# How to get brand deals

> How creators get brand deals: which brands to pitch, how to find the right contact, what to send, how to price it, and how to turn a reply into a signed deal.

Canonical: https://ugccreatorportfolio.com/guides/how-to-get-brand-deals

Most brand deals start with the creator, not the brand. A short, specific pitch to the right person, with a portfolio and a price ready, beats waiting to be discovered.

## Pitch brands that already pay creators

- Brands running creator-style ads in your niche. If they’re paying for ads, they need new videos every month.
- Brands other creators in your niche have tagged as partners recently.
- Brands you already buy from, where your enthusiasm is real.

## Find the right person

Look for the influencer, partnerships, social or growth marketing manager. A named person replies far more often than a general inbox. Smaller brands often have a "collabs" or "partnerships" address on their site.

## Send a short, specific pitch

One idea, one proof point, one link and one question, under 150 words. The [pitch email templates](https://ugccreatorportfolio.com/templates/pitch-email) give you five to start from.

## Have the numbers ready

- For posts on your account: your average views and engagement rate from the last 30 days. The [engagement rate calculator](https://ugccreatorportfolio.com/engagement-rate-calculator) works them out.
- For UGC: your base rate and your add-ons, from the [UGC rate calculator](https://ugccreatorportfolio.com/ugc-rate-calculator).
- A [media kit](https://ugccreatorportfolio.com/media-kit-template) link for everything else.

## Turn a reply into a signed deal

1. Confirm the brief in writing: deliverables, dates, usage.
2. Send a quote with each add-on on its own line, or a [sponsorship proposal](https://ugccreatorportfolio.com/templates/sponsorship-proposal).
3. Expect one counter-offer. Trade scope for price (fewer hooks, shorter usage) rather than dropping your rate.
4. Sign a contract before you film ([UGC](https://ugccreatorportfolio.com/templates/ugc-contract) or [influencer](https://ugccreatorportfolio.com/templates/influencer-contract)).
5. Invoice the deposit on signing.

## Questions creators ask

### How many followers do you need for brand deals?

For UGC, none: brands pay for the content. For sponsored posts, brands work with creators of every size; smaller accounts often get more deals per follower because their audiences engage more.

### Should I work for free products?

Gifted products can be fine for building your first samples, but say clearly that paid usage, whitelisting and exclusivity are not included in a gift.

### How do I respond when a brand asks for my rates?

Send a specific number with line items within a day. A clear quote usually gets a counter-offer; a vague answer usually gets silence.

## Related

- [Brand pitch email templates](https://ugccreatorportfolio.com/templates/pitch-email)
- [Sponsorship proposal template](https://ugccreatorportfolio.com/templates/sponsorship-proposal)
- [Influencer pricing calculator](https://ugccreatorportfolio.com/influencer-pricing-calculator)
- [UGC rate calculator](https://ugccreatorportfolio.com/ugc-rate-calculator)