If you’re a creator who wants to land UGC deals for the holidays, September is your best window. By October, many brands will already have their partnerships locked and if you wait until November it’s almost always too late.
That’s why I’m running a September UGC Pitching Challenge: a simple, step-by-step way to prep and send your first (or next) brand pitches before the holiday rush. Each week we’ll focus on one piece of the process – from making a portfolio, choosing dream brands, writing your pitch, to finding contacts and following up.
Content creation can be lonely and confusing so if you’ve been thinking, “I want to work with brands but I don’t know where to start” – let’s do this together.
Why Pitching in September Matters
September is like Black Friday for creators – brands are planning their biggest campaigns of the year and actively looking for creators to help them bring those ideas to life. That means:
- Budgets are being finalized right now
- Holiday marketing calendars are starting to fill up
- Brands are actively scouting talent before holiday campaigns kick off in November
Pitching early puts you in the right place at the right time. Instead of scrambling to catch up in November, you’ll already be on brands’ radar before the holiday chaos starts.
How the Challenge Works
This isn’t just me giving you tips and sending you on your way. The challenge is designed as a follow along, with one focus each week:
- Week 1: Build your portfolio and dream brand list
- Week 2: Craft your pitch
- Week 3: Find contacts & hit send
- Week 4: Follow up & what to do if you hear “no”
Each week, I’ll post a blog with practical steps and share behind-the-scenes on my instagram channel. Think of this as your accountability group for pitching.
Week One Challenge: Build Your Portfolio & Dream Brand List
Before you pitch, there are a few things you should have prepared. Take this week to work on both of these items:
- A portfolio that shows your best work
- A dream brand list so you know exactly who you’re pitching
Build (or Refresh) Your Portfolio
Your portfolio doesn’t need to be fancy. A simple Canva PDF or one-page website works perfectly. What matters most is clarity. Make sure it includes:
- Short Intro: Who you are + what kind of content you create
- Your best examples of UGC: Ideally content that feels seasonal, product focused, or brand-ready.
- Past Partnerships (if any): Mention collabs you’ve previously done, even if they were gifted partnerships
- Contact Info: Make it easy for brands to reach you
Tip for beginners: If you are new to brand partnerships and don’t have examples yet, create 2 to 3 pieces of holiday-style content. This gives brands an idea of how you’d approach a seasonal campaign.
You can also use my Canva website template to get started.
Make Your Dream Brand List
Write down 10-15 brands you’d be excited to work with this holiday season. Think about:
- Products you already use and love
- Brands that align with your niche (pets, lifestyle, travel, etc)
- Giftable or seasonal products that naturally fit into holiday or winter content
- Have a good mix of brands: 1 or 2 “dream big” brands, a few mid-size brands you already tag organically, and one or two small or local brands who you could support
What You’ll Gain This Week
By the end of Week 1, you’ll have:
A portfolio link or PDF you can share with brands A list of 10-15 brands to pitch Spec holiday-style content if you need to fill gaps
That means next week, when we start writing pitches, you’ll be ready to plug in your portfolio and reach out with confidence.
Join Me Inside the Channel
This challenge is happening both here on the blog and inside my instagram channel.
You’ll be able to:
- Share your progress (like your portfolio + brand list)
- Connect with other creators doing the same challenge
Final Thoughts
If you’ve been waiting for a sign to finally start pitching brands, this is it. This week, keep it simple: pull together your best work into a portfolio and choose your dream brand list. Those two things alone will put you miles ahead of most creators waiting until the holiday rush.
Next week, we’ll turn all this prep into a polished pitch that’s ready to send.
Start building your portfolio today and share your dream brand list. That’s your Week 1 challenge — let’s do it together!
