Many small creators believe that brands only work with people who have hundreds of thousands of followers. In reality, many companies look for creators with engaged, niche audiences, including small ones. The key is to approach the right brands in a professional way.
Start by choosing brands carefully
Make a list of ten brands that your audience would genuinely use. Look for companies whose products you already use or understand. Check their social media to see whether they work with creators, and look for a collaboration or partnership email on their website. Pitching ten relevant brands is better than sending the same message to a hundred random ones.
Understand what the brand wants
Brands usually want attention from the right audience, content they can reuse and sales or sign-ups. Think about how your content could help them reach their goal. If the brand sells a note-taking app to students and you make study videos, you can offer a video showing how you organise your notes with the app.
Prepare your materials
Before you pitch, make sure your profile is ready. Your bio should explain what you do. Your link should lead to a clean page with your best work and contact details. Have a short media kit ready as a PDF or web link. This shows you are serious.
The structure of a pitch email
Keep the email under 150 words:
- Subject line: specific and short, such as "Collaboration idea: study vlogs for [Brand]".
- Greeting: use a person's name if you can find it.
- Who you are: one sentence on your niche and audience.
- Why this brand: one sentence showing you know their product.
- Your idea: two sentences describing a clear, simple collaboration.
- Proof: a link to one relevant example of your work and the key audience numbers.
- Call to action: ask if they would like to see your media kit or talk for a few minutes.
A sample you can adapt
"Hi Anita, I create short videos about personal finance for first-job earners in India, with an engaged audience of about 8,000 followers on Instagram. I have been using your budgeting app for six months and think it fits my viewers well. I would like to suggest a three-part series showing how I plan my monthly spending with it. Here is a video from a similar series: [link]. My media kit is attached. Would you be open to a quick chat this week?"
Fill in true details only. Do not copy the numbers.
Follow up politely
If you do not hear back in a week, send a short follow-up that adds value: a new idea, a recent result or a simple reminder. If there is still no response after a second follow-up, move on. Silence is common and usually not personal.
Negotiate and agree in writing
When a brand replies, discuss what is included, the deadline, the number of revisions, the payment amount and date, and whether the content may be reused. Put the agreement in an email or a simple contract. Be careful with any request to pay a fee to join a campaign. Genuine brands pay creators, not the other way around.
Follow rules on disclosure
When you are paid or given products for a post, you must say so clearly. Advertising regulators in many countries, including India, expect clear disclosure. Use the platform's paid-partnership label or clear wording such as "Ad" or "Sponsored" at the start of the caption. Honesty protects your audience's trust.
Track your outreach
Keep a spreadsheet with brand names, contacts, dates and responses. Learn from the replies. Even rejections teach you what to improve. Over time your pitch, portfolio and results will make each new email stronger.