#380: What I Use Instead of Proposals (And Why It Works Better)

Traditional proposals are a massive waste of time. You put all this time and effort into a long, fancy 10-page proposal that you THINK is going to impress your clients… When in reality, there’s a better way to close that deal. This week’s episode is for you if you rely on proposals to do the heavy lifting for you. Instead, use my 4-step “anti-proposal sales process” that lands you more clients: HINT: Don’t sell them the flight and logistics, sell them the vacation. This episode will dive into: What to do instead of sending proposals Why proposals = ghosted clients My BAMFAM follow-up tip that always works BONUS - how to turn your “proposal” into a paid product (this one is genius) For full show notes, visit https://6figurecreative.com/380

Let me make something clear: Referrals aren’t BAD. Just don’t rely on them as your ONLY source of leads. But a client is a client, and if people are sending them your way, you’re not gonna say no! And the best way to bring in more referrals is to deliver a “6 Star Client Experience.” If you’ve ever been to a 5-star hotel, you know it’s the little details that make it luxury: The chocolate on your pillow, the handwritten note, how your bags somehow appear in your room while you're checking in… There's no such thing as a 6-star hotel. It doesn't officially exist. Which is exactly why, as a freelancer, you should be aiming to create a 6-star experience SO smooth and thoughtful that your clients would feel stupid NOT referring you. This week’s podcast episode is full of ways to create that 6-star client experience. Easy to implement - but 99% of freelancers will NEVER do it. I’m breaking down: What to do RIGHT after you take payment that instantly reverses any buyer’s remorse The surprise and delight offboarding that triggers your client’s “natural referral instinct” The post-project nurture system that turns one client into many For full show notes, visit https://6figurecreative.com/379

If you’re not getting the number of leads and clients you want… It can be tempting to think that you need to DO more. No, it’s not time to update your website again. No, you don’t need a higher-converting funnel. No, you don’t need more content. No, the latest AI miracle isn’t going to save you. None of that matters if your positioning is vague and you’re saying something nobody really cares about… OR you have zero evidence to back it up. Quick diagnostic: No clicks = you have a positioning problem Clicks but no opt-ins = you have a proof problem Discovery Calls but no sales = probably a proof + offer problem Which one are you? Listen to this week’s episode to find out (and how to fix it). For full show notes, visit https://6figurecreative.com/378

If you think that running paid ads for your freelance business is a complete and total waste of time and money, with no chance of ever getting you clients… Don’t bother reading any further. I get why many freelancers believe this - especially if you’ve tried to run ads in the past and been burned with low-quality leads, high costs, and NOTHING to show for it. It can be easy to conclude that “paid ads just don’t work.” So here’s a fun fact: Google and Meta made $424 BILLION from ad revenue in 2024. That’s $48.5 million an hour. $808,000 per MINUTE. These platforms are printing money because they work. So the question isn’t whether paid ads generate results… It’s whether you know how to use them properly. That $808k a minute? It’s coming from businesses who figured out how to make the math work (and that includes my business). Most freelancers are burning money on the wrong platforms with the wrong strategy. We’re here to fix that. We broke it all down in this week’s episode: Meta vs. LinkedIn vs. YouTube vs. Google. Which one’s best? Which ones to avoid? And how to know if ads make sense for your business. Joining me is Dennis Schneider, one of our coaches who’s spent over $15 million on ads (not a typo). He’s also the person running our ads right now. By the end of this one, you’ll know: The exact platform we use to bring in thousands of leads every single month Why some ad platforms are a total waste for freelancers And 4 specific situations where you should NOT run ads For full show notes, visit https://6figurecreative.com/377

Every superhero has an arch-nemesis (or two). Batman’s got the Joker. Spidey’s got the Green Goblin. Superman? Lex Luthor. But you? You’ve got five freelancing villains quietly sabotaging your business. There’s no maniacal laughter or evil stare. They’re not wearing capes or threatening to destroy the world with a giant-ass laser. These villains are more subtle: “Just one more YouTube video…” “I’ll do those reachouts tomorrow…” “I need to fix my portfolio first…” And before you know it? They’ve stolen another week of progress. If there’s one thing I’ve learned working 1 on 1 with hundreds of creative freelancers, it’s this: You don’t rise to the level of your strategy…You fall to the level of your patterns. I've seen clients with a flawless strategy that they're trying to execute… And yet they can't get out of their own damn way to execute it. Because when things get hard, or new, or uncomfortable… We default down to whatever survival pattern we’ve always used to cope. In this week’s episode, I’m joined by one of the Clients by Design coaches, Josh Love, to call out all 5 of those freelancing villains (and how to finally defeat them). We’ll dive into: how these patterns form how they masquerade as productivity what to do when you catch yourself spiraling. The first step to defeating your particular villain is knowing which one you’re dealing with. For full show notes, visit https://6figurecreative.com/376

