6 Figure Creative is a podcast that helps freelance creatives earn more money by doing what they love. If you’re trying to avoid the never-ending grind of a 9–5, or just want to earn more money doing what you do best (creating), 6 Figure Creative is your new favorite show! Join host Brian Hood and his guests as they explore topics such as mental health, finances, sales, marketing, time management, the digital nomad lifestyle, and more.
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#325: The Secret to Consistent Clients | The Lead Generation Series
Season 2 · Episode 325
Tuesday, August 27, 2024 • Duration 32:49
Listen, I've heard it a hundred times, and I bet you have, too...
"If you're good enough, you can just wait for clients to come to you." They say.
"Word of mouth is all you need." They say.
But here's the deal: sitting on your hands and hoping for that magical email notification of a new client isn't a strategy—it's a death trap.
Let me paint a picture...
You're a talented freelancer. You've had some good months, even great ones.
But then there's that one sobering month. The inquiries dry up, the referrals dwindle, and your inbox is eerily silent. Panic sets in.
That, my friend, is the terrifying "word-of-mouth death trap".
There's a common myth in the freelance world. Some folks will have you believe that the only way to thrive is through word of mouth.
But here’s the truth bomb: Anyone saying "word-of-mouth is best" is unqualified to give you that advice. They are just coasting along nicely with it, having never tasted the desperation of the dry season.
Many still end up taking on gigs they aren’t passionate about, just to keep the lights on.
And sure, referrals are fabulous. If you're great at what you do, you'll 100% get them.
But if you're banking solely on word of mouth to keep your calendar booked with clients, then you're setting yourself up for a rocky ride.
So, what's the antidote to this feast or famine nightmare? Two words: Lead Generation.
Here's the breakdown: Leads become inquiries. Inquiries become clients. And when you have a consistent influx of leads every month, you've got a buffer against those terrifying dry spells.
Suddenly, your business isn't about hoping for clients—it's about choosing them.
In the coming series, we'll dive deep into the nuts and bolts of lead generation, tailored specifically for freelancers. Because here's the truth: understanding and mastering lead generation is like handing yourself the keys to consistency.
Ready to escape the word-of-mouth death trap? Click here to start the Lead Generation Series.
In this episode you’ll discover:
Why Brian has had a horrible week thanks to Meta
Different methods of lead generation, and how your business type changes your lead acquisition
The importance of a solid lead magnet
Keys to a valuable lead magnet
What to do if you're struggling
Understanding what your clients need
Using the Three-Tier-Outcome Map
Diagnosing problems to add value to leads
For full show notes, visit https://6figurecreative.com/325
#324: The Secret Ingredient To Higher Paying Gigs | The Client Acquisition Series
Season 2 · Episode 324
Tuesday, August 20, 2024 • Duration 43:37
If you've been stuck at 4 or 5 figures per year as a freelancer, there's likely one ingredient that is holding you back from growth.
Without this ingredient, it is 100% impossible to get clients, grow your income, and get past the 6 figure mark (if that's your goal).
In this week's episode of the 6 Figure Creative Podcast, my buddy Mark Eckert and I map out the path you can take to overcoming all of the hurdles between you and this incredibly important missing ingredient.
In this episode you’ll discover:
How to move from four/five figures to six figures+
Why you aren't full time yet
How to revamp your entire public-facing identity as a freelancer
The difference between advertising vs. content marketing and why this matters for freelancers
Why you should be producing more than consuming
How sticking to a schedule or routine can tie all of this together
For full show notes, visit https://6figurecreative.com/324
#315: The REAL “Secret” to Consistent Clients (and Income) as a Freelancer
Season 2 · Episode 315
Tuesday, July 2, 2024 • Duration 21:57
Ever feel like you're stuck on a rollercoaster of feast or famine with freelance work? You land a big project, then... crickets.
We've spoken to over 800 freelancers 1 on 1 this past year, and nearly EVERY one of those freelancers was in the same boat... lack of consistency, and lack of any real plan.
In this week's episode of the 6 Figure Creative Podcast, I'm hitting you with some tough love to break that cycle and give you the real "secret" to consistent clients and income. (Hint: It's not a magic trick.)
The secret to earning consistent income and landing premium clients isn’t what you think. It won’t be found in sporadic social media posts or half-baked marketing efforts. It’s about changing who you are.
This episode is for YOU if:
You're tired of the inconsistent income struggle.
You're ready to take your freelancing seriously and build a real business.
You're open to ditching the "dream client" fantasy and attracting clients who are a perfect fit.
Ready to finally ditch the feast or famine cycle?
