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I’d like to share how I helped one of my clients build the business of her dreams, using a creative marketing idea. This can work for you and your business too.
It begins with a simple 3 word phrase.
Work begets work
You may have heard that work begets work before. However, the phrase is usually used with very little mention of its wider meaning. On a surface level, it’s true to say that by working on something, we’re likely to attract more work. For example, I hired a guy to do some work on my house, after seeing him working for one of my friends. His work for my friend led to work from me.
That’s just the surface.
You see, there’s a word missing from that 3 word phrase. And it’s what makes all the difference.
Work not only begets work. No. Work begets similar work. In other words, the work we’re doing today, will have a massive influence on the type of work we’re doing tomorrow: the clients we will attract and the fees we will earn.
In short, if you want to take your business to the next-level (and beyond), you need to start doing next-level work… today.
Think about it. The alternative approach is nuts
The alternative is to wait and hope.
- Wait for an amazing stranger to see (or hear about) our current-level work.
- Then hope they decide, with zero evidence, that we’re capable of next-level work.
Sure, we can wait for opportunity to knock.
Like in the movies.
Or we can build a door.
That’s what Sue did.
How this worked for a client of mine
Sue (not her real name) is a graphic designer, with a focus on lettering. I shared my work begets similar work process with her, we put it into play, and she’s never looked back. Previously, Sue struggled. She worked mostly as a freelance designer for agencies and doing sub-contract work.
They would tell Sue what they wanted her to do. She did it. This was soul destroying. And because the money was terrible, she was forced to work crazy hours for the income she needed. She had very few direct clients. And she’d wasted 9 years, going nowhere.
After I shared the work begets similar work idea with her, Sue did a rebrand on her own business. This included lots of examples of the type of next-level work she’s capable of. Sue said she wanted to work with environmental organizations. So, we decided to reach out to 7 organizations she supported, who she believed needed a design refresh.
She met with 2 of them. One of them jumped on board. It changed her life.
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Sue threw 100% of her creativity and passion into the project. The end product was visually stunning. It was very clearly on a totally different level to the soul-destroying work she’d been doing. The charity loved it.
A while after the project, the CMO of a national garden furniture company saw it and contacted Sue. He asked if she’d be interested in working on the graphic design for a new, environmentally friendly line of garden furniture. That project led to another next-level client. And that project led to the next [repeat].
Sue’s next-level work begot similar work. Work she’s passionate about. Work that is massively more emotionally and financially rewarding. She’s now well-established in a niche she loves, working direct with international brands.
Yes, it works in YOUR industry too
What if you provide a service that isn’t as visual as graphic design?
As long as you commit to providing services or products, which are consistent with the increased fees/prices you want to achieve, you can absolutely show it to your next-level prospective. All the tools are out there. Newsletters, podcasts, Youtube and social networks give you all the tools you need, to showcase what you are capable of. The enquiries you attract will be from people, who’ll see that you’re clearly capable of delivering the level of service (or results) they want.
Show them what you can do. Not what you currently do.
Earn what you can earn. Not what you currently earn.
And watch it build your business.
How?
Your next-level work for next-level clients, will be seen by next-level prospects, who become your next-level clients [repeat].
IMPORTANT: If you want to make more sales, boost your profits and grow an amazing business, this will help you!