Grace | Tiktok & Meta Ads Strategist + Copywriter✨

Had dinner with someone who works at a major DTC brand that hires dozens of UGC creators every month. Asked her why so many creators complain about brands ghosting them after initial conversations. Her answer was eye-opening. "Most creators pitch us like they're asking for favors instead of offering solutions. They want us to explain our business to them instead of showing they understand our challenges." She pulled up some recent pitches they'd received. 90% were variations of "I'd love to work with your brand" with no indication the creator had done any research. The pitches that get responses demonstrate understanding of their customer, their market position, their competitors. They offer specific ideas for content that would solve actual business problems. She showed me one pitch that led to a $5k retainer. The creator had analyzed their competitor's content strategy, identified gaps in their current approach, and proposed three specific video concepts that would differentiate them. "That creator became a strategic partner from day one. Most others are just looking for easy money." She said they ghost creators who clearly haven't done research because responding would just lead to more questions they shouldn't have to answer. Like what their target audience is, what problems their product solves, who their competitors are. "If someone wants to work with us, they should know more about our business than we have to tell them." Makes sense. Brands are busy running companies, not educating creators about basic marketing concepts. The creators who do their homework get responses. The ones who expect brands to educate them get ignored. Research isn't optional. It's the entry fee for professional relationships.