How to Reply to a Collaboration Email

How to Reply to a Collaboration Email with Helpful Tips & Tricks

These tips should work whether you’re going to send a positive or negative response to a collaboration request through email. We’ll describe each tip for you below and introduce the advantages and disadvantages of using each tip. It should be noted, that some of these tips will not work well together — it really depends on what kind of ‘tone’ you want to take on when replying to this particular influencer or brand.

1. Keep it Simple

Keeping your response simple, even if it means limiting the actual words you send, is important when writing a reply to a collaboration. You don’t want to waste anybody’s time (yours or theirs), so keep your email ‘to-the-point’ is necessary. This tip, is featured by a sample from Ayo Oyedotum’s blog on replying to business emails. The email sample attached is only three-lines long, and despite its length, all that needed to be said was said.

Advantages:

• The shorter the email the easier it is to read.
• That makes the person/brand more likely to read it.
• It has the advantage of speaking clearly about what needs to be said.

Disadvantages:

• If done incorrectly, it could appear disrespectful.
• If done too casually, it may also appear unprofessional.
• They may have to email you back for clarification if you limit your words too much.

2. Stay Respectful

Again, whether you’re going to say yes or no to the collaboration request, you should reply respectfully. This is a no-brainer kind of tip, but there are some cases where you might want to talk back — especially if the other person acted disrespectfully first. Even then, however, you should always try to maintain a modicum of professionalism with your replies.

Advantages:

• It builds up a very positive image for you and your brand.
• Building positive relationships may open more opportunities in the future.
• Even when rejecting a request, you can maintain a good relationship.

Disadvantages:

• It limits what you can say.
• Talking too respectfully may make you appear trite.
• You won’t be able to talk back to those that are disrespectful to you.

3. Request Information

If there’s anything that you don’t understand from the initial collaboration request, don’t be afraid to request for more information. Just make sure that what you’re asking has actually not been discussed in any of the emails they’ve sent. It would be rude to ask for clarification on something that they’ve already explained before. The sample, from Woculus, shows how you may want to format your response email if you have several questions to ask.

Advantages:

• Ensures that there is no confusion for either party.
• Makes you appear interested in the collaboration.
• Allows you to create a positive business atmosphere.

Disadvantages:

• Sending too many inquiries may make the email appear cluttered.
• If you ask a question on something that was already explained, you’ll appear rude.
• If done incorrectly, there are countless ways it may make you appear unprofessional.

4. Invite them for a Call

If you don’t want to keep the communications strictly through email, then you may want to invite the influencer/brand-representative to a regular call or video chat. It may be hasty, but it will allow you to get all the information you could possibly need all at once, which erases the need for an unnecessarily long email thread.

Advantages:

• Great for initiating a longer relationship.
• Calls are more personal.
• It’ll look positive for you to be expressing interest in the Collab.

Disadvantages:

• Some businesses/influencers do not have time for a call.
• Scheduling a call may be difficult with time zones and work schedules.
• It may delay the collaboration for too long if you can’t find time to talk.

5. Share all Important Details

Keeping it simple is important, but you should also make sure that you share everything that needs to be said. The key here is to make sure that you are not wasting anyone’s time — which you will inevitably do if you keep holding back on details and extending the amount of emails that are sent back and forth. So, keep things short, but make sure that you don’t skimp out on all the things that need to be said.

Advantages:

• Keeps the communications highly efficient.
• Ensures that you can proceed with the Collab as quickly as possible.
• Being informative makes you appear positively.

Disadvantages:

• Too much detail may make the email appear cluttered.
• Thus, making it very hard to read.
• Sharing too much at the start may make you appear overenthusiastic.

6. Request Items

If you’re an influencer being asked to collaborate based on a product, don’t be afraid to request for a sample of the product or service. The brand/company should have provided one to you in the first place — especially if they want your take on it. Of course, be careful about how you state this, but more likely than not, they’ll be willing to send one over if it means getting their product reviewed by someone with an audience who has interest on what they’re selling.

Advantages:

• It makes sure that you don’t positively review a bad product.
• Which will make you more trustworthy to your own audience.
• Of course, you have the advantage of being able to try the product/service for free.

Disadvantages:

• Asking for free samples is always detrimental.
• It may make you appear unprofessional.
• It can also be very rude if not done properly.

7. Do Your Research

If you want to avoid a lot of the disadvantages associated with the ‘requesting information’ tip, you may want to invest some time on doing research on the person that you’re talking to. More likely than not, they’ll give you their name, brand, and some details on the product/service they’re selling. Use that in order to make sure that you know who you’re talking to and what you’re talking about. Knowing those things will make writing your reply so much easier.

Advantages:

• Will make sure that you know how best to address who you are talking to.
• It will also make it easier to decide about the product/project.
• Being informed will make you appear professional.

Disadvantages:

• You’ll need to be careful about being misinformed.
• It’ll take time to do proper research.
• You may appear overenthusiastic.

8. Talk Directly to Them

This is more of a ‘writing’ tip, in that you should always try and make sure that your responses are phrased to make it seem like a conversation. This makes the email a lot easier to understand, and it will make the process go so much smoother too.

Advantages:

• It will make the email easier to understand and follow.
• The conversation will appear more personable as well.
• Using ‘I’ rather than ‘we’ will make you seem more involved in the process as well.

Disadvantages:

• This can be perceived as too casual in certain situations.
• That may be misconstrued as rudeness.
• If you’re speaking for a brand, this may be unprofessional — unless you’re acting as a representative.

9. Acknowledge their Request

Even if you don’t have to respond with a ‘yes’ or ‘no,’ you may want to write a reply of acknowledgement (as is shown in this other sample from woculus.) Acknowledging what has already been said is good for clarification as well — to make sure that both parties understand what is going on in the conversation and how to proceed henceforth.

Advantages:

• Keeps everyone on-track.
• Will ensure that the collaboration proceeds smoothly.
• Acknowledges the project even if there’s nothing to answer to.

Disadvantages:

• Acknowledgement is fine but do try to avoid repetition.
• It takes time away from both you and your conversation partner.
• There are some situations where not replying until there is something to be said, is the best way to go.

10. Respond Quickly

Again, this is another one of those no-brainer tips, but if you’re taking the time to search how to reply to a collaboration email, then you’re probably already taking way too long at sending your response. A lot of people will recommend that you reply within 24 hours (especially if you’re hoping to accept the request for the collaboration. It’s only polite to make sure that they aren’t kept waiting.

Advantages:

• Responding promptly is very professional.
• It will make the collaboration process go more smoothly.
• Efficiency ensures everything gets done.

Disadvantages:

• Responding too quickly may make you appear overly enthusiastic.
• You won’t have as much time to consider the message.
• A hasty response could potentially be misunderstood.

Conclusion:

Collaborations can be mighty confusing, but it doesn’t have to be! With the tips and tricks, we introduced above, you should be on your way to replying to a collaboration request in a way that’s not only professional but also very respectful. That’s all you really have to remember in the end! Try not to worry too much and get to writing as soon as you have the time.