How to build relationships with influencers: 33 proven ways

What are influencer relationships?

Influencer relationships are genuine connections with creators, experts, thought leaders, and authorities in your industry.

These aren’t one-time paid posts. They’re real partnerships built on mutual value.

Real relationships start with you helping them first, without expecting anything in return.

Over time, these connections turn into partnerships where both sides win. They might promote your course, invite you to their event, or collaborate on content.

The best part? These relationships compound.

One good partnership leads to introductions to other influencers.

Once Stu McLaren, Ryan Levesque, and Mark Joyner agreed to speak at my AI for Creators Summit, other top AI experts started reaching out wanting to participate.

When an influencer genuinely recommends your product, their audience listens because they trust that person.

That’s why influencer relationships outperform traditional advertising.

7 Elements for creating sustainable influencer relationships

Building relationships with influencers that last requires more than just adding value and hoping for the best.

After years of partnering with top influencers, I’ve identified 7 key elements that separate lasting partnerships from one-time collaborations.

1. Build your own platform first 🏗️

You can’t build relationships with influencers if you have nothing to offer in return.

Influencers want to work with other creators who have audiences, platforms, or expertise.

You need:

• A content platform (blog, podcast, YouTube, social media)
• An email list (even 100 engaged subscribers)
• Clear value proposition
• Some credibility (bonus: featured on 5 to 10 smaller platforms first)

Don’t reach out to mega-influencers until you have these basics covered.

Start small using my proven ladder strategy, then work your way up.

2. Do your homework 🔍

Don’t be the person who emails an influencer without knowing anything about them.

Research their content, audience, and current projects before reaching out.

Here’s what to look for:

• Read their last 5 blog posts or watch their recent videos
• Join their email list and read their newsletters
• Follow them on their main social platform
• Check what they’re currently promoting or launching
• Look for their pain points or challenges they’ve mentioned
• Find mutual connections on LinkedIn or Facebook

I always consume at least 5 pieces of their content before making contact.

This helps me find genuine connection points and understand their style.

When you finally reach out, reference something specific they shared. This shows you actually pay attention to their work.

I walk through my full research process in how to identify influencers.

3. Be authentic 🤝

Don’t fake who you are or pretend to love their content if you don’t.

Influencers can spot fake enthusiasm from a mile away. They get hundreds of generic messages from people who clearly haven’t done their homework.

Be genuinely interested in their work and honest about why you want to connect.

I only reach out to influencers whose content I actually find valuable and whose approach resonates with me.

If you’re not genuinely excited about their work, find someone else to connect with.

Authenticity beats fake enthusiasm every time.

4. Add value first 💎

Help them before asking for anything.

Most people immediately pitch their services or ask for a favor. Don’t be that person.

When I first started building relationships with influencers, I became case studies for their products and promoted their content without being asked. I did this without expecting anything in return.

This approach works because you’re starting the relationship by giving, not taking.

The more value you add upfront, the more likely they’ll want to help you later.

5. Communicate clearly 📞

Be upfront about your intentions and expectations.

Influencers are busy. They don’t have time to decode vague messages or guess what you want.

If you want to work together, explain exactly what you’re proposing and what’s in it for them. Don’t be vague or try to be clever.

Direct, honest communication saves everyone time.

When I reach out to potential speakers and partners for my summits, I’m clear about the time commitment, what I need from them, and what they’ll get in return.

No surprises, no hidden agendas.

6. Make it mutual 🔄

Both sides need to benefit from the relationship.

Don’t just think about what they can do for you. Consider what you can offer them in return.

When someone speaks at my virtual events, they get exposure to my audience, professional video content they can use, and connections to other speakers.

I’m giving them value, not just taking their time.

The best partnerships feel like friendships where both people genuinely want to help each other succeed.

7. Stay consistent 📅

Don’t disappear after one partnership.

Keep in touch regularly, even when you don’t need anything. Share their wins, comment on their posts, and look for new ways to work together.

I maintain relationships with influencers for years, not just single partnerships.

Some of my best relationships started as one summit interview and turned into multiple collaborations, affiliate relationships, and genuine friendships.

