First outreach email

The short version

This is the first email you send a UGC creator you’d like to hire. In under 150 words it says who you are, why you picked them, what you need and where the videos will run, and asks for their rate and availability. A vague “collab?” message is easy to ignore. A specific, paid offer is easy to answer, and the quote that comes back is accurate.

The template comes in three versions: paid ads, organic content, and an ongoing monthly batch. Pick the one that matches your plan, replace everything in [square brackets], and send it from a real person’s inbox.

The outline below is free to copy. The three full versions and a filled-in example are included with annual access, which also shows you each creator’s business email.

When to use it

Send one email per creator, not one email to many. Creators can tell a mass message from a personal one in the first line, and a personal line is the part they reply to.

What’s inside

The outline is the paid ads version in its shortest form. The full versions below add a line on budget, a choice of subject lines, and the details that change for organic content and monthly work.

Version 1: paid ads

Use this when the videos will run as paid ads on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook or YouTube. Paid usage is the biggest factor in a creator’s price, so the email states it upfront. That way the quote you get back already includes it.

How to fill it in

• [Brand], [your name] and [your role]: who’s writing. A named person with a role gets more replies than “the [Brand] team”.
• [product, in one line]: what it is and who it’s for, such as “a fragrance-free moisturizer for sensitive skin”. Leave the brand story for the brief.
• [specific video] and [what you liked about it]: name one real video from their profile and one concrete thing about it: the hook, the lighting, how they explained the product. This line proves the email isn’t a mass message.
• [number] and [length]: the deliverables. Be exact. “2 videos of 30 seconds” gets a usable quote, “some content” doesn’t.
• [platforms], [duration] and [countries]: where the ads run, for how long and where. These drive the price. See UGC usage rights.
• [number of hook variations]: how many alternative openings you want per video. Delete the line if you need none.
• [raw footage: yes or no]: whether you want the unedited clips. Creators often price them as an add-on.
• [ship date] and [deadline]: when the product leaves you and when you need the videos. Allow at least a week between product arrival and the deadline.
• [budget range]: optional, but it saves a round of emails. A range such as “$400–600 for the package” is enough. The Rate Index shows typical starting rates by niche.

Version 2: organic content

Use this when the videos will only be posted on your own social accounts and website, not run as ads. The scope is smaller, so the email is shorter, and creators often include organic use in their starting rate.

How to fill it in

• [platform] and [platforms]: the accounts the videos will appear on. If you might run them as ads later, say so now, or plan to buy a usage extension when you do.
• [budget range]: organic-only jobs usually sit close to a creator’s starting rate, which UGCStars shows on each profile.
• Everything else as in version 1.

Version 3: an ongoing monthly batch

Use this when you want a steady supply of videos, for example four a month for testing ads. A recurring offer is attractive to creators, so lead with it, and ask for a monthly price rather than a per-video one.

How to fill it in

• [number per month] and [minimum months]: the volume and the commitment. A minimum of two or three months is reasonable for a creator to give you a better rate.
• The test batch: a paid first round lets both of you check the fit before committing. Pay for it at the creator’s normal rate.
• [duration] per video: usage usually runs from each video’s first ad, so videos from later months stay usable for the same length of time.

A filled-in example

Here is version 1 filled in for an example: a skincare brand wants two 30-second videos for three months of paid ads in the US. The brand, the people and the figures are made up.

A creator can quote from this email without a call: the number and length of videos, the hooks, the raw footage, where the ads run, for how long and the timing are all there. The specific video in the second paragraph shows the brand actually watched their work.

Mistakes to avoid

• Leaving out usage. “How much for a video?” gets a price for organic use. When you later say it’s for ads, the price changes and you’ve lost a round of emails.
• Generic praise. “Love your content” could be sent to anyone. Name one video and one thing about it.
• Asking for free work. If the job is paid, say so in the subject line. If it isn’t, use the gifted offer template and be clear about it.
• Attaching a long brief to the first email. Send the scope in the email and the full brief once the creator is interested.
• Sending from a no-reply or shared address. Creators reply to people. Use your own name and inbox.

Questions brands ask

Before you send it

• Every [placeholder] is replaced.
• The creator’s name is spelled correctly, and the video you mention is really theirs.
• The email states the number and length of videos, the usage, the countries and the deadline.
• The subject line says it’s paid.
• It’s sent from your own name and inbox, with your role and website in the signature.