To pitch to brands as an influencer, email the person who runs creator partnerships with one specific content idea for their product, three links that prove you can make it and your media kit. At Earn by Creating, we write how-to guides for people who get paid to create, and we keep every pitch short enough for a brand manager to answer in one reply.
Keep the email under 150 words. Send one follow-up five to seven business days later, and a second one about a week after that. When a brand says yes, get the deliverables, usage rights, payment terms and a kill fee in writing before you film anything.
What a Brand Pitch Needs to Get a Reply
A brand pitch gets a reply when it gives the brand manager a ready-made idea they can approve. Every pitch should carry five parts:
- A subject line with the brand’s product name. “Reel idea for your travel mug” beats “Collaboration opportunity”.
- One sentence on who you are and who watches you. Name your niche and your audience in plain words.
- One concrete content idea. Say the format, the hook and how the product appears.
- Proof. Three links to posts like the one you are proposing, with view counts.
- A simple ask. “Would you like a quote for this?” is easy to answer.
Attach or link a one-page influencer media kit so the brand sees your audience and median views without asking. If you do not have one yet, build it in the media kit builder first.
Find the Right Contact at the Brand
Your pitch should go to the person who runs creator or influencer partnerships. A general “info@” inbox often gets read by customer service, who may never forward it.
Look in this order:
- The brand’s website. Check the footer, the “Press”, “Partners” or “Affiliates” page and the contact page for a partnerships email.
- The brand’s Instagram or TikTok bio. Many brands list a collab email or a link to a creator sign-up form.
- LinkedIn. Search the brand name plus “influencer marketing”, “creator partnerships” or “social media manager”.
- The brand’s agency. Larger brands run creators through an agency. If another creator’s sponsored post tags an agency, that agency is the contact.
Brand creator programs and affiliate sign-up forms are worth filling out too. They often feed straight into the list a brand manager checks when a campaign starts.
Three Example Pitch Emails
Each example below is a template. Swap in your own niche, numbers and idea. The figures in brackets are placeholders, so use your real results.
Example 1: Product You Already Use
Subject: TikTok idea for your [product name]
Hi [first name],
I’m [name], and I make short cooking videos for busy parents on TikTok (@handle, median [X] views per video). I’ve used your [product] in my weeknight dinner videos for six months without being paid.
I’d like to make a 45-second “three dinners, one pan” video built around it, with the product in the first five seconds.
Here are three similar videos: [link], [link], [link]. My media kit is here: [link].
Would you like a quote for this?
[Name]
Example 2: Brand You Saw Sponsoring Others
Subject: Reel concept for your fall launch
Hi [first name],
I saw your fall collection in a few creator posts this month and had an idea for a different angle. I run an Instagram account on small-space living for renters (@handle, [X] median Reel views, mostly US, ages 25 to 34).
The idea: a 30-second “before and after” of a 400-square-foot studio, styled with three pieces from the collection, with a link in stories the same day.
Examples of this format: [link], [link], [link]. Media kit: [link].
Happy to send a short sample clip if useful.
[Name]
Example 3: Small Account Pitching a Small Brand
Subject: Unboxing and first-week video for [product]
Hi [first name],
I’m [name]. I post desk setup and productivity videos on TikTok and Instagram (@handle). My account is small, about [X] followers, but my last ten videos average a [Y]% engagement rate and most of my comments are questions about the gear I use.
I’d like to film a two-part series: an unboxing on day one, then a “one week later” video showing how [product] fits my workday.
Recent examples: [link], [link], [link]. Media kit: [link]. Paid packages start at $[your floor].
Would that work for your team?
[Name]
All three examples share the same shape: who you are in one line, one idea in one or two lines, three links, one question. Write your own version in that shape, then cut any sentence that does not help the brand say yes.
