Tire-kickers get on calls, ask for quotes, try to have “brainstorm sessions,” or ask to grab a bite. But they don’t book us. On the other hand, when we encounter clients who have an immediate need, they’re all business.

Even if you get a book deal with a big publishing house, “authors are often unhappy with marketing support or surprised at lack of support.

Here’s the tagline: “Learn to turn potential clients into paying clients with discovery calls.”

I’m such an AI hater. I routinely turn down what could be lucrative brand deals with AI video and text generation startups because it doesn’t sit right with me. However, I’ve found myself turning to AI for one specific task.

I’m realizing that the goals I set at the beginning of the year might not be totally relevant now.

When pitching a client alone, especially a big budget, it’s easy to get in your head. It’s easy to talk yourself down, or to play it safe, instead of believing in your process and vision.

If you’re on a sales call with a potential client about your services, and if you can share information about your process that helps an idea finally click for them, you’ll probably make that sale.

Is this accidentally a great social strategy?

“What characterizes binding behavior is the voluntary imposition of constraints (that are costly to overcome)”

When try to automate outreach and client conversations, we end up with less impact. 

A short burst of intense focus can deliver more results than we tend to think.

“My profession is hostage negotiation with reality. Reality says “I’m gonna kill it!” and I say “no, you’re not. Listen, put down the gun, let’s talk.”

If you’re a creative and you’re in the thick of a long challenge, be encouraged that I feel the same way today.

Instead of trying to convince someone on your team to stay, what if you found someone who’s fully present with their work somewhere else? 

It’s rare for me to admit I’m quitting on a goal. Usually I’ll just let the goal slowly fade in the rearview mirror as I drive away, talking about something new.

“Unless the CEO is unusually unpretentious and personable, his or her appearance in an ad may look like a grab for the customer’s money.”

In a 30-second commercial, you have time for a script of about 80 words. But you shouldn’t use them all.

Two big blocks for people who want to start freelancing, but don’t, are health insurance and taxes. 

If you’re a reader of the blog, but haven’t gotten involved with the free stuff I offer, here are some links for you.

Part of the reason creative people jump from project to project might be because they haven’t found the thing they love yet. But a more likely explanation is that they have unrealistic expectations for their work.