Consistency separates real relationships from one-time transactions.

10 Benefits of building relationships with influencers

When you build genuine relationships with influencers, the benefits go far beyond a single promotion or collaboration.

These partnerships can transform your business in ways you never expected.

Here are the 10 biggest benefits I’ve experienced from building authentic influencer relationships:

• Expanded reach and visibility: Access to audiences you could never reach on your own.
• Instant credibility and trust: Borrowing their reputation to build your own authority.
• Rapid audience growth: Add thousands of engaged subscribers in weeks, not years.
• Higher conversion rates: People trust recommendations from influencers they follow.
• Long-term partnerships: Relationships that generate value for years, not just one campaign.
• Growing your network: Introductions to other influencers and industry connections.
• Content opportunities: Create content together that helps both your audiences.
• Audience insights: Learn what their audience wants and needs.
• Cost-effective marketing: Better ROI than traditional advertising methods.
• Learning from the best: Get advice and insights from successful entrepreneurs.

33 Ways to build relationships with influencers

You’ve seen why building relationships with influencers matters and what benefits they bring to your business.

Now let’s get into the practical strategies that actually work.

These 33 methods come from my real experience building partnerships with top influencers. They’ve helped me grow my online business and create lasting relationships.

Some will work better for your situation than others. Pick the ones that feel most natural and start there.

1. Engage on social media / blogs 📱

The easiest place to start is where influencers already spend their time: their blog, their YouTube channel and their social media.

Leave thoughtful comments on their posts. Skip the "great post!" and react to something specific they said, or ask a question that moves the conversation forward.

It costs you nothing, and it's how you go from a stranger to a familiar name before you ever send an email.

2. Implement their advice ✅

One of the best ways to get an influencer's attention is to actually do what they teach, and then tell them about your results.

Most people consume content and never act on it. Influencers notice the few who do.

In October 2015, I ran Ryan Levesque's "Do You Hate Me" survey from his book ASK on people who didn't buy my flagship program Virtual Summit Mastery. It worked like a charm, and I got a lot of responses in a short amount of time.

I shared what I learned publicly, including 1 brutally honest response, and it turned into a big discussion in the comments.

3. Share their content 📣

Sharing an influencer's content helps them reach more people, and they usually notice who's doing it.

When Claire Díaz-Ortiz hosted the Work By Design Summit in 2016, I shared it with my followers while it was live. She thanked me the next day.

It's a small thing. But when you do it consistently over months, you're no longer a stranger when you finally reach out.

4. Thank them publicly 📢

When an influencer's advice works for you, say so in public and tag them.

In September 2015, I sent a quick shout-out to Ryan Levesque on Facebook. I had started using 1 simple idea from his book ASK: a few minutes after someone signs up, my autoresponder asks them to reply and let me know they got the free gift. My open and click rates went up significantly.

Ryan replied himself, and so did people like Jan Koch and Selena Soo.

A public thank-you does 3 things at once. The influencer gets social proof, your audience discovers someone worth following, and you show up in their notifications for the right reason.

One of my Virtual Summit Mastery students, Devin Slavin, took this even further. He recorded a personal thank-you video for each of his summit speakers.

My friend Jan Koch thanked Rand Fishkin publicly after joining one of his live conversations, then asked if Rand would speak at his next summit. Rand's answer: "I'd be honored!"

5. Reply to their newsletters 📬

Most influencers send a newsletter, and almost nobody replies to it.

A short, thoughtful reply lands in their inbox instead of a crowded comment section. Tell them what you liked, what you tried, or ask 1 good question.

I know this from the other side too. I ask my own readers to hit reply, and I read every one.

6. Break down their process 📊

Pick something an influencer does really well, like a launch, a funnel or a content strategy, and break down how it works in a post or video.

It's great content for your audience, and it's a compliment the influencer can share, because you're showing people why their approach works.

I did this a lot in the early days. I wrote detailed product reviews and blog posts about influencers in my space, then used them when I built my virtual summit speaker list.

