A creator shortlist should make it obvious who to contact first and why. Build it around one launch goal, record the evidence for each pick, and separate creators who are ready for outreach from names you still need to research.
1. Decide what the launch needs
Write one sentence that describes the player you want to reach and the moment a creator could show them. For a fictional co-op escape game, that might be: “Reach people who play with friends by showing a last-second escape that needs two players.” This gives everyone reviewing the list the same standard.
Decide how many pitches you can write and conversations you can manage this week. If your team can research and personalize eight pitches, build a first wave around eight ready creators. Keep the extra names in reserve for a later wave or a different update.
2. Give each creator one row and one reason
Use a spreadsheet or shared list. Record the creator’s handle and platform, a link to one relevant video, what that video demonstrates, a contact route they list for business inquiries, and the next action. A teammate should be able to open the evidence and understand the pick without asking you to explain it.
For example, “Good for horror” is too broad to help a teammate. Try “Their recent co-op escape video opens on both players making a timed decision. Pitch our two-player switch puzzle.” The second note also gives the writer a starting point for the pitch.
- Group verified profiles for the same creator under one entry, with the preferred platform marked. Check links before assuming two similar handles belong to the same person.
- Record the date you checked the sample video and contact route so an old row can be reviewed before reuse.
- Leave budget and availability blank until you have a quote or confirmation. Use a separate column for your own spending limit.
3. Separate a strong fit from a ready pitch
A creator can fit the game well and still be a poor choice for this week’s first wave. If the proposed video needs four players and your preview only works reliably with two, put that creator on hold until you have a recording plan. If the format fits and you can explain the collaboration in a sentence, move the row to Ready.
Use three simple states before outreach. Ready means the sample, pitch angle, and appropriate contact route are clear. Research means one of those is missing and someone owns the next check. Hold means there is a concrete reason to revisit the creator later. Write that reason beside the state so Hold does not become a second backlog.
4. Hand off a first wave that anyone can run
Sort the Ready rows by fit for this launch and pick the number you can handle. Assign one owner per creator, including when two teammates know the same person. After a pitch goes out, record the date and a reference to the conversation so the rest of the team can avoid duplicate outreach.
At the end of the week, mark which rows are waiting for a reply, which need a follow-up, and which are closed. Recheck unused rows against the next update before moving them into another wave. A fit for an escape puzzle may be less relevant when the next update is about decorating a base.
- Before outreach, every Ready row has a sample link, a reason it fits, a pitch angle, and an owner.
- Before the next wave, review open conversations and check whether the pitch or preview needs to change.
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