Whether you’re just starting out in a creative business, or pivoting to a new specialty, finding those first clients is one of the biggest hills you have to climb. So how do you build up your skills and get yourself seen by potential clients? If you’re adding a skill or a specialty, how do you get potential clients to see you as someone who can do more than just what you have already done for them? Mo Ismail returns to talk to Chris about how he went from being a student to landing clients as a freelancer, and how Chris found his first clients while he was still in school, and later found clients when pivoting from Motion Design to Branding. In this conversation, Chris lays out a step by step method to help you build your skills, expand your portfolio, and connect with potential clients, which Mo will summarize as the “5 C’s”.
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244 - Getting Your First Clients

The Futur Podcast is a show that explores the interesting overlap between design, marketing, and business. Our host (and CEO of The Futur), Chris Do, hold candid conversations with inspirational people from the worlds of design, technology, marketing, business, philosophy and personal development. These conversations go deep. With the aim of understanding who these incredible people are, what drives them to do what they do, and what can we--the listener--learn from it all. Visit thefutur.com/podcast for show notes and additional information from each episode.

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Self-Improvement

The Art of Learning by Teaching
In this episode, host Chris Do delves into the personal and professional growth journey of graphic designer James Barnard, focusing on the importance of authenticity, transparency, and the willingness to learn in public. By sharing his own experiences, including the initial struggle with an Adobe Illustrator tool, Barnard highlights the positive impacts of admitting one's gaps in knowledge and the collective learning that ensues with the audience. The episode further explores the power of teaching and how it can not only enhance one's own understanding but also boost business through specialization, in this case, logo design. Barnard discusses the effectiveness of script writing for social media content to bolster confidence and articulation, alongside the significance of continuous learning and sharing even the basics of one's craft. Emphasizing mistakes as a natural part of the creative process, the conversation shifts towards the benefits of humility and preparing oneself before claiming expertise, culminating in the mutual growth of both the designer and his audience.
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289 - The Power of Transparency in the Digital Age of Design - With James Barnard

Beyond Connections
In this episode, host Chris Do delves into the secrets behind successful LinkedIn profiles and growth strategies with guest Sam Browne, an entrepreneur from Auckland, New Zealand, who achieved an impressive feat of growing his LinkedIn following by 50,000 in one year. Sam shares his journey from starting various businesses to finding a successful formula on LinkedIn involving consistent, engaging post writing and the crucial role of hooks in capturing audience attention. He emphasizes the importance of content quality, the strategic use of personal and educational content, and the power of case studies and specific, direct calls to action for lead generation. Sam also recounts his highest-performing post, revealing its massive engagement stats and highlighting key factors contributing to its success, like a compelling hook, concise value-packed content, and shareability among community members.
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288 - From Notes to Network: The LinkedIn Transformation - with Sam Browne

Mastering Marketing & Time
In this episode, host Chris Do sits down with  marketing expert and bestselling author Allan Dib shares his journey from immigrant to marketing and IT success, emphasizing the power of a positive mindset towards money and marketing. Allan discusses the essence of Lean Marketing, drawing from lean manufacturing to advocate for efficiency and waste reduction in marketing efforts. He highlights the importance of communication, goodwill, and understanding customer needs for creatives and introverts, advocating for sales techniques focused on listening and diagnosing rather than pushing for a sale. Through personal anecdotes and professional advice, Allan conveys the significance of differentiating oneself in the market, crafting irresistible offers, and the vital role marketing plays in business sustainability and growth. The episode not only explores Allan's transformative sales insights but also invites listeners to engage with him, reflecting on his experiences, strategies, and the impact of marketing on achieving business success.
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287 - Winning in Creative Business - With Allan Dib

In this episode, host Chris Do sits down with Robert  Katai, founder of the B2B Creator Newsletter, as he discusses a transformative strategy for brands aiming to achieve significant growth without solely relying on paid advertising or traditional marketing channels. He emphasizes the shift from conventional approaches to investing in in-house creators. In-house creators, who could be any employee passionate about the brand, are positioned as better alternatives to outside influencers for building authentic connections with audiences. Robert highlights the power of personal branding and genuine content creation as a means to foster trust and engagement with the brand. The discussion covers the increasing costs of customer acquisition, the saturation of AI in marketing channels, and the decreasing efficacy of brand-only social media accounts. Through examples like Apollo.io and SparkToro, Robert illustrates how companies can leverage their employees to authentically engage with their community, resulting in increased brand loyalty, lower marketing costs, and organic growth. The solution proposed encompasses nurturing in-house talent to generate content that resonates with the audience, establishing a human-to-human connection. Robert's insights are framed within his extensive experience in marketing, reflecting a forward-thinking approach to overcoming current marketing challenges.
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286 - Turning Employees into Your Most Valuable Creators - With Robert Katai

The Art of Lead Generation
In this episode, host Chris Do sits down with Daniel Priestley as he shares valuable lessons from his career on the significance of lead generation, supplemented by practical approaches and the use of success stories to illustrate point. Furthermore, he introduces an affordable, globally accessible tool aimed at creators and entrepreneurs, encouraging immediate action to incorporate effective strategies for lead generation into sales processes. He highlights the tool's benefits, including its unique pricing model that charges users only upon achieving success, thereby underscoring the importance of accessible entrepreneurial tools in expanding business reach. The episode culminates with endorsements of Daniel's expertise and additional resources for further engagement.
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285 - The Demand Generation Blueprint - With Daniel Priestley

The Futur with Chris Do

244 - Getting Your First Clients

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