UGC Community #58

Get Rich with UGC: The Contrarian's Guide

September 04, 2025

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📧 UGC Community #58 | September 4, 2025

The UGC space is full of advice, and a lot of it is contradictory. "Charge for usage rights!" "Never charge for usage rights!" "Pitch 50 brands a day!" "Focus only on inbound!"

It can be overwhelming.

But every so often, a creator shares a brutally honest, unfiltered look at what it actually takes to turn UGC into a high-income career. A recent Reddit post did just that, and it's packed with unpopular opinions that might be the key to scaling your business.

We're breaking down the contrarian advice from a creator with a claimed $15k in monthly retainers.

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[THE DEEP DIVE] Four "Hot Takes" That Could Transform Your UGC Business

This isn't your standard advice. This is a playbook for creators who want to stop thinking like freelancers and start thinking like business owners.

1. Hot Take #1: UGC Agencies Are Better Than Platforms

The post argues that creators should stop grinding on saturated platforms. Why? Because agencies are where the money is, and they do most of the heavy lifting.

  • The Logic: Agencies handle the strategy, briefing, scripting, and editing. Your job is to be the talent. They work with bigger brands (who pay more) and have a smaller, curated roster of creators, meaning less competition and more consistent work once you're "in."

  • Your Action Plan: Shift your focus to building relationships with talent managers at UGC agencies. Send a friendly, bi-weekly email checking in. Your goal is to be top-of-mind when the perfect brief for you lands on their desk. Make their job easy, and they'll send work your way.

2. Hot Take #2: Stop Charging for Usage Rights

This is probably the most controversial point. The argument is that tracking usage is a logistical nightmare for you and the brand, and fighting for an extra $20-$30 can kill a deal.

  • The Logic: Most UGC ad creative fatigues within 30-60 days anyway. Instead of complicating your pricing with line items for usage, you should focus on raising your all-inclusive base rate.

  • Your Action Plan: Simplify your pricing. Calculate a single, flat rate per video that you're happy with, assuming the brand will use it indefinitely. This makes it incredibly easy for a brand to say "yes" and removes friction from the sales process.

3. Hot Take #3: The Retainer is Everything

One-off projects are fine. Predictable, recurring revenue is how you build a real business. The key to this is the retainer.

  • The Logic: Retainers provide stable income, reducing the time you waste pitching new clients. Agencies are the perfect place to secure them, as their clients are already on monthly retainers and need a constant flow of fresh creative.

  • Your Action Plan: After you deliver a video and the client is happy, always ask if there's an opportunity for a retainer. Frame it as a benefit to them—guaranteed fresh content every month. Start small ($500-$1,000/mo) and stack them.

4. Hot Take #4: Be Insanely Easy to Work With

Don't be a stickler for the rules if it costs you a long-term relationship.

  • The Logic: Being rigid about "one revision only" might win you the battle, but you'll lose the war. The lifetime value of a happy client who gives you $5,000 in work over a year is infinitely more valuable than the time it takes to film one extra hook.

  • Your Action Plan: Adopt a "full client satisfaction" mindset. Go the extra mile. Don't sweat the small stuff. Your goal is to become the easiest, most reliable creator they've ever worked with. That's how you get repeat business and referrals.

[PRO TIP OF THE WEEK]

Steal this retainer pitch script. The next time a client says they love your work, send this immediately: "That's fantastic to hear! I really enjoyed bringing this to life for you. Many of my partners find it valuable to get a set number of videos each month to keep their creative fresh and performing well. Would you be open to discussing a small monthly retainer package?" It's direct, professional, and makes the sale easy.

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