The Marketing Mentor Podcast

If you’re hanging by a thread in your business, this episode is for you. In it, I share a message I received from a client who followed her instinct and sent a perfectly-timed 3 sentence email to a past client, which led to a steady flow of work. And if you like what you hear,[...]

One of the most effective but underutilized marketing tools for creative professionals is the case study. Casey Hibbard, who calls herself a success story specialist, joined to share her expertise. So if you’ve been thinking of doing some case studies to promote your own creative services, this episode is for you. And if you like[...]

If you struggle with scope creep, this solo episode is for you. Today I bring you 6 of my tips to handle scope creep, plus a cameo from Pi, my current favorite AI. And if you like what you hear, we’d love it if you write a review, subscribe here and sign up for Quick[...]

Does your business model allow you to make the living you need to live the life you want? In this super interesting conversation with fellow business coach for creatives, Jessica Abel, we discussed 3 different business models for creative professionals. Which one is yours? If you like what you hear, we’d love it if you[...]

How will AI affect your content marketing, especially your newsletter? That’s just one of the questions we answered in today’s episode with one of my favorite (and funniest) guests, Michael Katz, whose business is writing newsletters for professional service providers. And if you like what you hear, we’d love it if you write a review,[...]

Who do you trust when you’re in business for yourself? How do you know whom to trust? Not to mention trusting the market – but how exactly? That was the main topic in my latest crossover episode with Jenny Blake, author of Free Time, host of the Free Time Podcast, and one of my favorite[...]

If you’re looking for an antidote to impostor syndrome, this episode is for you. I talked with agency owner, Ben Callahan, about, among many topics, a new way to think about content marketing that removes the fear and pressure. And if you like what you hear, we’d love it if you write a review, subscribe[...]

If you’ve ever blurted out a price, agreed to a deadline you knew wasn’t realistic or, worse, volunteered to deliver a project faster than humanly possible, just to please your client – this new solo episode is for you. These 3 quick tips will save you from yourself! And if you like what you hear,[...]

If you want to build a business you can depend on, this episode is for you. In it, I reveal my “3 secrets” to show you how to be consistent with your marketing, why you don't need willpower to be consistent, and how to stay top of mind to your ideal clients without pestering them.[...]

My young nephew, Jake Benun, recently invited me to be a guest on his podcast, Humanizing Success. He’s trying to figure out what to do with his life so he’s using his podcast to interview people he knows about their definition of success and much more. And if you like what you hear, we’d love[...]

In Part 2 of my conversation with early adopter and renowned copywriter, Nick Usborne, we focused on how to combine AI and EI (emotional intelligence) to build strong relationships with prospects and clients. And if you like what you hear, we’d love it if you write a review, subscribe here and sign up for Quick[...]

If you’re wondering how to use AI in your marketing, this episode is for you. I talked with early adopter and renowned copywriter, Nick Usborne, about how he’s using AI to make his content marketing quicker, easier and less painful. And if you like what you hear, we’d love it if you write a review,[...]

How does a marketer use the Simplest Marketing Plan? In today’s episode, Florian Schleicher, a Marketing Advisor & Strategist, shares how he has used the 3 simplest tools – content marketing, strategic networking and targeted outreach – to achieve more growth than he imagined possible in less than a year. And if you like what[...]

In this chat with Meg Casebolt, SEO strategist, podcaster and author of the new book, Social Slowdown, we identified how SEO should fit into your marketing strategy and much more. And if you like what you hear, we’d love it if you write a review, subscribe here and sign up for Quick Tips from Marketing[...]

Today’s “bonus” episode is from a live interview with financial expert and podcaster, Farnoosh Torabi, host of the So Money Podcast, whose brand new book is out. Listen, then go buy A Healthy State of Panic: Follow Your Fears to Build Wealth, Crush Your Career, and Win at Life. And if you like what you[...]

Here’s a rare solo episode in which Ilise Benun answers a question that comes up over and over, “how exactly do you listen to the market” and then shares 6 different things to listen for when you’re listening to the market. And if you like what you hear, we’d love it if you write a[...]

If your mind goes blank when someone asks what you do, in this episode you will learn not only how to enjoy talking about your work but how to do it in an entertaining and authentic way. So if you like what you hear, we’d love it if you write a review, subscribe here and[...]