When to Follow Up on a Brand Pitch
Follow up five to seven business days after your first email, then once more about a week later. After two follow-ups with no reply, move the brand to a “try again next quarter” list.
| When to send | What to say | |
|---|---|---|
| First pitch | Day 0, Tuesday to Thursday morning in the brand’s time zone | The full pitch above |
| Follow-up 1 | Day 5 to 7 (business days) | One line plus a new detail, such as a fresh post that fits the idea |
| Follow-up 2 | About a week after follow-up 1 | Short check-in, offer a sample clip or a smaller test post |
| Re-pitch | Next season or next product launch | A new idea tied to the launch |
Reply to the original thread each time so the brand sees the whole conversation. Keep every follow-up to two or three sentences. A sample first follow-up:
Hi [first name], following up on my idea for [product]. I posted a related video this week that’s at [X] views so far: [link]. Happy to send a quote if the idea fits your plans.
Negotiating the Offer
Most brands answer a yes with a budget, a list of deliverables or a request for your rates. Work out your price before you reply, using the CPM and add-on method in our influencer rates guide.
Use these moves when the offer is lower than your rate:
- Trade scope instead of price. Remove a story set or shorten the usage window instead of cutting your video fee.
- Ask what the budget covers. Brands sometimes bundle usage rights or exclusivity into a low offer. Split them out and price each.
- Offer a test. One post at your full rate, with a lower bundle price if the brand books three more.
- Get the offer in writing. Ask the brand to confirm the final scope by email before anyone drafts a contract.
If the brand cannot meet your floor, say thank you and ask to be considered for a later campaign. A polite no keeps the contact warm.
Contract Basics Before You Post
Get a written agreement for every paid deal, even a short email that both sides confirm. Check these terms before you sign:
| Term | What to get in writing | Why it protects you |
|---|---|---|
| Deliverables | Number of posts, format, length, accounts, post dates | Stops scope from growing after you agree a price |
| Approval rounds | How many revision rounds are included (for example, one) | Extra rounds cost you filming time |
| Usage rights | Where the brand can use your content and for how many days | Ad use beyond your post is worth more than the post |
| Exclusivity | Which competing brands you avoid, and for how long | You may turn down other paid deals in that window |
| Payment terms | Amount, deposit, due date, payment method | Sets when you get paid and what happens if it is late |
| Kill fee | Share of the fee owed if the brand cancels after work starts | You get paid for work already done |
| Disclosure | Agreement that you will label the post as paid | Keeps you within Federal Trade Commission (FTC) rules and the app’s own rules |
| Ownership | Who owns the raw footage and the final post | Decides whether the brand can reuse your clips later |
Common payment terms are 50% up front and 50% when the post goes live, or net 30 (payment within 30 days of your invoice). Push for a deposit on your first deal with a new brand. A kill fee of around half the full fee is a common ask, but the number is yours to set.
Any brand contract should require disclosure. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Endorsement Guides, revised in 2023, require you to disclose payment, free product or other material connections clearly and conspicuously. Put “#ad” or “Paid partnership with [brand]” in the caption and say it in the video. Do not rely on a hidden hashtag or the app’s toggle alone.
Getting Paid and Setting Aside Tax
Send an invoice when the post goes live, listing the deliverables, the post date, the agreed fee and your payment details. Track every payment and every free product you receive, since free products for promotion are generally taxable income in the US.
Brand deal income in the US is self-employment income. Self-employment tax is 15.3% on net earnings once they reach $400, and you may need to pay quarterly estimated tax with Form 1040-ES. The Modern Wallet explains how much to set aside from each deal. This is general information, so ask a tax professional about your own case.
Who Should Hold Off on Pitching
Pitching is a poor use of time if you have fewer than a handful of posts in one niche or your recent posts get very few views. A brand has nothing to approve. Spend a month building three examples that look like the sponsored post you want to sell. If you want paid work while you grow, UGC (user-generated content) jobs pay for content brands post themselves. For platform-specific routes, see our guides to Instagram brand deals and TikTok brand deals.
What would change this advice: if a brand reaches out to you first, skip the pitch and go straight to the rate and contract steps above.
Pick five brands you already use, find one partnerships email for each and send your first five pitches this week.