Back in 2011, I made a list called “My Future Wife.” A bullet-point breakdown of everything I wanted in…you guessed it…my future wife. The whole dream package. But after reading through it, I had a sinking realization: I wasn't the type of guy who would be attractive to that type of woman. So I spent the next few years becoming that man. That list changed my life, and eventually led me to my actual wife who IS the perfect-fit person for me. I came across that document recently and it made me realize: Most freelancers never do the same exercise with their business. They dream about high-paying, low-drama, “perfect-fit” clients… But never ask the hard question: Am I the kind of freelancer my dream client is looking for? In this week’s episode of the podcast, I share the 4 traits that make you magnetic to your dream clients (the things many freelancers completely overlook). It’s not just about being good at what you do. It’s about being the kind of person your dream client is drawn to. Let’s make you irresistible (in business, anyway). For full show notes, visit https://6figurecreative.com/375

“I don’t want to bother people.” That one thought has killed more freelancers than bad pricing ever has. “I don’t want to bother people with emails.” “I don’t want to follow up too soon.” “I don’t want to come off pushy.” Translation? You’re broke because you’re assuming you’re bothering people… When in reality? They’re probably happy to be bothered. I would rather be annoying than irrelevant. That’s why for this episode I brought in Danielle Weil (our in-house email marketing strategist) to break down 3 simple emails that stop leads from slipping through your fingers without being pushy or annoying. These aren’t newsletters. They’re not long, complicated sequences. They’re short, strategic, and designed to put money back in your pocket. If you’re not doing email marketing (or doing it badly), this is your wake-up call. For full show notes, visit https://6figurecreative.com/374

"How much do you charge?" Six simple words. But if you're like most freelancers, that question makes your stomach drop. You freeze. You ramble. You undercharge. You regret it. Why? Because it’s a trap. And if you’re not paying attention, you’ll walk right into it. This week’s episode breaks down exactly how to answer this question without sounding desperate, unsure, or cheap (no matter whether it comes via DM, email, or awkward in-person moment.) The 4 scenarios where you never give a number My actual templates you can use to stay in control How to filter out bad-fit clients without scaring off the good ones If you’ve ever fumbled this question (or avoided it completely), this is the episode that will fix it. For full show notes, visit https://6figurecreative.com/373

Hard to explain. Not specific enough. Too wide an audience. Freelancers kinda suck at crafting offers. Even the good ones. Especially the good ones. If your best-fit clients cannot easily repeat back who you help, the results you promise, and how you deliver it… You're probably doing this wrong. We’ve worked with hundreds of freelancers at this point, and if WE have no idea what the heck it is you do… How are your clients gonna know? Congratulations, you just killed the sale with confusion. In this week’s episode, I bring on our Clients by Design coach Stephen Hutson to break down the five pieces every great offer needs. We show you: Why your Franken-service is repelling clients How to instantly raise your rates without changing your service The one litmus test to see if your offer actually makes sense Crafting a great offer is both an art and a science, and it’s one of the first steps to building a Client Acquisition Machine. Get this right, and great clients will instantly know what you do, why you’re worth the price, and how to say “hell yes.” Get this wrong, and you’ll keep selling the what… while they walk away confused about the why. For full show notes, visit https://6figurecreative.com/372

If you’re great at what you do… If people look up to you, hire you, refer you… And you’re still struggling with client acquisition… You know what you SHOULD be doing. So what’s holding you back? Sometimes, after being so good at what you do for so long, the idea of starting something you might not be great at right away can feel uncomfortable. We forget what it’s like to be a newbie, making mistakes. And now? That fear of sucking again is keeping you stuck. I get it… “marketing” can feel like a wild west with zero rhyme or reason. Paid ads? I could end up donating money to Zuck for nothing. Building funnels and automations? Seems complicated. So it’s easier to stick with what you know. Even if it’s not working like it used to. How much is that inaction costing you? How much longer can you afford to NOT fix this? But guess what… The people who grow the fastest are the ones willing to look dumb for a while. Willing to dare to suck. This week’s episode is all about that feeling (and why being okay with sucking again is often the first step toward real growth.) For full show notes, visit https://6figurecreative.com/371