outreach using Influencers Club. No fluff—just what actually works, where you'll likely get stuck, and how to keep it manageable.
Step 1: Get Clear on Your Outreach Goals (Don't Skip This)
Before you even touch a tool, figure out what you want out of influencer outreach. This isn’t just busywork—it’ll save you from wasted effort and embarrassing emails later.
- What kind of influencers do you need? (Niche, follower range, platform)
- What’s your end goal? (Brand awareness, direct sales, lead generation, partnerships)
- What’s your budget? (Yes, even for “free” outreach, you need to know your limits)
- What’s your timeline? (Are you prepping for a product launch, or is this ongoing?)
Pro tip: Don’t get sucked into follower counts. A small, engaged audience on the right platform beats big numbers every time.
Step 2: Build a Target List with Influencers Club
This is where Influencers Club comes in handy. It’s built for finding and reaching out to influencers—without the manual grunt work. Here’s how to actually use it:
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Sign Up and Get Oriented
- Start with a free trial if it’s available. Don’t pay until you know it fits your process.
- Take 10 minutes to poke around the UI. (It’s not rocket science, but don’t skip the basics.)
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Define Your Search Criteria
- Set filters like audience size, location, industry, engagement rate, and platform (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, etc.).
- Use keywords that actually matter for your sales goals—not just trendy hashtags.
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Generate the List
- Run your search and see what comes up. If you get 10,000 results, narrow it down. Too few? Loosen your filters.
- Export the list, but only after double-checking the data quality. (No, not all “foodies” are worth contacting.)
What to watch out for: - Data can get stale fast—people switch niches, go inactive, or buy fake followers. Don’t trust the list blindly. - Email addresses scraped from public profiles sometimes bounce or get flagged as spam. Expect some duds.
Step 3: Segment and Prioritize Your Influencer List
Don’t treat every influencer the same. Segment your list so you’re not sending the same boilerplate message to a micro-influencer as you would to someone with a million followers.
- Group by size (nano, micro, macro, celebrity)
- Segment by platform (Some people are big on TikTok, invisible on Instagram)
- Tag by relevance or niche (Seriously, make sure your “tech” list isn’t full of lifestyle bloggers)
Why bother? Because personalized outreach works. It’s the difference between getting ignored and getting a reply.
Step 4: Write Outreach Templates That Don’t Suck
Nobody likes a generic “Hey [Name], let’s collab!” message. Influencers get these daily, and most end up in the trash. Here’s how to do better:
- Keep it short. Aim for 4–5 sentences, max.
- Be specific. Mention something from their content or why you picked them.
- Be honest about what you want. If you’re pitching an affiliate program, say it.
- Don’t overpromise. Skip lines like “We love your work!” if you’ve never seen it.
Example:
Hi [Name],
Loved your recent post about [topic]. I’m with [Your Company], and we’re looking for [specific type] creators for [campaign]. Would you be open to a quick chat or email about a possible collaboration? No pressure if it’s not a fit—just thought you’d be perfect for this.
Thanks, [Your Name]
What doesn’t work:
- Mass mail-merge with zero personalization.
- Pitches that sound like they’re written by a bot.
- Vague promises (“Let’s partner!” with no details).
Step 5: Automate the Outreach (But Don’t Get Spammy)
Influencers Club can help you automate outreach, but you still need to tread carefully. Too much automation and you’ll get flagged as a spammer—or worse, burned bridges.
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Set Up Outreach Sequences
- Use built-in integrations (if available) to connect your email platform or CRM.
- Personalize fields wherever you can—first name, recent content, niche.
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Throttle Your Sends
- Don’t blast 1,000 emails at once. Warm up your sending domain and space messages out over days.
- Most tools let you cap daily volume; use it.
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Track Opens and Replies
- Use tracking, but don’t obsess. If someone hasn’t replied in 7–10 days, send a polite follow-up (one, not five).
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Handle Replies Manually
- Automation is for first contact. Once someone responds, switch to personal replies. Nobody likes talking to a robot.
What to ignore:
- “Guaranteed” open rates or reply rates from tool vendors. Those numbers rarely hold up.
Step 6: Stay Organized and Avoid the Usual Pitfalls
Influencer outreach can get messy fast. Keep your process simple and your data clean:
- Update your CRM or spreadsheet with status (contacted, replied, not interested, deal in progress).
- Remove bounces and unsubscribes promptly.
- Document what works (templates, subject lines, times of day) so you’re not reinventing the wheel next quarter.
Pro tip: Don’t be afraid to cut your losses. Some niches are just saturated or not worth the effort.
Step 7: Measure What Matters (Skip the Vanity Metrics)
You can track a million things, but only a few matter:
- Response rate: How many people actually replied?
- Qualified leads: How many fit your criteria and want to talk?
- Deals closed: Did you actually get partnerships, sales, or whatever your real goal was?
Ignore open rates and click rates unless you’re testing subject lines. It’s easy to get distracted by numbers that don’t drive results.
Step 8: Iterate and Improve
No process is perfect the first time. Run your outreach, see where things break, and adjust:
- Templates not getting replies? Rewrite them.
- Bad data? Tighten your filters or try a different source.
- Low conversion? Maybe your offer isn’t compelling, or you’re chasing the wrong crowd.
Automation is supposed to save you time, not turn you into a robot. Keep it human, keep it simple, and don’t be afraid to ditch what isn’t working.
If you take one thing from this: start with a small, focused outreach, automate only what makes sense, and fix problems as they come up. Influencer outreach isn’t magic, but with the right tools and a bit of common sense, you can actually get results—without pulling your hair out.