Do you know what the right networking attitude sounds like? As I was talking with networking expert and public speaker, Julie Brown, all I could think was, “if only more people had her networking attitude, they would do it so much better.” So if you like what you hear, we’d love it if you write[...]

Do you have a vision for your business? Having a vision is one aspect of leadership and just one of the many aspects of leadership I talked about with Jennifer Barrett, author of Think Like a Breadwinner, financial journalist and Head of Content at Fidelity Investments. So if you like what you hear, we’d love[...]

Whether or not you ever sell your creative business, exploring the possibility can make your business healthier. In my conversation with Sarah Durham, serial entrepreneur and executive coach, she shared practical suggestions for getting your business out of your head and making it more legit. And if you like what you hear, we’d love it[...]

If personal “baggage” is getting in the way of your business growth, you’ll appreciate my conversation with Sarah Durham, a serial entrepreneur and executive coach. We focused on self imposed obstacles and how to remove them. And if you like what you hear, we’d love it if you write a review, subscribe here and sign[...]

If cash flow is your main pain, this episode is for you. I spoke with Matthew Wolf of Wyndetryst, a Philadelphia graphic design studio, about his twist on a very common pricing structure — which I advise against! The way he does it works! So if you like what you hear, we’d love it if[...]

If there’s a voice in your head encouraging you to do public speaking, this episode is for you. I spoke with SEO and Content Strategist, Rebekah Mays, about the baby steps she’s taking to use public speaking to grow her business. And if you like what you hear, we’d love it if you write a[...]

If you love your clients and are looking for a way to deepen your relationships with them, you’ll love my conversation with designer, Tara Hoover, about a very unique strategy she’s come up with and that she doesn’t even think of as marketing – but I do! And if you like what you hear, we’d[...]

f you want to write a book, Laura Belgray thinks you should. Her book, Tough Titties: On Living Your Best Life When You’re the F***ing Worst, is launches June 13, so she shares how she went from self proclaimed, late bloomer and lazy person with a dream to getting the book she wanted to write[...]

If you want confidence, comfort and cash, you need to differentiate yourself from everyone who does what you do. But how? On today’s episode, Danielle Hughes, Lisa Mullis & Ilise Benun talk about what it actually means to infuse your personality all the way through your business. If you like what you hear, check out[...]

We’re digging deep into all the aspects of strategic networking and today our focus is on post-pandemic networking in person, especially if you’re an introvert. Today’s guest is creative strategy consultant and master networker, Andy Brenits. If you like what you hear, join me for Jumpstart Your Networking, a free webinar on May 15th. You’ll[...]

This week’s episode is the next in our LinkedIn Livestream series in our effort to change the way you think about networking. My guest is online networking expert and speaker, Beth Granger, who shared lots of great tips about who to network with – especially when you don’t know who “your people” are yet. If[...]

It’s Q2 and, in the world of the Simplest Marketing Plan, that means it’s time to focus on strategic networking. I kicked off a new series of LinkedIn Livestreams with one of my favorite people, Terri Trespicio, who blew our minds several times during this short but meaty chat. If you like what you hear,[...]

Yes, it’s true. I used to be afraid of people but running my own business has changed all that. At the April Office Hours gathering for the Simplest Marketing Plan, I shared a bit about how strategic networking played a big role in my transformation. Then I shared a new way to think about networking.[...]

If you think you can’t bring all of you to the work you do, you’ll love this lively conversation with Danielle Hughes, originator of The Personality Brand, about how to bring what “lights you up” to work with you. And watch for our new bundle, “Profit from Your Personality: The ultimate toolkit for attracting and[...]

If you’ve ever wanted to do a Kickstarter campaign or had a dream project that would be too expensive to self fund, this episode is for you. I chatted with storyteller and multimedia artist, Wioleta Kaminska, about how she’s using Kickstarter to fund her self published art book. Support her project here. And if you[...]

If you have too much work and not enough time, this episode is for you. I had the best conversation with Jenny Blake, author of “Free Time: Lose the Busyness, Love Your Business” about how each of us is freeing more and more of our time to do what we do best – and you[...]

What’s your worst investment ever? Not just money invested, but time or energy or, the most important thing we have to invest: our attention. This is my story reposted from a podcast called “Worst Investment Ever” with the Worst Podcast Host, Andrew Stotz. If you like what you hear, we’d love it if you write[...]