7. Invest in their products 💎

Buy their course, join their program, attend their event. It's the most direct way to support someone, and it gives you a real story to tell.

I joined programs like Ramit Sethi's Zero to Launch and Todd Herman's 90 Day Year as a paying student, and later promoted both as an affiliate.

As I wrote back in 2015: without taking many high-end courses and paying $2,000 to $3,000+ myself, I wouldn't have been able to create a product like Virtual Summit Mastery.

8. Be a star client / student ⭐

Once you're in, be the student they love to have. Show up, do the work, ask good questions and share your wins.

Influencers always need success stories. The students who get results are the ones they feature, invite to speak and remember.

Todd Herman's 90 Day Year helped me 3x my business in 2016. Planning in 90-day chunks took me from $200K in 2015 to over $600K in 2016, and I wrote about it in detail on my blog.

9. Provide testimonials 🎬

A testimonial is one of the most valuable things you can give an influencer. They need them for their sales pages, their launches and their social proof.

Offer one without being asked, especially after you get a result. Keep it specific: what you tried, what changed, and the numbers.

It works the other way too. In December 2013, I was redesigning my website and asked John Lee Dumas for a testimonial for my homepage, and offered to do the same for him. His reply: "When Navid hits publish, I get excited."

10. Feature them in your content ⭐

Mention and link to influencers in your blog posts, videos and podcasts. Better yet, give them a full section with a real story about what they've taught you.

In my 2015 annual review, I gave a section to people who had helped me that year, like Selena Soo, Natalie Sisson, Todd Herman, Regina Anaejionu, Chandler Bolt and Jan Koch.

If you take the time to create great content involving the people you want to talk to, you'll be in a much stronger position to get them to talk to you.

11. Interview them 🎙️

Asking an influencer for an interview is one of the best ways to start a relationship. You give them a platform, and you get an hour of their time.

My very first interview was with Pat Flynn, in June 2013. I emailed him to ask for a quick interview for his "Let Go Day", timed to the launch of my first site.

He said yes the same day.

The next year, I emailed Robert Greene about my podcast The Lifestyle Architects. His assistant replied that Robert would love to do the show.

When I interviewed Cal Newport, I didn't just publish the episode. I wrote an epic guide of almost 10,000 words around it. Cal's reply: "this is one of the best summaries of my ideas that I have seen."

Sometimes the thank-you comes from them. Nick Reese emailed me after re-listening to our interview: "it was magic."

12. Make valuable introductions 🌐

One of the most generous things you can do is connect people who should know each other.

In April 2015, I recommended Natalie Sisson's story to Libby, a personal finance editor at Business Insider. When the article came out, Natalie thanked me publicly.

A week later, I introduced Chandler Bolt to the same editor. Libby replied the same day asking for a call.

My clients and good friends Aj Amyx and Andy Zitzmann got featured on Business Insider too (with a bit of help from me), right before their Movement Marketing Summit kicked off.

13. Refer clients to them 👥

If you have clients, customers or students, send the right ones to the influencers you want to build relationships with.

An influencer who gets a great client from you won't forget it. It's one of the clearest ways to show you have their back.

Only refer people who are a real fit. A bad referral hurts both relationships.

14. Write book reviews 📖

When an influencer publishes a book, the first weeks matter a lot. Reviews help it rank and sell.

Read the book and leave an honest, detailed review on Amazon or Goodreads. Here's an example of the kind of review that helps an author: specific, personal and useful to the next reader.

Then let the author know. Most authors read their reviews, especially early on.

15. Leave reviews on their podcasts 🎧

Podcast hosts live on ratings and reviews, and very few listeners ever leave one.

Write a real review that mentions a specific episode and what you took from it. Then tell the host. Some hosts even read reviews out loud on the show.

16. Be active in their community 🌟

Most influencers have a community: a Facebook group, a membership or a mastermind.

Be one of the most helpful people in it. Answer other members' questions, share your wins and support what the influencer is building.

In 2013, I joined the Internet Business Mastery community of Jeremy Frandsen and Jason Van Orden. That's where I met 2 of my best and most supportive friends, Jan Koch and Myke Macapinlac.

