Are you a UGC (User Generated Content) creator looking to level up your outbound pitches and land exciting collaborations with brands?
Crafting a compelling pitch email is a crucial skill that can make the difference in securing partnerships. But it’s also something many creators get wrong.
Today, we’re sharing how to get it right. Let’s dive in and figure out how to craft the perfect UGC pitch.
💡 What Is A UGC Pitch?
Quick refresh, when we’re talking about a UGC pitch we’re talking about an email sent to decision makers at brands or agencies to pitch your services as a UGC creator.
Who Are You Pitching To?
First and foremost, think about who you are pitching to. Before you get to pitching half of the Linkedin Sales Navigator database with a cookie-cutter email, you need to consider your target audience.
Tailoring your approach based on the type of brand or agency you are talking to can significantly enhance your pitch’s effectiveness.
Broadly speaking, there are three main categories you may be pitching to:
a) Small Brands
When targeting small brands, focus on highlighting the value and impact your UGC can bring to their marketing efforts. Emphasize how your content can help them establish a strong online presence, engage their audience, and drive conversions. Small brands often appreciate personal connections, so showcase your understanding of their unique challenges and objectives.
b) Big Brands
Pitching to big brands requires a different approach. They typically receive numerous partnership requests, so your pitch needs to stand out. Highlight your experience, track record, and any notable achievements to demonstrate your ability to deliver exceptional UGC. Big brands often prioritize collaborations that align with their values and resonate with their target audience, so tailor your pitch accordingly.
c) Agencies
When pitching to agencies, focus on the benefits of partnering with you as a UGC creator. Showcase how your content can enhance their clients’ campaigns and provide a fresh, authentic perspective. Agencies are often looking for reliable and creative collaborators, so emphasize professionalism, flexibility, and ability to meet deadlines.
How To Craft The Perfect UGC Pitch
Your Subject Line
Your subject line is your HOOK. This is what will get them to open the email in the first place, and shouldn’t be overlooked. Focus on a subject line that offers a benefit to the brand, compliments them, or mentions an issue.
It should grab their attention and entice them to open your email. Here are some examples of compelling subject lines you can use:
- “Partner with us to create engaging UGC for your audience”
- “Maximize your brand’s reach with our UGC solutions”
- “Boost your social media presence with our UGC content”
- “Take your marketing to the next level with our UGC offering”
Tailor the subject line based on the recipient’s profile and preferences, and experiment with different approaches to find what works best for you.
Opening Line
Make your pitch feel personalized from the start.
Begin with a genuine compliment or establish a connection between yourself and the recipient or their brand. This demonstrates that your email isn’t a generic copy-paste message. For example:
“It’s got to be wild running a restaurant in NYC.”
“I imagine Q1 is pretty busy working at [fitness company]…”
While these lines may seem hyper-personal, but by correctly segmenting your audience, you can use them for a wide range of recipients.
Clearly State Why You’re Reaching Out
Keep your pitch concise and to the point.
Clearly communicate who you are, what you do, and why you’re reaching out to them specifically. For example:
“I saw that you guys are running ads on Instagram. I’ve been making video ads for restaurants for the last 2 years (made over +75 ads total) and I’ve noticed a couple of obvious tweaks we could make to your ads that would at least double the performance.”
Provide Proof
Back up your claims with tangible proof to build credibility. Share examples of your previous work or highlight significant milestones and achievements. For instance:
“I’ve worked for Bob’s BBQ and Cafe Claire, signficantly increasing conversion rates three-fold for both. I also recently had an organic video reach 1 million views for Olive Garden.”
DO NOT explain the benefits of UGC and why brands need UGC. This is basically like telling the brand marketer how to do their job. ASSUME they know what UGC is – if they don’t know what it is, they’re not going to be willing to pay anyway.
Link your portfolio, but don’t attach anything to the body of the email.
Compelling Call to Action
Rather than ending your email with rates or direct requests for a call, keep the conversation going by offering more value.
This leads the brand marketing rep into the next step, and encourages them to respond to you.
This approach can significantly increase your response rates.
❌ Instead of:
- “Here are my rates.”
- “Free for a 30-minute call this week?”
✅ Use:
- “I have a few ideas that would CRUSH IT – can I send them over?”
- Even better, list a specific video concepts that you’d be excited to create for the brand
By providing additional value and keeping the conversation open, you create a more engaging and collaborative atmosphere.
Outreach Template for UGC Creators
Email Template
Dear [Brand Name],
I think I might have the answer you need to reach X demographic!
My name is [Your Name] and I am a content creator based in California.
I’ve had a number of ads for [enter skincare product] land on my feed, and as a content creator with an extensive background in the beauty space I’ve noticed a couple of obvious tweaks we could make to your ads that would at least double your ROAS.
An obvious pain point for [their demographic] is X, and I have a few ideas that could position [brand] as the perfect solution – can I send them over?
Looking forward to chatting,
[Calendly Link]
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
Pitching Mistakes Your Making
❌ Copy and pasting
If you’re pitching to a brand in less than 5 minutes, you’re doing something wrong (sorry).
Why? Because a good pitch involves researching the brand.
You need to not only find their pain points, but understand where you can fit in as a solution, and provide value. If you’re not able to find that, you have no place pitching.
Your pitch should revolve around that value. Properly researching the brand’s needs & coming up with an offer that makes sense should take WAY longer than 5 minutes.
❌ Talking about yourself
The people opening those emails do not care about you.
It’s just not about you and your background in UGC.
The want to know what you’ll do to serve them. If you were a brand owner would you want to hear all about WHO is pitching or WHAT is being pitched to you? Instead of talking about yourself, talk about how you’re going to knock it out of the park for them and solve one of their problems.
❌ Pitching from a gmail
Email them with a custom domain.
It greatly reduces the chance of you ending up in their spam folders, and it also makes you look significantly more professional and reliable.
A domain costs under $10 for the year, and is well worth its weight in gold.
Get Ready To Pitch
Perfecting your outbound pitches as a UGC creator can greatly enhance your chances of securing collaborations with brands, big or small.
By understanding your target audience, crafting compelling subject lines, personalizing your emails, providing proof of your expertise, and offering value-driven call-to-action, you can significantly improve your pitch’s effectiveness.
Mastering the art of outbound pitching won’t happen overnight, but even a small improvement can start to open doors to exciting opportunities. So, start implementing these strategies and get ready to see your collaborations soar!