How to pitch brands for UGC deals: emails that get replies

Waiting for brands to find you works for some creators, eventually. Pitching works faster. It is also a skill: the creators who land regular deals are rarely the ones with the best camera, but often the ones who send clear, specific emails to the right people and follow up.

This guide covers who to pitch, what to put in the email, what to leave out, how to follow up and what to do when a brand says yes.

Before you write anything: get your basics ready

A pitch sends people somewhere. Make sure it is worth the click.

• A portfolio. Three to six of your best videos, ideally in the niche you are pitching. A simple page, a shared folder or a pinned set of videos all work. Make sure it opens on a phone without a login.
• A professional email address. Your name at a common provider is fine. Avoid nicknames.
• A one-line description of what you do. For example: "I make UGC for skincare and wellness brands: product demos, honest-review style ads and routines."
• Your rates, worked out. You do not put them in the first email, but you need them ready for the reply.

If you have no paid work yet, make spec videos: unpaid sample ads for products you already own and use. Label them as samples. They show brands what you would make for them, which matters more than who paid you before.

Choose brands you can genuinely help

The best pitches go to brands where the fit is obvious. Good signs:

• They already run ads. Search the brand in Meta's Ad Library or TikTok's ad library. Brands running lots of video ads need a steady supply of fresh creative.
• They use creator-style content. If their ads already feature real people talking to camera, they buy UGC.
• You use or would use the product. It shows in the video and in the pitch.
• They are a size you can reach. Small and mid-sized direct-to-consumer brands often have a founder or a small marketing team reading the inbox. Huge brands tend to work through agencies.

Keep a simple list: brand, contact, date pitched, date followed up, response. Pitching is a numbers game and you will lose track quickly without one.

Find the right person

A pitch to a generic inbox can work, but a named person is better. Depending on the size of the brand, look for job titles like:

• Founder or co-founder (small brands)
• Head of marketing, growth marketing manager
• Creative strategist, performance marketing manager, paid social manager
• Influencer or partnerships manager

LinkedIn is the usual place to find them. The brand's website, press pages and the "contact" or "work with us" pages often list a partnerships email too. Some brands have an application form for creators; use it, and email as well if you can find a person.

The pitch email, line by line

A good pitch is short. The reader should understand who you are, why you are writing to them specifically and what to do next in under thirty seconds.

Subject line

Be specific and plain. Clickbait reads as spam.

• "UGC for [Brand]: 3 ad ideas for [product]"
• "[Product] creator: video ideas for your paid social"
• "UK UGC creator, [niche]: quick idea for [Brand]"

Opening

One sentence that proves you know the brand. Mention a product, a recent launch or an ad you have seen. Not "I love your brand!", but something only someone who looked could say.

The idea

This is the part most pitches skip, and the part that gets replies. Offer one to three concrete video concepts: a hook and an angle. Brands buy ideas, not just availability.

Proof

Link to your portfolio, and to one video most relevant to them. If you have results you are allowed to share, a single line is enough. Never invent or exaggerate numbers; brands talk to each other.

The ask

Make the next step small: "Would it be useful if I sent over rates?" is easier to say yes to than "Let's hop on a call."

A template to adapt

Subject: UGC for Brightleaf: 3 ad ideas for the overnight mask Hi Sam, I saw Brightleaf's overnight mask ads on Instagram this week. The before-bed routine format is a smart fit for the product. I'm a UK UGC creator making skincare content: demos, routines and honest-review style ads. A few ideas I'd film for the mask: 1. "I stopped doing my 7-step routine" — swapping a long routine for one step 2. A morning-after reaction, filmed the first thing after waking 3. "Three things I wish I knew before buying" — objection-handling for sceptical buyers My portfolio is here: [link]. This one is the closest to what I'd make for you: [link]. Would it be useful if I sent over rates for a couple of these? Thanks, Alex

Brightleaf is an example brand. Write every pitch fresh for the brand you are sending it to; templates that are obviously templates do not get replies.

What to leave out

• Your life story. One line about who you are is plenty.
• Attachments. Large video files clog inboxes and trigger spam filters. Link instead.
• Your rates in the first email. Wait until they are interested and you know the scope.
• Follower counts, if they are small. UGC is about the video, not your audience. Only mention followers if the brand also wants you to post.
• Begging or discount offers. "I'll do it for free" sets the wrong price for the whole relationship.

Follow up, once or twice

People miss emails. A follow-up is not rude; it is normal business. A sensible rhythm:

• Follow-up one, about 4 to 7 days later. Reply in the same thread so the context is there. Keep it to two lines, and add something new if you can: a fresh idea, or a new video in your portfolio.
• Follow-up two, about a week after that. Short and gracious: "Last nudge from me. Happy to send rates whenever the timing suits."
• Then stop. Mark it on your list and try again in a few months, perhaps when they launch something new.

When a brand replies

The reply is where the deal actually starts, so be ready:

1. Reply promptly. Same day if you can.
2. Ask about scope before you quote. How many videos, what lengths, organic or paid usage, for how long, any exclusivity, do they want raw footage?
3. Quote with line items. Base video, usage, extras. It makes negotiation about scope rather than your rate.
4. Confirm everything in writing. Fee, deliverables, deadlines, usage, revisions and payment terms, in one email they reply "agreed" to, or in a contract.
5. Ask about payment early. Who do you invoice, which details do they need, and what are their payment terms?

Make it a weekly habit

Pitching works best as a routine rather than a burst. Pick a fixed slot each week: research a handful of brands, send a few tailored pitches, send the follow-ups that are due and update your list. Over a couple of months that steady trickle of emails builds into a pipeline, and the replies start arriving without you having to think about who you have not chased.