Later, being part of John Lee Dumas's Fire Nation Elite mastermind meant he already knew who I was when I asked to be a guest on his podcast (more on that in #21).

17. Invite them to your summit 🎯

Inviting influencers to speak at your virtual summit is one of the fastest ways to build relationships and get them to promote your work.

The key is creating a win-win-win situation: value for you, your speakers, and the audience.

When speakers really enjoy the experience and see the value you’re providing, some will choose to promote it.

But here’s the thing: you can’t just invite influencers and expect them to promote your event. You need to make it worth their time and easy for them to share. Give them great questions and an engaged audience that asks thoughtful follow-up questions.

Here's what happens when my Virtual Summit Mastery students use the same approach with their speakers:

Host JV virtual workshops

A JV workshop is a free training you teach for another influencer's audience. They get great content for their people, and you get in front of an audience that already trusts them.

A while after Regina Anaejionu spoke on my first virtual summit, I emailed her about teaching a live workshop for her audience on how to create, promote and profit from virtual summits. I told her I didn't need to sell on it, and it could just be a massive value add for her audience. Her reply: "100% yes!"

We did it on December 9, 2015.

By Regina's count, over 1,000 people signed up.

I didn't pitch my program or anything at the end, just pure value. Here's some of the feedback.

I've done the same with others, like Matt Wolfe, who hosted a free live training with me for his audience.

18. Network at events 🎫

Meeting influencers face-to-face accelerates relationship building faster than any online method.

One conversation at an event can lead to partnerships that would take months to develop through email or social media.

When I first started out in Sweden, there weren’t many relevant events to attend.

But once I began traveling the world as a digital nomad, I started attending events for networking to meet influencers in person.

The key is being strategic about which events you attend. Look for conferences where your target influencers speak or attend regularly.

Meeting with [Scott Oldford](https://creatordirectory.co/scott-oldford?utm_source=navid.me&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=articles&utm_content=build-relationships-with-influencers), who posted about our conversation on Facebook saying he was “DEAD set against summits” but I “got his wheels turning for some cool shit later this year and next”.

I’ve networked at masterminds and conferences around the world, from Puerto Rico to Medellin to San Diego to London to NYC.

At a mastermind dinner in San Diego with marketing legend Jay Abraham and David Gonzalez.

Networking at Social Media Marketing World in San Diego.

Group photo at Ron Reich’s Medellin Mastermind.

Working session at Ron Reich’s Medellin Mastermind.

Me with Charles Byrd at his JV partner mastermind event in San Diego.

At Selena Soo’s mastermind event with [Todd Herman](https://creatordirectory.co/todd-herman?utm_source=navid.me&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=articles&utm_content=build-relationships-with-influencers), Luisa Zhou and other high-level entrepreneurs.

Here’s what I learned: don’t walk into events looking for favors. Influencers can tell when you’re just there to take something from them.

Instead, ask about what they’re working on and really try to get to know them. Look for ways to help. That’s how relationships start.

The influencers I met at these events became some of my biggest supporters. They invited me to speak and promoted my summits and digital products to their audiences.

A single mastermind or conference can generate more partnerships than months of cold emails.

19. Speak at their events 🎤

Speaking at an influencer’s event puts you directly in front of their audience and positions you as an expert they trust.

When they invite you to speak, you’re getting their endorsement. Their audience sees you as someone worth listening to.

You usually need some relationship or credibility before they’ll put you on stage. It’s similar to getting on podcasts: you have to prove you can deliver value first.

I’ve spoken at events around the world in cities like San Diego, Austin, Las Vegas, New York, London, Barcelona, and Medellin.

Speaking at a podcasting event in San Diego.

I’ve spoken at events for influencers like Ramit Sethi, Selena Soo, Ron Reich, Ryan Levesque, and many others over the years.

Speaking on a panel at Selena Soo’s Get Known Get Clients event in NYC.

Speaking on a panel at Ramit Sethi’s Accelerator event in NYC.

