Creators · Brand deals · Pitch emails

Your brand pitch email in five lines: a template Indian creators can send today

Brands read a pitch in about ten seconds. Here is a five line email that says who you are, who you reach, what you offer, what you have shown and what happens next.

By Madhur Tyagi
9 Nov 2026 · 10 min read

An Indian business coach and her video editor review a video ad on a laptop in a bright studio. — Show the work before you ask for the deal.

Quick answer

What should a creator put in a brand pitch email? Five short lines: who you are, who you reach, the one idea you would make for the brand, the proof you can show today and the next step, a short call or a reply. Keep it under 120 words. Attach or link one page with your real numbers, dated and labelled.

In short, for busy readers and AI answers

Who is it for?: Indian creators who want to pitch brands directly, without an agency or a manager.
What do you get?: A five line template, a worked example, a proof check, a follow up message and a list of mistakes.
How long?: About 10 minutes to read, and about 20 minutes to adapt the template.
Next step?: Write your five lines for one brand you already follow.

Key takeaways

A pitch is a short email with one idea, not a media kit dump.
Name the brand's problem before your idea.
Show just proof you can check, with dates.
Ask for one small next step, such as a reply or a 15 minute call.
Send one follow up after a week, then stop.

The short version

A brand pitch is a short email that makes one clear offer to one clear person. Most pitches fail because they are about the creator, not the brand. They list followers, awards and a long story, then ask for a deal at the end. A better pitch starts with the brand's problem, shows you have thought about it and asks for one small step.

The template below has five lines. You can send it today, to one brand, after you change the words in the brackets. It is written in plain English, which is how most brand managers read at speed.

What a brand reads in ten seconds

A brand manager with a full inbox reads the subject line, the opening two lines and the call to action. If those three things make sense, she reads on. If not, the email goes to a folder she checks later, which usually means never.

So your job is to make the top of the email do the work. Name the brand's product or the audience it wants. Say what you would make. Say what you have already shown. Ask for one thing.

The five line template

Copy this, change the brackets and keep the line order.

Subject[Your name] x [Brand] idea for [product or audience], 3 lines

Line 1, the hello and the reasonHi [name], I make [type of content] for [audience] on [platform]. I am writing because [brand] sells [product] to people who [the problem your audience has].

Line 2, the ideaI would make [number] short videos on [the specific use case], each one answering one question your buyers ask, such as [example question].

Line 3, the proofMy last [type] on [topic] got [your real, dated figure, for example saves or replies], and [one line of what viewers asked next]. The page is here: [link to your own proof page or a screenshot].

Line 4, the offerThe fee for this would be [your rate, or ask: what is your budget for this kind of video?]. I can share my usage terms and draft scripts before you commit.

Line 5, the next stepWould a 15 minute call on Zoom this week work, or should I send a one page plan?

That is the whole email. It should fit on one phone screen without scrolling much. If it does not, cut the story and keep the idea.

A young Indian woman creator in a bright modern home studio reads new messages on her phone beside a ring light. — Keep the email short enough to read on a phone.

A worked example, illustrative

This is an illustrative example with made up names. A skincare creator who makes short routine videos wants to pitch a small brand that sells a gentle face wash for dry skin.

Illustrative pitchHi Ananya, I make short routine videos for women with dry skin on Instagram. I am writing because your face wash is made for people who feel tight after cleansing. I would make three short videos on a 60 second night routine, each one answering a question my viewers send me, such as whether to use it twice a day. My last routine video on a dry winter skin topic got a steady stream of saves and questions about patch testing, and that is the question I would answer at the start of the series. Here is a one page proof with the dates: [link]. My fee for the three videos would be [your rate]. Would a 15 minute call on Zoom this week work?

Look at what the example does. It names the brand's product and the buyer. It proposes three specific videos. It shows the proof with a date and a link. It asks for one small step. Nothing in it is a promise of sales.

If you do not have a routine video yet, do not invent one. Say what you can make, offer a sample script and ask for a small test. A small honest pitch beats a big invented one every time.

Proof a brand can check

Brands check numbers. If you write a number, make sure the brand can see where it came from. Use your own analytics screen, dated, with the post link. If you have no numbers yet, show a sample script, a storyboard or a short clip you made for a practice project. Label it as a sample, not a result.

