Here’s a story. A small coffee startup from Bangalore spent weeks messaging influencers with free coffee hampers. Out of 100 DMs, only 2 replied. Out of those 2, one posted a casual story that vanished in 24 hours, and the other ghosted after getting the package. Waste of time, money, and energy.
Let’s be honest. We’ve all seen brands desperately sliding into influencer DMs with the same old line: “Hey, we love your content. Can we send you our product for a collab?” Sounds polite, but here’s the truth, most influencers don’t even care. Why? Because they get 50 of these messages every single day. Imagine someone knocking on your door every hour, asking for “just a favor.” You’d tune them out too.
Now, lets talk about where things flip. Instead of chasing influencers, the brand decided to run a simple campaign post: “We’re looking for creators who love coffee and storytelling. Budget: ₹500 per reel. Apply if interested.” Guess what? They got 20 solid applications in a day. These weren’t random influencers but they were people who genuinely loved making food reviews {Foodie creators/Influencers} and wanted to create something meaningful. The brand didn’t have to beg. Influencers came to them.
That’s the Reverse Pitch Method. You put out your needs clearly once, and instead of you begging 100 people, 10 influencers pitch themselves to you. The power shifts. Suddenly, you’re not the desperate brand in the DMs but you’re the one selecting from people who actually care.
Best part is we have new platforms like Trendly, Winkl, Influenzo built for this campaign posting things only. They don’t make you waste time chasing. You create a campaign, set your offer, and the right influencers reach out. And here’s the secret: when influencers choose you, they create way better content. Because it’s not just another “freebie collab”, it’s something they genuinely wanted to be part of.
So if you’re a startup brand, stop sending copy-paste DMs into the void. Flip the script. Use the reverse pitch method, and you’ll see collabs that feel real, perform better, and actually move your business forward.