Speaking about the power of virtual summits at Ryan Levesque’s elite mastermind in Puerto Rico.

Speaking about live streaming at Ryan Levesque’s elite mastermind in Las Vegas.

Speaking about how to host profitable virtual events at Ron Reich’s Medellin mastermind event.

Ryan Levesque interviews me at one of his Quiz Funnel Masterclass virtual events.

The key is delivering real value to their audience. When you help their people get results, they invite you back and recommend you to other event organizers.

20. Promote their products as an affiliate 💰

Being an affiliate for influencers you believe in is one of the best ways to build relationships while making money.

When you promote their products, you help them make sales and they pay you commissions. It’s a true win-win.

I promote courses, software, books, and other products from influencers I actually use and recommend to my audience. I do this mainly through my email list, but I’ve also created video reviews, blog posts, and social media content.

You can promote any type of product they launch. Some influencers like Alex Hormozi do massive book promotions that create great affiliate opportunities.

Sharing Ramit Sethi’s programs with my audience as an affiliate, I made over $81,000 in commissions just from the payments shown here. But the money was just the beginning.

My affiliate commissions from promoting Ramit Sethi’s programs.

When you perform well as an affiliate partner, influencers notice. Ramit sent me a personal congratulations for winning his sales contest and earning a $7,500 bonus prize.

Ramit congratulating me on winning his ZTL Sales Contest.

After becoming Ramit’s #1 affiliate, he invited me to lunch in LA together with some other successful entrepreneurs (people I really looked up to when I started out in my tiny apartment in Stockholm, Sweden).

Ramit inviting me to lunch in LA with Pat Flynn and John Dumas.

Meeting Ramit Sethi in person for the first time in LA.

I’ve been a top affiliate for Ryan Levesque as well, appearing on his launch leaderboards.

Some of my affiliate commission payments from Ryan Levesque.

Leaderboard rankings and cash prize for one of Ryan Levesque’s launches.

This affiliate success for one of Ryan Levesque’s launches came mainly from a single YouTube video and in-depth review on my blog.

Hanging out with Ryan Levesque at one of his mastermind events in Austin, Texas.

When you appear on these leaderboards, other influencers see your name next to established players. This visibility opens doors to new partnership opportunities.

I’ve been a top affiliate partner for Stu McLaren, Selena Soo, Marisa Murgatroyd, and many others over the years.

ThriveCart has been a successful software partnership as well.

ThriveCart affiliate dashboard showing $60,336 in net commissions.

Affiliate commissions from another software I promoted to my audience.

Building a relationship with Nathan Barry has led to some great opportunities too. His team promoted one of my virtual summits to their audience of 100,000+ creators and gave me exclusive deals to share with my customers.

Devin Slavin thanking me after achieving success in an affiliate contest.

The key is only promoting stuff you actually use and believe in. When you promote products that genuinely helped you, it comes through in everything you write and say.

21. Be a guest on their podcast 🎙️

Being a podcast guest is one of the best ways to deepen relationships with influencers.

You get quality one-on-one time with them, they get valuable content for their audience, and their listeners get to know you.

This usually isn’t your first move though. You need to build some relationship first.

I had been part of John Lee Dumas’s Fire Nation Elite mastermind community and shared his content regularly.

So when I reached out to be on Entrepreneurs on Fire, he already knew who I was.

My outreach email to John Lee Dumas and his response agreeing to have me on Entrepreneurs on Fire.

The interview went amazing… listeners said it was one of the best episodes out of over 1,000 at the time.

That kind of response makes the host look good and strengthens your relationship with them.

I’ve been featured on shows like So Money with Farnoosh Torabi, Side Hustle Nation with Nick Loper, Chris Winfield’s podcast, and Joe Fier’s Hustle & Flowchart.

Chris Winfield’s post about our podcast interview

My appearance on Hustle & Flowchart podcast

My episode on Side Hustle Nation

My appearance on So Money with Farnoosh Torabi

My appearance on the Internet Business Mastery Podcast

Even smaller shows matter for building relationships. Ian Garlic was a student in my Virtual Summit Mastery program and later had me on his Garlic Marketing Show.

