Should I include my rates in the first pitch email?

No. Mentioning pricing upfront frames you as a vendor before the brand has seen your work. Lead with your portfolio and a specific offer, then discuss rates only after they've expressed interest. Your pitch should be easy to say yes to — pricing is a separate conversation.

Who should I address the pitch email to?

Target the social media manager, content marketing manager, or paid social manager — not the founder or CEO. Use LinkedIn to find the right name. If you can't locate one, 'Hi [Brand] team' works fine. A personalized subject line still outperforms a generic one even without a first name in the body.

How many brands should I pitch per day?

Aim for 10–15 tailored pitches rather than 50 copy-paste emails. A specific pitch sent to 10 targeted brands will outperform a generic one sent to 100. Build a shortlist of 20–30 brands you genuinely use or could feature authentically, rotate through them with follow-ups, then move to a new batch.

What if I don't have UGC samples yet?

Film 3 spec videos — product demos or reviews of items you already own — before you start pitching. A Notion page or Google Drive folder with 3 samples is enough. Brands care about the quality of your footage, not whether the projects were paid. No portfolio means no reply.

How to Pitch Brands for UGC: 3 Templates That Get Replies

The cold pitch is the fastest route to your first UGC client — no following required, no waiting for brands to find you. But most creators send emails that never get opened, or get opened and deleted.

This guide covers the exact email structure that gets replies, three copy-paste templates for the most common niches, a subject-line swipe file, and a follow-up sequence that recovers deals your first email almost landed.

How to Pitch Brands for UGC (Direct Answer)

Send a three-part email under 120 words: reference something specific about their product or ads, link a portfolio of 3–5 samples, and offer a concrete deliverable — “3 UGC videos for your TikTok ads.” Follow up at day 3 and day 10. Most replies come from the second or third touch. Check the Meta Ad Library first; only pitch brands actively running paid ads, since those are the ones buying UGC.

The 4-Part Pitch Framework

Every effective UGC pitch has four elements in this order:

Hook — one specific detail about their product, a recent ad they ran, or a campaign you noticed. Generic openers (“I love your brand!”) get ignored. Specific openers get read.
Proof — one sentence showing you understand their customer and their content goals. You don’t need credentials — you need to demonstrate you’ve done homework.
Offer — a concrete package with a number: “3 UGC videos formatted for TikTok ads” or “one unboxing + two lifestyle videos.” Vague offers like “potential collaboration” give brands nothing to evaluate.
Single CTA — one next step only. “Happy to send 3 concept ideas — no commitment” is easier to say yes to than “let me know if you’d like to schedule a call.”

Keep the whole email under 120 words. Shorter pitches get more replies.

Before and After: Weak vs. Effective Pitch

Before (what most creators send):

Hi, I’m a content creator specializing in lifestyle and UGC content. I’d love to collaborate with your brand and create some videos for your social media. My portfolio is at [link]. I’m flexible on deliverables and pricing. Let me know if you’re interested in working together!

What’s wrong: no research, no specific product, no concrete offer. “Flexible on pricing” signals low rates. “Let me know if interested” puts all the work on the brand.

After (same pitch, rewritten):

Hi [Name], I noticed your new vitamin C serum is getting traction on TikTok — your current ads are all studio shots. I specialize in ‘morning routine’ UGC that skincare brands use for paid ads and product pages. Portfolio: [link]. Would 3 videos for your serum campaign work for Q3? Happy to send concepts this week — no commitment.

What changed: specific product, clear gap identified, relevant format, concrete offer, low-friction CTA. Same information, entirely different result.

3 Copy-Paste Templates by Niche

These are starting points — always customize the hook line for each individual brand before sending.

Beauty / Skincare

Subject: UGC for [Brand] — 3 video ideas

Hi [First Name],

I noticed [Brand]‘s new [product name] and your current TikTok ads are mostly studio footage. I specialize in authentic ‘get ready with me’ and skincare routine content that skincare brands use for paid ads and product pages.

