Hello, I'm Shannon Marie.

I'm a Brand Expert, Entrepreneur, Content Creator, and World Traveler with 15+ years in Brand Strategy, including NIKE. I'm here to share insights with Brands & Creators to build and scale your business.

Today I'm going to walk you through the exact steps you need to take to build your Creative Business in 30 days. Whether you're new to UGC or have already started your business, follow this guide to eliminate the guesswork, implement a proven process, and improve your chance of success.

Quick backstory.

I was a major Content Creator skeptic...and it was because I saw so many Creators doing their best but still struggling.

I thought the space was over-saturated, and there was noooooo way I could find my place within it.

I mean, how could I ever compare and compete with all the amazing Content Creators out there? Then I realized brands are looking for real, authentic Creators that are relatable and imperfect. This is how they stand out and build genuine trust with their consumer.

There are millions of brands out there that need people just like us to help them connect with their consumers. So this means there is NO need to compete and compare!

There are plenty of brands to go around, and all of the things that make you unique make your content 100% original. And this is exactly what brands are looking for.

So, if you're ready to own your space in this industry, and create a high-profit business, now is the time.

Ok, ready to dive right in? Let's go!

Week 1

• Identify niches that align with your natural lifestyle. (CBD Wellness, Keto Foods, etc.)

• Create a business email account.

• Design business email signature in Canva. This makes you look super professional, and well, that's the point.

• Create a business TikTok account.

• Create a business Twitter account.

• Write a dynamic bio to use in your socials, this will help you attract your ideal client. If you specialize in something, let people know. It will help weed out the brands/products that don't align with your business goals.

• Set up a Calendly account and create a meeting event so brands can easily schedule a call with you.

• Create your logo and wordmark in Canva. Again, this will make you stand out from the crowd as a true professional.

• Follow UGC Creator accounts on TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter for inspiration and community building. The UGC community is one of the best! You are going to love the amount of genuine support you get from our peers.

• From your social media platforms, make a list of four Creators to model your content style after.

• Create and order any equipment you need for content creation. See exactly what I use here.

• Plan in-home studio space as needed. Organize and setup this space per your niche needs.

Get Canva Pro free for 14-days

Week 2

• Download apps needed for shooting, editing, and music.

• Write out content and captions for 3-5 sample UGC videos for your portfolio.

• Research UGC and draft a website copy. Adding UGC stats to your website can help introduce brands to the concept.

• Research UGC pricing and content usage rights and determine what you'd like to offer.

• Research and document hooks, call to action, and hashtags.

• Create a Brand Outreach workbook in Google Docs to track all the brands you reach out to and keep up to date on their replies and timing.

• Start engaging on Twitter with agencies and brands.

• Start engaging on Twitter, IG, and TT with the UGC community. Show your support and learn from others!

• Save UGC videos related to the niches that you may want to recreate.

• Plan, shoot and edit 3-5 UGC sample videos.

• Plan, shoot and edit 3-5 UGC sample photos. (If you include photos as an offering).

• Build and launch your professional portfolio website.

• Research how to watermark your videos and create watermark in Canva.

• Create Brand Outreach email templates including initial emails and follow-up emails.

• Use my Amazon shopping list hack for your initial Brand Outreach list. See the video with my hack here.

Week 3

Days 1 + 2

• Start brand outreach via emails, IG messaging, TT messaging, and Twitter messaging.

• Start applying to UGC creator agencies (Do not use Fivver or Upwork, I will share more later on this).

• Create UGC Content Brief form on Google Docs. This is a comprehensive Creative Brief so you are dialed in from the beginning since most brands will not have it. If they do, ensure everything in your brief is included in theirs so you're not missing any important info. Planning is everything!

Days 3 - 7

• Start updating your Brand Outreach workbook with new brands (fav brands in your home, brands you have discovered on social media, etc.).

• Track if brands reply or not in your Brand Outreach workbook. Follow up as needed. I usually follow up after one week if I have not heard back.

• If a brand replies with interest, follow up with any questions, send them the UGC Content Brief form link, and set up a meeting.

• Meet with the brand and agree on the terms (gifted or paid, user rights, delivery data, etc.). Negotiate as needed. Make sure it's a win-win. You just closed your first deal!!!

Week 4

Days 1 + 2

• Sign contracts with brands that have responded and are interested. You just made your first deal!

• Now the exciting part! Start planning your UGC content shoots.

Days 3 - 7

• Shoot and edit your UGC content.

• Watermark content and send to the brand for review/approval.

• Start thinking about other content your can create for the contracted brands so you can pitch after you deliver in an effort to create a long-term partnership!

• Keep updating your Brand Outreach workbook with new brands (fav brands in your home, brands you have discovered on social media, etc.).

• Track if brands reply or not in your Brand Outreach workbook.

Repeat weeks 3 + 4 to build and scale your new Creator Business to $10K+ per month!

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