22. Send useful resources 🔗

When you find something that could help an influencer, send it to them.

This could be tools, books, courses, articles, or videos that solve problems they’re facing.

I do this after interviewing speakers for my virtual summits. If something comes up that I think could help them, I’ll send over a useful resource.

You can direct them to helpful articles, buy them books on Amazon that relate to their work, or share websites for finding help when they need support.

The key is making it relevant to what they actually need.

This saves them time and shows you’re listening to what matters to them.

23. Volunteer at their events 🙋

This is one of the best ways to get face time with influencers when you’re starting out.

Most influencers host live events and need help with logistics, registration, setup, or other tasks.

Volunteering gets you in the room without paying full price. You get the education, networking, and direct access to the influencer.

Chandler Bolt used this strategy when he first started out. He volunteered at events to get in the room with high-level influencers he couldn’t afford to meet otherwise.

Influencers love people who show up and help make their events successful. You become part of their team instead of just another attendee.

You get meaningful face time with them during breaks, meals, and behind-the-scenes moments that regular attendees never see.

24. Create detailed product reviews 🎓

Create in-depth reviews that actually show people how the product works and what results they can expect.

You can write detailed blog post reviews or record comprehensive video reviews. I’ve done both and made multiple 6-figures in affiliate commissions as a result.

I wrote an in-depth review for Ali Abdaal’s awesome Voicepal AI ghostwriting app after using it and getting great results. I noticed it needed more detailed reviews to show people what it could actually do.

That review now ranks as one of the top results on Google for his product.

I’ve done the same for Ryan Levesque, Stu McLaren, and other influencers because I got real results and value from their products.

You’re usually an affiliate when you do this, which creates a win-win. You make money from commissions and they make money from sales. But even if you’re not an affiliate, it’s still a great way to add value.

The key is being honest and thorough. Show the good and the bad. People trust reviews that feel real.

25. Invite them to your events 📅

One of the best ways to build relationships is bringing people together.

Start small with a dinner. Invite a few influencers and other interesting people.

Mastermind dinner I hosted in Las Vegas

I’ve hosted masterminds and dinners in Cancun, Barcelona, Las Vegas, Austin, New York, and other places around the world.

Yacht day for my Cancun mastermind

Influencers like Stu McLaren have attended along with other experts, friends and students like Jon Schumacher, Jenna Soard, Jesse Krieger and Primoz Bozic.

Me and Stu McLaren at one of my Las Vegas events

When you bring people together, you become the connector. Everyone remembers who made the introduction happen.

You can start with simple dinners and work your way up to masterminds, conferences, or retreats.

Hosting a mastermind session in my Cancun penthouse right on the best beach

Group photo from my Cancun penthouse mastermind

The key is creating value for everyone who attends. Make it about them, not you.

Final group dinner from my Cancun mastermind

26. Offer skills or advice 🛠️

Successful people often have business figured out but struggle everywhere else.

They might be crushing it with their online course but struggling with their health. Or they create amazing content but suck at relationships.

If you have expertise in areas where they’re struggling, offer to help.

But don’t just give advice without asking. Ask for permission first.

Always offer advice respectfully and from a place of kindness and support.

And only help with stuff you actually know. Don’t pretend to be an expert in areas where you’re not.

27. Support their causes ❤️

Supporting an influencer’s charitable cause creates bonds that business networking never can. When you donate to something they care about, you’re connecting over shared values.

Every influencer has causes close to their heart. Finding ones that align with your values and supporting them shows you care about more than just business.

I’ve donated to Village Impact, Stu McLaren and his wife Amy’s charity that builds schools in Kenya. I met them at Jeff Walker’s PLF Live event and supported Stu’s launches for The Membership Experience as an affiliate partner.

I’ve also donated to other education-focused charities in developing countries because education for kids is something I genuinely care about.

28. Send personal notes 💌

A personal note sharing how an influencer’s work impacted your life is one of the most powerful ways to shift from being just another admirer to building a real relationship.

Influencers receive countless generic messages saying “I love your work.” But they rarely get specific stories about real impact.