For full show notes, visit https://6figurecreative.com/315
#225: How To Build Your Own Client Acquisition Machine (And Make 2023 Your Best Year Ever)
Season 2 · Episode 225
Tuesday, November 8, 2022 • Duration 53:43
If you've ever felt like your freelance life has been a neverending feast-or-famine roller coaster, chances are you're missing one (or more) pieces of a full client acquisition machine.
You've likely "dabbled" with bits and pieces here and there, but you've never fully built each of the individual parts and refined them to the point where everything is working as a well-oiled machine bringing you high-quality clients every single month.
In this week's episode of the 6 Figure Creative Podcast, I break down each of the major parts of your Client Acquisition Machine, as well as what specific numbers you should be aiming for as a benchmark.
If you've ever wanted more stability and predictability in your business, and you want a clear roadmap for how to make 2023 your best year ever, this episode is for you.
In this episode you’ll discover:
How to solve a consistency issue in your business
Why dabbling is slowly destroying your income stream
The foundation of your Client Acquisition Machine
Creating a transformational outcome for your clients
Building your Marketing Mothership
Your responsibility to sell to those who need your service
The parallels between software and freelancing
Nurturing your leads for a long-term relationship
Fine-tuning your Client Acquisition Machine
For full show notes, visit https://6figurecreative.com/225
#224: Why Your High Sales Conversion Rate Is Actually A BAD Thing
Season 2 · Episode 224
Tuesday, November 1, 2022 • Duration 15:31
Did you know that closing too many clients can be a bad thing?
I know it sounds completely backwards, but a high sales conversion rate (70%+) is usually a sign of an unhealthy business.
In episode 224 of the 6 Figure Creative Podcast, I break down the two reasons why a high sales conversion rate is a bad thing, and what two actions you can take to build a happier, healthier freelance business.
In this episode you’ll discover:
Why "winning" too many clients is a bad thing
The ideal close rate for your sales process
What to do if your close rate is too high
Avoiding the scarcity mindset of wanting to win every client
Sales leads vs. marketing leads - and why they are important
When to raise your rates
For full show notes, visit https://6figurecreative.com/224
#223: Shifting Your Clients From One-Time Projects To Monthly Recurring Subscriptions | With Annemie Tonken
Season 2 · Episode 221
Tuesday, October 25, 2022 • Duration 45:03
How much is an average client worth to you? Whatever that number is, imagine how much more they'd be worth to you and your freelance business if they were paying you that amount every single year.
Now imagine how successful you'd be if every single client you've ever had was paying you the amount every year for the rest of your career.
That's the reality for those who run recurring subscription businesses, however, most freelancers only offer one-and-done packages.
Whether you call it a retainer, subscription, or simply a "monthly fee", most who follow this podcast would love the idea of acquiring a client one time and having them keep paying you every single month.
But... What if your service just "doesn't make sense" as a recurring subscription?
If that's you, I'd challenge you to listen to this episode of the 6 Figure Creative Podcast. No matter what service you offer, there's likely some way to shift your clients to a recurring income model.
Our guest this week, Annemie Tonken, has managed to build her family photography business to 6 figures per year from 6 hours of work per week.
If you want to learn how she's managed this, and how she's launched a highly-successful recurring-subscription photography service in an industry where very few others are doing the same, listen to episode 223 of the 6 Figure Creative Podcast ASAP.
In this episode you’ll discover:
Transitioning your freelance business to a recurring revenue model
Becoming a more efficient business-manager
Solving your clients' ultimate needs so you can earn more on each project
The hidden benefits of a recurring revenue model
Average client value and the impact this stat has on your business
How to keep your subscribers happy, active, and paying
The key factors of adding value to your client's lives (for maximum profit)
How she earns a 6-figure income from 6 hours of work per week
For full show notes, visit https://6figurecreative.com/223
#222: The Secret Weapon For 6 Figure Freelancers: Email Marketing
Season 2 · Episode 222
Tuesday, October 18, 2022 • Duration 55:05
Love it or hate it, email marketing is the closest thing there has ever been to a "magic pill" for anyone looking for stability in their month-to-month income.
The sucky thing is...most of us "fall victim" to email marketing ALL THE TIME. You get tons of tons of emails from people offering their products and services, but you never make use of this powerful tool yourself.
Most freelancers I see are making one (or more) of these mistakes:
They think social media is the best long-term play (it's not)
They think they can have the same success and stability 1 on 1 (you can't)
They think "join my newsletter" is a great way to build their email list (it's not)
They're actually building their list, but they're never sending emails (not good)
If you want a time-tested, surefire way to stay top-of-mind, build trust, and actually reach the audience you've built, email marketing is where it's at.
