How to Reply to a Partnership Inquiry (Template + Three Things to Ask First)
When to send this
When a partnership proposal lands. Most of them mean different things to each side until the details are pinned down — so the job of the first reply is to ask, not to agree.
The template (copy it)
Replying to a partnership inquiry
Hi [Name],
Thanks for reaching out with this — we're interested in exploring a collaboration.
If you're able to share a bit more — [budget range / timeline / what the partnership would look like] — we'll review it and get back to you quickly. Looking forward to discussing further. Thank you!
Best,
[Your name / business]
The most common mistake
Saying yes too fast. An enthusiastic "this sounds great!" followed by discovering they wanted free work in exchange for exposure is an awkward place to back out from. Ask three things first: what exactly happens, who does what, and what success looks like. Asking doesn't scare off real partners — it reads as professional.
Variant: when the situation is different
If it's clearly lopsided (they want free service for "exposure"), don't pretend to consider it. Just ask: "what's the concrete benefit on my side?" Real partners can answer that. People looking for freebies usually go quiet.
After you send it
If it goes ahead, put the verbal agreement in an email. Partnerships rarely break down because someone lied — they break down because each side remembers a different version.
Templates for other situations
This is one of 12 common business emails. The full set (with a scenario picker) is here:
See all 12 business email templates →
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