A UGC pitch that gets replies is under 120 words, sent to a named person (not info@), opens with something specific about their product, links a portfolio with videos in their category, and ends with a single clear ask. Follow up twice, 4 and 9 days later. Expect a 10–15% reply rate from a clean list.
Okay, the pitch email. I’ve sent a few hundred of these to beauty brands over the last two years and logged every single reply in a spreadsheet, partly because I’m a nerd and partly because my first 60 got zero answers and I needed to know why. So this is the structure that works now, the one that didn’t, and the real numbers behind both.
Why most pitches get ignored
Brand inboxes are full of creators. The typical pitch is 300 words, starts with “I’m a passionate content creator”, links a Canva page with no videos, and asks for “collaboration opportunities”. Nobody knows what is being asked, so nobody replies.
The fix is simple: be specific, be short, ask for one thing.
The email that gets replies
Here is the template, followed by why each line is there.
Subject: UGC for [Product name] – 3 quick ideas
Hi [First name],
I have been using the [Product] for two weeks and the [specific detail: texture / scent / how it layers under SPF] is exactly the kind of thing that shows well on camera.
I make UGC for beauty brands (recent: [Brand A], [Brand B]). Three ideas for [Product]:
1. [Hook idea 1, e.g. "Why my dermatologist mentioned propolis" talking head]
2. [Hook idea 2, e.g. texture ASMR + before/after over 14 days]
3. [Hook idea 3, e.g. "3 mistakes with cream blush" tutorial]
Portfolio (skincare only): ugctip.com/portfolio
Do you have a budget for creator content this quarter? Happy to send rates.
[Name]
[City] · [Phone]Subject line. Product name plus a number. It looks like a real work email, not a newsletter.
First line. Something you can only say if you have actually used the product. This is what separates you from the 200 templated emails they got this week.
Proof. Two brand names. If you have none yet, name the category: “recent work for skincare and candle brands”.
Three ideas. This is the whole pitch. It shows you understand their product and saves them the work of imagining what they would get. Keep each idea to one line.
One link. A portfolio page with videos in their category. Not Instagram, not a Google Drive folder, not five links.
One ask. A yes/no question about budget. “Let me know if you’re interested in collaborating” is not a question.
Total: under 120 words. If it does not fit on a phone screen without scrolling, cut.
Who to send it to
The right person is whoever buys creative content. In order of likelihood:
- Influencer / Creator Partnerships Manager at brands with 20+ employees
- Social Media Manager at mid-size brands
- Founder or co-founder at indie brands under ~10 people
- Brand Manager or Marketing Manager at retail brands
Find the name on LinkedIn. Then guess the email from the company’s pattern (first@brand.com, first.last@brand.com); a free verifier tool will confirm which one exists. Sending to info@ or hello@ works only for very small brands where the founder reads it. My whole five-minute research routine is in how I find brand contact emails.
Follow-up timing
Most of my replies come from follow-ups, not the first email. (Copy-paste versions for every situation, including “we only gift,” are in my follow-up templates.)
- Day 0: the pitch
- Day 4: one-line follow-up, reply on the same thread: “Bumping this in case it got buried, happy to send rates and a sample video.”
- Day 9: last one: “Closing the loop on this. If timing is off, I would love to stay on your list for next quarter.”
Then stop. Three emails is professional; five is spam. Put them in a “revisit in 3 months” list.
What to expect
From my own tracking with a clean, personalized list of beauty brands:
| Metric | Typical |
|---|---|
| Reply rate (any reply) | 10 – 15% |
| Positive reply (wants rates / call) | 5 – 8% |
| Closed paid deal | 2 – 3% |
That means 100 good emails produce two or three paid projects. At $300–$600 per video and multi-video bundles, that is a solid month from one afternoon a week of outreach. Volume matters, but only volume of good emails.
Timing tricks that help
- Send Tuesday to Thursday, 8–10 am in the brand’s time zone.
- Pitch before a launch. Brands announce launches on Instagram weeks ahead; they need content before the date.
- Pitch in September and January when Q4 and new-year budgets open.
- Pitch brands that are already running creator ads (check the Meta Ad Library). They already have the line item; you are just a better option.
Where to get the brand list
The hard part is not the email. It is knowing which brands actually pay creators. I keep a database of beauty brands that have hired UGC creators, with the right contact role for each, and the first 50 are free for subscribers below.
Frequently asked
Who should I email at a beauty brand for UGC?
The person who buys creative: Influencer Marketing Manager, Creator Partnerships, Social Media Manager, or at smaller brands the founder. Find them on LinkedIn, then use the brand domain pattern for the email.
How many brands should I pitch per week?
Twenty to thirty personalized emails a week is sustainable and produces two to four conversations. Mass-sending 200 generic emails produces spam complaints.
Should I attach videos to the pitch email?
No. Attachments hurt deliverability. Link to a portfolio page with your videos, ideally one filtered to their category.
What if the brand says they only gift product?
Reply politely that you take paid projects only, and leave the door open with your rate card. Many "gifting only" brands come back with budget a few months later.
NYC beauty UGC creator. I make product videos for skincare, makeup and wellness brands, and I write about how the business side actually works.
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