In this short solo episode, I share what I learned this week when I asked for feedback on my Quick Tips email newsletter, which prompted me to reflect on the question: how promotional is too promotional? And if you like what you hear, we’d love it if you write a review, subscribe on Apple Podcasts[...]

Why would anyone want your content? And what’s the difference between your content marketing and your marketing content? Those are just a few of the questions I answered in my new solo Episode #464. So if you like what you hear, we’d love it if you write a review, subscribe on Apple Podcasts and sign[...]

For my New Year message, I’m sharing the opening of a brand spanking new presentation I’m giving later this week on how I’ve been engineering the evolution of my business (instead of letting it happen by itself). So if you like what you hear, we’d love it if you write a review, subscribe on Apple[...]

Did you know content marketing could be a poem? Yup, it can, and here’s a really excellent example from the web guy, Robert Lodi. If you like what you hear, find Bob on LinkedIn and let him know. And we’d love it if you write a review, subscribe on Apple Podcasts and sign up for[...]

If you struggle with your own content marketing, aren’t sure what to write about or how to find your voice or just keep resisting the idea of doing an email newsletter, you’re in for a treat. In today’s episode, I’m talking with Ann Handley, author of the best-selling book, Everybody Writes, about everything content marketing.[...]

If you believe that being creative is incompatible with being a good negotiator, this episode is for you. I talked with Mori Taheripour, the author of Bring Yourself: How to harness the power of connection to negotiate fearlessly, about how to value and advocate for ourselves to ultimately get what we deserve. And if you[...]

And now for something a little different: Today’s episode is a short clip from the most recent Office Hours, a monthly live and very interactive gathering that has become the centerpiece of the Simplest Marketing Plan, the framework I teach (and sell in the marketing mentor shop). Join me and my guest, copywriter, Bob Bly,[...]

If your palms sweat when someone asks, “What do you charge?” this episode is for you. I talked again with writer and coach, Austin L. Church, who has some very interesting ideas about the limiting beliefs we hold about money and how it affects the pricing of your freelance services. And if you like what[...]

Want to make money while you sleep? Jill Anderson of Jill Lynn Design shares exactly what it took to make $10K selling one digital product, her Client Onboarding Toolkit, and what her plan is to make the next $10K. If you like what you hear, we’d love it if you write a review, subscribe on[...]

If you want to know the secret to a winning proposal, today’s episode is for you. It’s all part of my Proposal Oreo Strategy (from my Domestika course, Writing a Winning Proposal) and in today’s episode, web designer, Mary Maru, and content strategist and writer, Rebekah Mays, share how they use the proposal oreo to[...]

Should you add a note when you invite someone to connect on LinkedIn? I’ve always said yes, but today’s guest, writer and coach, Austin Church, shared a strategy he’s tested that’s a little different. Did it work? Listen in and you’ll find out. He also shared his 1X, 5X 10X LinkedIn content strategy and much,[...]

Most freelancers use hourly rates for all the wrong reasons. In today’s episode, I started the debate about hourly rates with Jamie Saunders and Karen Larson of Clear Brand Strategy in this preview from HOW Design’s 2nd Annual Creative Freelance Summit on September 14-15, Details and registration at HOWdesignlive.com. And if you like what you[...]

If you’ve ever spent too much time on a proposal, this episode is for you. I talked with communications strategist and writer, Doug Dolan, who shared his strategies for how to properly value your time and make sure you capture it in a proposed scope of work so you actually get paid for it. Plus,[...]

Here’s the scene: it’s the end of the month and you aren’t even close to your goals. What to do? In today’s episode, I’m talking with writer and coach, Austin Church, who shared his 7-step freak out protocol and much, much more. And if you like what you hear, we’d love it if you write[...]

In the next episode in this “Where are they now?” series, I looked back with programmer, Alan Seiden, who explains how he used an advanced content marketing strategy to go from reluctant solopreneur to now sought-after speaker and founder of The Seiden Group, a small technical firm. So if you like what you hear, we’d[...]

If you’ve ever wondered what makes a piece of content go viral, today’s episode is for you. I’m talking to b2b content and case study copywriter, Wendy Jacobson, about what happened when her post went viral on LinkedIn. And if you like what you hear, we’d love it if you write a review, subscribe on[...]

