Transitioning from Web Designer to Digital Strategist
In this episode of Divi Nation I chat with Nathan B. Weller about my transition from Web Designer/Developer to Digital Strategy and why more people might want to make the switch. We also talk about re-branding, what makes outside consultation valuable, and common mistakes WordPress web designers and developers make with clients. You can read the full interview...
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Why should I hire you?
A designer was asked this by a prospective client in a Skype meeting, and she froze like a deer in headlights. “There are lots of designers out there… why should I hire YOU specifically?” If a prospective client asked you this on a call, would you know what to say? If you know exactly what you’d say, feel free...
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Making Space for Big, Ambitious Ideas
Guest post at One Woman Shop as part of their Solopreneur Sanity Series If you’re anything like me, you’re a busy business owner, and it often feels like there are never enough hours in the day to do everything you want to do. So how do you go about making space for big, ambitious ideas? How do you pay...
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2015 Year End Annual Review
Every year in December I write a review of my year. They’re long, and they’re personal. I take a look at the highs and lows, successes and failures, projects launched, and lessons learned. (You can read my 2014 and 2013 here). From last year’s intentions: 2015 will be the year of: connection, flow + ease. I spent so much of 2014 really focusing...
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New Dates for Digital Strategy School Mastermind
Digital Strategy School is a design business accelerator that helps designers transition into trusted advisors to their clients. We help designers run better businesses, position themselves more confidently in the market, and help them create their own strategic process. In this online mentorship program, you’ll learn how to run a thriving business as a digital strategist. I’ll show you a complete...
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10 Ways Designers Can Add More Value to Their Client Projects
As a digital strategist, I help my clients grow their businesses through the use of digital tools, only one of which happens to be their website. On the whole, I’m looking at how their website and related tools, systems, products, and workflow support the greater ecosystem of their business. If you’re a designer looking for new ways to bring more value...
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The Art of the Sales Process
(Or, how I ended up doubling my budget for my new hire.) I can’t emphasize enough the power of first impressions with regards to “sales calls.” I almost cringe when I say “sales call,” because it feels a bit devoid of humanity, doesn’t it? In Digital Strategy School, I teach my students to paint the vision of their...
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How to Sell Like a Saint
“Marketing is simply, and literally, “bringing your products to market.” And sales is making the right offer to the right person. And yet, research shows that “selling” immediately brings to mind negative word associations. It’s as if the world hadn’t dramatically changed since the release of Glengarry, Glen Ross. But the world has changed, and it’s the prospect, not...
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Smooth out the feast or famine cycle
One of the biggest issues I’ve seen that consistently holds creative business owners back (and plenty of other businesses for that matter) is the Feast or Famine cycle. Most creatives have experienced the feast or famine cycle in some capacity or another: too many projects happening at once, or crickets chirping which makes us nervous, so we take on...
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Chatting about what it means to be a more strategic business owner
Check out our chat over at the Freelancers’ Show. We talk about managing projects, transitioning from freelancer to strategic business owner, and making tough decisions in your business....
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How to choose your clients wisely (and why you must!)
One of the most important things you can do as a business owner is to get ruthlessly honest about who you work best with, and for whom you are the best fit. What this means: You need to know your criteria for an excellent client fit. And that won’t be the same as mine, or as any other business owner....
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Behind the scenes of creating, launching and marketing an online program: PART 2
So if you followed along from Part 1, you’ll know that I ran a small beta version of my group program which helped me learn a metric ton. I learned that there is a market for teaching digital strategy to designers. I was able to create content based on what participants wanted to know, not just what I thought I...
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