If you're having success on social media right now, I'm begging you to take this time to build an email list so you're safe/secure in the long run.
Social media has historically always become a "pay to play" world for business owners, and Tiktok is already making that shift. Don't make the mistake of thinking that party is going to last much longer.
If you're open to the idea of building, growing, and using an email list to grow your reach, and you like the idea of building trust in a one-to-many setting, this week's episode of the 6 Figure Creative Podcast is for you.
In this episode you’ll discover:
Why social media is not the savior people think it is
The number one platform small businesses need in their toolbelt
Staying top of mind with clients and leads
Setting up your first lead magnet funnel
How to attract email subscribers
The key to a juicy lead magnet
What Yahoo! did wrong with their website (and how it applies to growing your email list)
The math behind running paid advertising
Profitable Facebook ads for freelance creatives
For full show notes, visit https://6figurecreative.com/222
#221: The 4 Major Missing Pieces Of Your Marketing Plan | The Client Acquisition Series
Season 2 · Episode 221
Tuesday, October 11, 2022 • Duration 34:47
Here are a few of the biggest lies when it comes to marketing your freelance business.
"If I'm good enough, people will find me and hire me"
"The only marketing I need is word-of-mouth"
"If I market myself, I'll come across as desperate"
"This sort of stuff doesn't work for freelancers"
If any of that sounds like you, my guess would be you likely have very little predictability in your income.
You might go from having more gigs than you can handle, followed by extreme famine periods where your calendar dries up (along with your bank account).
If you want steady, predictable income for your business every single month, there are 4 key things you need in place.
If you're even missing one of these four pieces, you're making your path to predictability extremely difficult (or impossible).
In this episode you’ll discover:
Marketing plans for freelancers
When email lists are vital, vs. when they're optional
"Proposing" via text message
The "3% rule" and the "80/19/1 rule"
How your niche affects your marketing needs
Swiping or dating: lead generation and lead nurture
How to create a business you rarely *(if ever) have to market
For full show notes, visit https://6figurecreative.com/221
#220: The Busy Freelancer's Guide To Getting Your Time Back (By Building Systems That Scale) | With Rachael Mueller
Season 2 · Episode 220
Tuesday, October 4, 2022 • Duration 53:18
Every successful freelancer has hit that wall where you can't say yes to even ONE more project...this is usually the same time you start getting more inquiries than you've ever seen before.
In these busy seasons of business, there are a few options you could take...
You could turn down all those extra projects (and say goodbye to that extra $$$).
You could say "yes" to those projects and just hate your life for the next few weeks or months while you scramble to deliver (this is the route most of us take).
You take the responsible, profitable, healthy route of building systems that scale.
If you hate money, you'll probably take option 1 and turn down those extra projects. If you're irresponsible and want to live in a state of overwhelm, you'll take option 2.
If you're a responsible, mature business owner, you'll go with option 3 and build systems that help you deliver high-quality work faster, more efficiently, and without dropping the ball or overwhelming yourself.
In this week's episode of the 6 Figure Creative Podcast, I interviewed systems expert Rachael Mueller. She's a virtual COO that helps service-based business owners plan, create, and manage systems that scale so you can take on more projects in less time.
If you're overwhelmed, working too much, or just feel like you have WAY too many project details floating around in your brain, and you're not sure what to do, this episode is for you.
In this episode you’ll discover:
Making your business run smoothly
Unloading your mind to focus on creativity
Flow charts - they're not just for nerds
Setting up your systems for success
The three key systems any business needs
Using templates to cut out wasted time
Logging your time to see where it goes
Why the major CRMs aren't the best for freelancers
Consolidating your tasks for easy reference
For full show notes, visit https://6figurecreative.com/220
#219: How To Land High-caliber Clients By Emailing Strangers | The Cold Outreach Masterclass With Colleen Welsch
Season 2 · Episode 219
Tuesday, September 27, 2022 • Duration 49:13
In this episode, Colleen Welsch breaks down the cold outreach process she used to land some of the biggest brands in the beauty industry.
This email process can work in any industry to start bringing in consistent clients no matter how much experience you have.
If you've ever wanted to see a proven process for cold outreach, this interview is for you.
In this episode you’ll discover:
Why failure is not the end
Starting fresh after your business collapses
Working with major brands just by asking
What you need to have in place before emailing strangers
How to face rejection as a freelancer
How to craft a cold email
How many times to follow up if no one replies
Brian and Colleen's original (and embarrassing) AIM usernames
For full show notes, visit https://6figurecreative.com/219
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