The only three things a cold pitch needs

A cold pitch that gets a reply does three jobs, fast: it says who you are, it shows proof you can make the content, and it names one specific reason you picked this brand. Nothing else earns a spot in a first message.

Brands read pitches in seconds, usually on a phone. If they have to scroll or decode who you are, you're gone. So lead with your identity in one line — "I'm a UGC creator who makes 9:16 product videos for skincare brands." Then the proof: a single link to work that looks like the ads they already run. Then the reason: a real detail about them, not "I love your brand."

That specific reason is the part most creators skip, and it's what flips a pitch from spam into a conversation. "I noticed you just launched the refillable deodorant and you're running mostly static images on TikTok" tells them you looked. One line like that beats any adjective about yourself.

Cut everything that isn't one of those three things. Your follower count, your life story, a paragraph about your passion for storytelling — none of it belongs in message one.

DM or email — which converts, and when

Short version: DM small and founder-led brands, email anyone with a marketing team. Match the channel to whoever actually reads it.

A small or newer brand is often run by one or two people who check their own Instagram DMs — a DM lands in the same inbox as their friends, feels human, and often gets a same-day reply. Once a brand has a marketing manager, the DMs become a black hole run by a tool or an intern. Email is where the person with a budget lives — find a partnerships address or a name on LinkedIn, and write there.

A few mechanics matter more than the channel itself:

  • Time it right. Tuesday through Thursday mornings get read. Friday afternoons and weekends get buried.
  • On email, the subject line is the whole battle. "UGC for [Brand] — 2 video concepts" beats "Collaboration opportunity" every time.
  • On DMs, skip the wall of text — two or three short lines, then stop. Let them reply before you drop a link; some apps bury messages that contain one.

If you can't tell which a brand is, default to email and find a human's name — it scales better and doesn't vanish into a feed.

The scripts, word for word

Swap the brackets, keep them short, and read each one out loud before sending.

Cold DM:

Hi [Name] — I'm a UGC creator who makes short 9:16 videos
brands run as ads. Saw you launched [product] and you're
running mostly [static posts/founder selfies] right now.

I sketched 2 quick concepts I think would convert for you.
Want me to send them over?

Cold email:

Subject: UGC for [Brand] — 2 video concepts

Hi [Name],

I make UGC — 9:16 product videos brands run as paid ads. I've
done this for [category] brands like [example or "similar DTC
brands"].

I watched your current TikTok ads and had two ideas: a
problem-solution demo and an unboxing with a hook on the first
line. Both shot on my phone, delivered in [X] days.

Here's my work, so my style speaks for itself: [link]

If it's useful, I'll write the two concepts out for you. Either
way, love what you're building.

[Your name]

When a brand replies "send me your rates," answer with the link and a plain number — no waffling:

Absolutely. Here's my work: [link]

For one 9:16 video with 2 rounds of revisions, my rate is
[rate]. Usage on your own channels is included; paid ad usage
and whitelisting is [add-on]. Happy to build a small bundle
if you want a few.

Notice what these don't do: no begging, no "I know you're busy," no offers to work for free. You're a service provider quoting a job.

What your work link should do

The words get you the click; your work sample is what convinces. Brands hire on what they can see, so make it easy: the link should open instantly and play right there. If they have to download a file, log in, or wait on a spinner, you lose the momentum you built. Three rules:

  • Lead with your best 3–5 videos, not everything you've ever shot. Your strongest work sets the price.
  • Make it relevant. Pitching skincare? The first videos they see should be skincare or something adjacent — not a random travel vlog.
  • Test it yourself on your phone, on data, logged out. If it's slow or asks for a login, fix that before your next pitch.

You don't need a website — just one clean, fast link showing real work in the format brands buy.

How many brands to pitch before judging a script

Don't judge a script on fewer than 20 to 30 sends. Anything less is noise, not data.

Cold outreach is a numbers game with a skill curve on top. A decent script to a decent list lands somewhere around a 5 to 15% reply rate, and only a fraction of replies become paid work. Five pitches and no reply tells you nothing. Thirty and no reply tells you something's off — usually the link, the list, or the specific-reason line.

Change one thing at a time. Send 25 with your current subject line, then 25 with a new one. Rewrite the whole message every send and you'll never learn what worked.

Keep a simple sheet — brand, channel, date, reply, outcome. After 30 to 50 pitches the pattern gets obvious: which niches answer, which line gets ignored, where deals stall.

One honest truth: expect your first 50 pitches to teach you more than they earn. The ones who make it just kept sending while they got better.

FAQ

How long should a cold pitch be? Under 75 words for a DM, under 120 for an email. If it doesn't fit on one phone screen, cut it down.

Should I put my rates in the first message? Usually no — get a reply first, then quote once they ask or you've sent concepts. The exception is a brief that explicitly asks for a rate up front; then give a clear number.

What if I have no brand deals yet? Pitch with spec work. Make one or two videos for products you already own, as if they were paid jobs, and link to those. Brands care that the content is good, not who paid for it.

How often should I follow up? Once. Wait four or five business days and keep it to a single line — "Hi [Name], floating this back up, still happy to send those concepts." Chasing harder costs you more than the deal is worth.

Is it worth paying for a pitch list or leads? Rarely. Build a better list yourself in an hour: brands whose ads fill your feed, competitors of brands you like, products already in your home. Warm, specific targets beat cold bought ones.