If you need confidence, this episode is for you. Mason Harris (a.k.a. The Chutzpah Guy and author of “The Chutzpah Advantage”) shares his ideas about how (and why), especially for the self employed, chutzpah is more important than confidence. And if you like what you hear, we’d love it if you write a review, subscribe[...]

If your neck hurts from too much sitting at the computer, this episode is for you. I talked with Andrea Brody, a former graphic designer who is now a Pilates instructor who helps creatives relieve the pain she knows all too well. And if you like what you hear, we’d love it if you write[...]

If you’re not sure how to use LinkedIn to get the clients you want, this episode is for you. Vivek Shankar, a copywriter focused on fintech (financial technology) shares the not-so-secret strategy he used to reach his ambitious financial goal, while traveling the world to boot! And if you like what you hear, we’d love[...]

If you are an empathetic person, this episode is for you. Melanie the Marketer shares her ideas about how empathy allows her to put herself into anyone’s shoes in any industry, especially her clients’ customers, which can also eliminate the need for a niche. And if you like what you hear, we’d love it if[...]

In this special bonus episode with Jennifer Barrett, Head of Content for Fidelity, financial journalist and author of “Think Like a Breadwinner,” and Lisa Mullis, a veteran copywriter and designer, we laid the foundation for the Fireside Chat that Jenn and Lisa will have in real time at HOW Design live in Boston, on Monday[...]

In this new episode in the “Where are they now?” series, I reminisced with multi-disciplinary artist, Ilena Finocchi, originally featured in 2001 in my first book, Self Promotion Online. She shares her most effective marketing tools and, more important, the attitude that’s allowed her to avoid the “starving artist” syndrome. And if you like what[...]

In this episode with Communications Coach, Eleanor Handley and Show Director of HOW Design, Amy Conover, we talk practical strategies for presenting yourself with confidence, whether one-on-one, in front of a group or in an interview with a client or for a new job. This is part of a short series highlighting speakers at HOW[...]

If you want to use content marketing to position yourself as an expert OR if you’re a copywriter who’s not quite ready to put yourself out there, this episode is for you. Donna Jones explains how the PR tool, HARO, can help in both situations. If you like what you hear, we’d love it if[...]

Are you having trouble keeping track of all the new features on LinkedIn? Not sure which ones to take advantage of? In my chat with LinkedIn Trainer, Beth Granger, she answered all of my latest questions about new (and old) features on LinkedIn. And if you like what you hear, we’d love it if you[...]

If you’re a "passionate practitioner" with the “good” problem of too much work, this episode is for you. Today’s guest, Sarah Durham, founder of Big Duck, has recently reinvented herself as a coach for “accidental entrepreneurs,” and shares insights into growing a creative business and so much more. If you like what you hear, we’d[...]

If you struggle with your email newsletter, this episode is for you. I talked with the very funny Michael Katz, a marketing consultant who specializes in email newsletters for professional services providers, all about Linkedin’s new newsletter feature and the perennial question (from writers and non writers alike): what the heck should you write about?[...]

If you’re sick of writing proposals that go nowhere, for prospects who seem really excited, then crickets, this episode is for you. Web designer, Mary Maru explains how she uses her qualifying process as “a gate and a magnet,” a way to keep out the prospects who aren’t a good fit, while attracting the ones[...]

If you can’t bring yourself to reach out to strangers, even though you know it’s the best way to get the best clients, this episode is for you. In this conversation, Chris Haviland, a scientist and copywriter, outlines in detail the 4-step campaign she’s using to fill her pipeline with clients and projects she loves.[...]

If your emotions are a bit out of control, this episode is for you. By popular demand, it’s Part 3 of my conversation with Kelly Campbell, Conscious Leadership Coach for agency owners and host of the Thrive podcast. We picked up the conversation about what I call “fake feelings.” I even gave an example of[...]

How do you know when to trust yourself and what are the right decisions for your business? That’s just one of many topics covered in Part 2 of my conversation with Kelly Campbell, Conscious Leadership Coach for agency owners and host of the Thrive podcast. And if you like what you hear, we’d love it[...]