Do not copy follower counts from another creator, and do not use a reach figure you cannot open. An unverified number in a pitch is the fastest way to lose the brand. Write the word unverified next to any figure you have not checked, and fix it before you send.

The follow up

Wait about a week. Send one short reply in the same thread, not a new email. Say you wanted to check the idea landed, offer one sample script and ask if the timing is wrong. Then stop. A second follow up after that is noise, and brands notice noise.

If the answer is no, reply thank you and ask whether you can send the idea again in three months. Keep the door open without pushing.

Mistakes that get pitches ignored

Opening with yourself. Your life story is not the brand's problem. Start with the buyer.
No idea. Saying I would love to work together gives the brand nothing to say yes to.
Attachments of forty pages. One link to a page is easier to read and easier to forward.
Fake urgency. Do not say the offer ends today unless it does, and you can show it.
Asking for free work with no test. A small paid test or a clear sample is fairer and gets a faster answer.
Sending to a general inbox with no name. Find the person who handles creators, or send to a named contact on their site.

Why five lines and not ten

Every extra line asks the brand to do more reading before it knows whether the idea is worth a thought. Five lines force you to decide what matters. If you cannot say the idea in five lines, the idea is not ready to pitch yet. Write it on paper, cut it until it fits, then send. A longer story can come later, in the call, when the brand asks for it.

Where to send it

Begin with brands you already use and like. Look for a creator or partnerships contact on their site, or the email in their latest post. Keep a small list in a sheet with the brand, the contact, the date you sent and the date to follow up. Ten well chosen pitches in a month are better than fifty random ones.

Tick off the steps

Tick each box as you go.

Does the subject line name the brand and the idea?
Does line one name the buyer's problem, not your follower count?
Is there one idea with a number of videos and a clear use?
Is every proof item dated, linked or labelled as a sample?
Is there one next step, and is the email under 120 words?

Frequently asked questions

Should I use a template or write from scratch?

Use the template for structure and write the words yourself. Brands can tell when a pitch is copied from a generic list.

How much should I charge?

Your rate is your decision and depends on your work and your audience. Do not quote a price from someone else's post. Ask the brand what budget they have for this kind of video, then decide if it fits.

Do I need a media kit?

A one page proof link is often enough for an early reply. A longer kit can follow when a brand asks for it.

Can I pitch by WhatsApp or Instagram DM?

Email is the usual route for a formal offer. A DM can open the door to a short call, but keep the full pitch in email so it can be forwarded.

What if the brand does not reply?

Send one follow up in the same thread after about a week. Then wait and try again in a few months with a new idea.

Can you check my pitch?

Yes. Send the brand name and the five lines on WhatsApp, and we will check the idea and the proof together.

Your next step

Pick one brand you already use. Write the five lines on paper. Then check the proof line for anything you cannot open or show. Send it when the email reads like a helpful note from one person to another.

Your five line pitch

Write each line in plain words. Keep the line order.

Subject: your name x the brand, and the idea
Line 1: the hello and the reason, with the buyer's problem
Line 2: the one idea and who it helps
Line 3: the proof, dated, linked or labelled as a sample
Line 4: the one next step
Line 5: the sign off

Self-check

Answer in your head, then tap a question to see the answer.

What does a brand read in ten seconds?

The subject line, the opening two lines and the call to action.

Why five lines and not ten?

Every extra line asks the brand to do more reading before it knows whether the idea is worth a thought.

What should a number in the pitch do?

A brand checks numbers. If you write one, it needs a source the brand can see, such as your own dated screen with the post link.

When do you send the follow up?

About a week later, as one short reply in the same thread, not a new email.

Want me to read your pitch before it goes out?

Send the brand name and your five lines. I will tell you which line to cut and which proof to check.

WhatsApp Madhur for a 1:1 call

Written by Madhur Tyagi, founder of The Human Algorithm. 8+ years, 25+ brands, since 2017.

Scope note: Examples are illustrative, not client results. Numbers are marked with their source or as unverified. Nothing on this page is sent unless you press the WhatsApp button.