The first clients are the hardest and also the fastest to reach if you know who to write to. In France there is a concrete shortcut: brands already buying ads on Meta and TikTok, because they consume creative every week.
Who to write to first
Digitally native brands and ecommerce
Cosmetics, supplements, fashion, accessories, food. They burn through creative continuously and decide fast.
Social media and performance agencies
Not end clients, but a single agency can bring you work every month.
Local businesses and franchises
Restaurants, gyms, beauty salons, dealerships. Lower budget, immediate decision.
Apps and services
Fintech, insurance, education, mobility. They look for credible faces to explain an intangible product.
Foreign brands targeting France
They need a native French accent and local references, which only you have.
What you need before writing
Six pieces filmed. They do not have to be for clients: products you already use are enough. Without them, any message collapses at the first reply.
Also a price decided in advance. If they ask what you charge and you answer "it depends", you have lost the conversation.
The message that works
Short, concrete and without flattery. Four lines:
- What you use from their product and since when.
- What you noticed in their communication: for example, that they have been running the same creative for three months.
- What exactly you propose: three videos, formats, deadline.
- Price and availability.
Plus two examples attached or a link. Never a message without examples.
The French argument that makes the difference
State in the first message that you are registered and that you invoice. In a mature market like France, that single detail puts you above half the creators writing on the same day, because the brand knows it can book the expense properly.
How many to send
Between twenty and forty well made messages to close the first paid job. That is not failure: that is the normal rate.
What does fail is sending a hundred identical copied messages. Ten personalised messages outperform a hundred generic ones.
The offer that unlocks the first yes
For a hesitant new client, a small trial package works: two videos at a fixed price, delivered in five days. It lowers their risk and lets you prove yourself.
What is not worth doing is working for free. Product in exchange only if the product is worth your time and is not headed for paid media.
And in parallel, make yourself findable
Active outreach takes time. Meanwhile, a profile on a UGC marketplace with your niche, your languages and your rates gets you found by brands you would never have contacted yourself.
Where to go next
The first client is a matter of method, not luck. Our guide on how to become a UGC creator covers the rest of the path.