If you want to be in a stronger financial position at the end of this year, today’s episode with Farnoosh Torabi, best selling author and host of the acclaimed So Money podcast, is for you. We talked about how to harness the balance between financial stability and financial freedom, no matter where you are in[...]

In this short solo episode, I share a few thoughts inspired by a book I’m loving lately, Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman. It’s both deep and practical at the same time, my favorite combination. Enjoy and I’ll be back with much more in the new year. And if you like[...]

In this first episode in a new series, I looked back with designer, Sharon Bending, who shares how she put her marketing machine in place, grew her business and is now, after 18 years, going "in house" for a brand new chapter of her career. And if you like what you hear, we’d love it[...]

In my new chat with Terri Trespicio, we tackled confidence and chutzpah, perfectionism and impostor syndrome, practicing in public and a really interesting new idea about “disappearing into the message” (especially useful for introverts). It’s all rooted in Terri’s brand new book, Unfollow Your Passion: how to create a life that matters to you, which[...]

If you need to be held accountable to achieve your business goals, this episode is for you. I chatted with Nancy Ruzow of Ruzow Graphics, a designer who also runs The Creatives Roundtable, an accountability group that is having a Black Friday Sale. And if you like what you hear, we’d love it if you[...]

Is your business making you happy? And if not, what should you do? That’s where I started the conversation with Kelly Campbell, host of the Thrive podcast. She shared her own evolution from agency owner to Conscious Leadership Coach for agency owners -- and so much more in Part 1 of our conversation. And if[...]

Hate networking? Then this episode is for you. I talked with Susan McPherson, author of “The Lost Art of Connecting,” about the difference between networking and connecting, plus how to approach this essential skill as an introvert. And if you like what you hear, we’d love it if you write a review, subscribe on Apple[...]

How do you know how much marketing is enough? Too much? Not enough? There’s no foolproof formula but with time you will discover it for yourself. In this wide-ranging chat, Melanie the Marketer shared her “formula,” plus how she uses her hourly rate to ensure profitability. And if you like what you hear, we’d love[...]

Are you overwhelmed by all the things you can do on LinkedIn? Not sure what the heck “Creator” mode is? In my chat with LinkedIn Trainer, Beth Granger, she answered all of my latest questions about new (and old) features on LinkedIn. And if you like what you hear, we’d love it if you write[...]

What’s the difference between getting clients via word of mouth and referrals? If you’re not sure, this episode is for you. In my chat with Michael Roderick, host of the Access to Anyone podcast, we define our terms and talk about what makes a brand or a business “referable.” See if yours is. And if[...]

If you struggle with the tricky client situations that come up as a self employed creative pro, this episode is for you. In Part 2 of our chat, Deidre Rienzo shared what she does (and doesn’t do) to attract the best clients and to make her days efficient and productive enough to spend the bulk[...]

If being an “in demand” creative pro seems like a far-off pipedream, this episode is for you. In Part 1 of our chat, I talked with Deidre Rienzo about how she went from self-doubt and anxiety to mostly moments of confident action. If you like what you hear, we’d love it if you write a[...]

If you suspect you’ve been leaving money “on the table” when negotiating project fees, this episode is for you. In my latest conversation with Jennifer Barrett, author of “Think Like a Breadwinner” (who will also be speaking at HOW Design Live in Nashville, Oct. 19-21), we talked about how exactly to ask for more --[...]

If your ideal clients are marketers, this episode is for you. I spoke with Scott Miller, a 25-year veteran marketer and author of many books, including his latest, Marketing Mess to Brand Success: 30 Challenges to Transform Your Organization's Brand (and Your Own), and I asked him how creative professionals should build relationships with the[...]

If you often feel like a therapist to your clients, you’re not alone. In this episode, I talked with Tiffany Butler, who spent 20+ years as a designer, copywriter and project manager, but often felt like a therapist to her clients too. Then she went back to school to become the real thing. If you[...]

If you want to make more money, the easiest way is to charge more. But how exactly do you raise your rates? And what do you say to clients without jeopardizing the relationships? Those are a few of the questions I answered in a special bonus podcast, an excerpt from my latest ebook, “Worth It:[...]

Why trust your memory when you have LinkedIn, a.k.a. Your Rolodex? That’s where author, speaker and Ayurveda-based health and mindset coach, Sweta Vikram, turned out when it was time to promote her new book. And boy did she hit the jackpot, proving that the help you need is often just a few connections away. If[...]