When you share exactly what changed for you after consuming their content, you validate that their efforts actually matter.

This moves you from their audience to their network because personal stories create connections that generic compliments never can.

Be specific about the impact. Instead of “your course changed my life,” explain what you implemented and what happened.

Maybe their productivity system helped you reclaim 2 hours daily. Or their marketing advice landed you 3 new clients.

The key is authenticity. Share real changes, not exaggerated outcomes.

29. Send cards or gifts 🎁

Physical cards and gifts help you stand out from the crowd online. While many people send emails, a handwritten note or unexpected package gets more attention.

The key isn’t spending a lot of money. It’s showing you pay attention to their interests and appreciate their impact on your life.

Send gifts after major milestones, successful launches, or when they’ve helped you significantly. But unexpected moments work even better.

Someone posts about a rough week? Send flowers. They mention working late? Send Starbucks cards. Their assistant handles a crisis? Include them too.

Gift ideas that work well:

• Books related to their expertise
• Gourmet chocolates or specialty coffee
• Gift cards to their favorite restaurants
• Charity donations in their name
• Handwritten thank you cards
• Local specialties from your area

I’ve sent everything from handwritten cards to industry books. The response is typically much stronger than sending just a simple thank you email.

30. Ask for introductions properly 📧

Connecting with the right influencer can change everything for your business. But asking wrong damages relationships instead of building them.

Here’s what happens when people mess this up. They reach out cold or put connectors in awkward positions.

The double opt-in system fixes this. Both people agree to the introduction before it happens.

This protects your connector’s reputation. When they introduce you, they’re vouching for you. If you screw up, it reflects on them.

It also respects the influencer’s time. Nobody likes surprise requests from strangers.

Connectors love this approach because it makes them look thoughtful.

You can also ask publicly on social media if anyone in your network knows the person you want to meet. This works when you have a strong network willing to help.

31. Point out website errors 🔧

Finding and reporting website errors is a simple way to add immediate value to any influencer.

Everyone has broken links, typos, or outdated information on their site. When visitors notice errors, they rarely say anything.

Taking 30 seconds to point out an error does them a real favor.

I’ve had people in my audience catch mistakes on my site and even record quick videos showing me what to improve. I always appreciate these gestures because they save me a lot of time and from looking unprofessional.

Few people bother to help with this stuff. That’s why it gets you noticed.

32. Help their inner circle 🤝

Supporting the people closest to an influencer is one of the most overlooked relationship-building strategies.

You’re not just making one connection. You’re creating multiple paths back to the influencer.

An influencer’s assistant mentions struggling to find good freelancers for their team. You connect them with a reliable designer from your network.

The assistant tells the influencer about your help. Now you’re on their radar as someone who actually delivers value.

Many skip the assistants, team members, and family.

But these are the people who talk to the influencer daily. They shape opinions and influence decisions.

33. Be there during critical moments 🆘

When an influencer faces a challenge, loss, or major transition, showing up with genuine support creates unbreakable bonds.

Here’s an example:

An influencer posts about their course launch generating only 10 sales instead of the 100 they expected. Their post mentions feeling embarrassed and questioning their expertise.

Instead of just hitting “like” or commenting “hang in there,” you send a private message.

You offer to introduce them to someone who turned around a similar situation.

Or you share a specific strategy that worked for a failed launch you witnessed.

They’ll remember who showed up when things got tough.

Final thoughts

There you have it: 33 ways to build relationships with influencers that actually work.

I’ve used these strategies to build partnerships with some of the biggest names in my industry.

Each relationship started with me adding value first, without expecting anything in return.

The most common mistake people make is rushing the process. They send one email and expect instant results.

Building real relationships takes time and consistency. But the payoff is massive.

These influencer partnerships have transformed my business and opened doors I never thought possible.

Start with one strategy from this list. Pick an influencer you genuinely admire and find a way to help them.

Be patient, be consistent, and watch what happens.

When you’re ready to make contact, here’s my step-by-step process for how to reach out to influencers, with the email templates I use.