Portfolio: [link]

Would 3 UGC videos for your [product] line work for your current campaigns? I can send a free concept outline this week.

— [Your name]

Food / CPG

Subject: UGC for [Brand] — recipe + lifestyle concepts

Hi [First Name],

I’ve been using [product] and your packaging is great for unboxing and recipe-style content. I create short-form food and lifestyle videos that CPG brands run as TikTok and Meta ads.

Portfolio: [link]

Would a 3-video package — one unboxing, one recipe, one lifestyle — work for Q3? Happy to send free concepts.

— [Your name]

Tech / App

Subject: UGC tutorial for [App] — quick idea

Hi [First Name],

I noticed [Brand]‘s ads are mostly static images. I create short “how I use this” tutorial-style videos for tech and app brands — this format consistently outperforms studio creative in click-through.

Portfolio: [link]

Would a 3-video test package work for your next campaign? I can send a concept brief this week.

— [Your name]

Subject-Line Swipe File

The subject line determines whether the email gets opened. These outperform generic options:

UGC for [Brand] — 3 video ideas (the workhorse — clear and specific)
Quick question about your TikTok ads, [Brand]
Saw your [Product] launch — here's an idea
[Your name] — UGC creator for [niche] brands
[Brand] x [Your name] — concept inside

Avoid: “Collaboration opportunity,” “Partnership inquiry,” or anything that reads like a pitch deck subject line. These get auto-archived or routed to a sponsorships inbox that nobody checks.

Keep subject lines under 50 characters so they don’t truncate on mobile.

Who to Email

The right contact is the social media manager, content marketing manager, or paid social manager — not the founder. Use LinkedIn to find their name; most DTC brands have someone in one of those roles listed publicly. Hunter.io can help confirm the email format if you have the domain.

If you can’t find a specific name, “Hi [Brand] team” is fine. What matters more is the body: a specific, personalized pitch to the right department beats a perfectly addressed generic email every time.

The 3-Touch Follow-Up Sequence

Most UGC deals close on the second or third touch. If you sent a strong pitch and heard nothing, assume a busy inbox — not a rejection.

Day 3 — the bump:

Just bumping this up in case it got buried. Happy to adjust the concept or format if there’s a different campaign you’re prioritizing right now.

Day 10 — the final touch:

Last follow-up from me. I recently wrapped a similar project for [comparable niche] brand if that’s useful context — happy to share what performed. Still here if the timing works out.

After day 10, move on. Three touches is the professional limit. Add the brand to a “revisit in 60 days” list and come back with a new hook when they launch something new.

What Goes in Your Portfolio Link

Your portfolio doesn’t need a website. A Notion page or Google Drive folder with 3–5 samples is enough for a cold pitch. Include:

3–5 videos in the same format you’re pitching (15–30 seconds, mobile-framed, no watermarks)
One sentence per video naming the product category and format — e.g. “Skincare routine, TikTok ad format, 22 seconds”
A rate range (optional) — saves back-and-forth if the brand is ready to move fast

For rate guidance before your first pitch, see our UGC creator rates guide. Once you have a few direct deals, creator marketplaces like JoinBrands and Insense are worth adding to your pipeline alongside cold outreach — see how to get UGC brand deals for the full channel comparison.

Mistakes That Kill Replies

Rates in the first email. Leads with price before the brand has evaluated your work. Discuss rates after they’ve seen your portfolio.

Emails longer than 120 words. If it takes more than 30 seconds to read, most brands don’t finish it.

Linking social profiles instead of samples. Your personal TikTok isn’t a portfolio. Brands want to see the specific format you’re pitching — not your following count.

Pitching brands that don’t run paid ads. Check the Meta Ad Library before sending. If a brand isn’t running ads, they’re not buying UGC. Only pitch active advertisers.

Vague CTAs. “Let me know what you think” asks the brand to decide what happens next. “Happy to send 3 concepts this week — no commitment” gives them a specific, low-risk yes.