The Importance of the Follow Up Email
Hi babes,
Today I just want to share one of my number one blogging tips that I will always share when people ask, “How do I get a collaboration with my dream brand?” or any brand in general.
Yes, the industry is growing, but it is definitely not too saturated for you to get paid brand deals consistently.
Here’s the tip:
FOLLOW UP. FOLLOW UP. FOLLOW UP
You might be thinking, “that’s it?”. Well, yes and no. I think it’s so important to follow up because brand’s inboxes are probably getting hundreds of emails a day while juggling current campaigns etc. They have a lot going on and one thing you need to be good at is FOLLOWING UP.
Here are some frequently asked questions and how I follow up:
Q: How do I know if they’ve even read my email?
A: If you have gmail, I use a plug in called STREAK. The part I use is free and all you need to do is download it and it will show you if they’ve read the email or not.
This is what it looks like on gmail
Q: How long do I have to wait until I follow up?
A: This is where streak comes in handy because you can see when they’ve read it or if they haven’t. Personally, I usually wait 3-4 days after I’ve sent the email. Keep it short and simple, you just want to bump it to the top of their inbox
Example: “Hi Brand, I just wanted to follow up on my previous email! Best, Allysa”
Q: What if I follow up and they still don’t respond?
A: It depends how bad you want it!??! For me, if it’s a brand I really want to work with I will continue to follow up. This is my typical follow up schedule
Initial email sent - follow up in 3-4 days if no response
After my follow up email - follow up again in a week
After the second follow up - follow up again in a week
After no response (and they’ve read it) - follow up monthly
After no response (and they haven’t read it) - try finding a new contact
This is what typically works for me and I’ve seen a lot of success from it.
Q: I feel bad sending a follow up email. Am I being a burden?
A: Absolutely NOT! It’s part of the job and industry. Like I said previously, brands get SO many emails daily, yours might have just gotten lost. Don’t feel bad! If you want it, GO GET IT. PERIOD.
Q: How do I remember who to follow up with?
A: I keep a tracker in google excel called pitching tracker. Anytime I send a pitch email, I just throw the brands name in there so after some time goes by, I’ll go check that list and remember to follow up. Here’s an example:
Hopefully these tips will help you stay consistent with following up and staying top of mind for brands. If you have any other questions, comment below and I can add them to this list!
One of my favorite quotes: You don’t get what you don’t ask for
This goes for everything in life! You also have to be willing to put in the work as well, but I know you babes are hustling if you’re reading this blog post.
Dm me on IG if you have questions too! @fashionablysurfed