When it comes to email lists, some people want a big one. So if you want to grow yours, today’s episode is for you. I talked with Tim Huelskamp, CEO of 1440 Media, who shares a simple strategy that he used to build his list from the ground up and which anyone can do. If[...]

There are 2 questions that trigger all the fears at once -- simple questions that your prospects and clients ask every single day. Can you guess what they are? Either way, you’re going to love my latest podcast chat about them with one of my favorite guests, Terri Trespicio. If you like what you hear,[...]

  In this episode, I talked with Danielle Hughes, whose marketing is working so well that she’s got too much good work with good budgets from good people. What to do? It’s a good problem to have but not necessarily easy to solve. So we brainstormed solutions. If you like what you hear, we’d love[...]

This episode is especially for women (although the men may learn a little something too). My guest, Jennifer Barrett, a financial expert and author of the new book, Think Like a Breadwinner: a wealth-building manifesto for women who want to earn more (and worry less), shared some important ideas about how we can adjust our[...]

Now that video calls are the default for any meeting, what’s the etiquette for who does and doesn’t put their video on? I chatted about this with my longtime friend and supporter, Corina Ludwig, President of FunctionFox.com, an online time tracking and project management software for creative professionals. If your goal is to increase billable[...]

If you shy away from marketing yourself because you can’t stand how corporations market to you, this episode is for you. In today’s conversation, Andy Didorosi, Head of Marketing for Basecamp, shares his ideas about how to bring your heart and soul into your own marketing, and so much more. If you like what you[...]

If a lack of confidence is preventing you from getting your business off the ground, this episode is for you. In today’s conversation, Helen Conway, former judge turned wellness coach for lawyers, describes how working on her web site and putting her marketing tools in place gave her the confidence she lacked and propelled her new[...]

If you’re struggling to find your niche, this episode is for you. It may help you find yours, it may help you simply relax about the whole niche question, and maybe both. (Fingers crossed.) In today’s episode, Pam Foster and I also discuss popular niches for 2021 and, of course, the right way to pronounce[...]

You know that LinkedIn is where the clients are. And you know you should be spending more time there. But you just don’t know what to do or where to click first. Well, it’s time to set that overwhelm aside and get on the train to opportunity. All it takes is 10-15 minutes a day.[...]

If you love learning, this episode’s for you. I talked with podcast fave, veteran creative professional and photographer, Michael e. Stern, about how to take action and learn something new as a way out of a slump. If you like what you hear, write a review, subscribe on Apple Podcasts and sign up for Quick Tips from Marketing Mentor. 

If you’ve ever dreamed about making money while you sleep, my conversation with Jill Anderson of Jill Lynn Design will wake you right up. Jill is a web designer and long time Marketing Mentor client who has just released her first product, The Client Onboarding Toolkit, and in our recent chat, she who opens up[...]

If you want to kick off 2021 feeling more self-assured about money, you’ll love my new conversation with writer and speaker, Terri Trespicio, whose confidence about money is downright contagious! In our recent chat, she explains why she’s sworn off retainers (and why she thinks they’re dangerous), how she learned to stop giving away her[...]

If you’ve been meaning to start (or restart) your email newsletter, this episode is for you. Sarah Pike, of FreeFall Laser, a specialist in laser cutting for artists and designers, shared her process and the mindset that’s turned her email newsletter into one of her most effective marketing tools. If you like what you hear,[...]

If you want to stop wasting time on clients who are not ready to hire you, we have just the trick. Let them marinate until they are ready. But how do you do that? And isn’t that kind of passive? Those are just a few of the questions Melanie “the Marketer” Deardorff and I discussed[...]

If you love words and want to read all day and make money doing it, this episode is for you. Jennie Nash, book coach and founder of Author Accelerator, joins me to discuss what is a book coach and who is best suited to become on. For more details and to watch Jennie’s companion video,[...]

If you are among the 70% who struggle with Impostor Syndrome, this episode is for you. Dr. Valerie Young, the leading expert on the topic, joins me to discuss why it afflicts so many men and women (especially creatives) and what you can do about it. We’d love it if you write a review, subscribe on[...]

If you avoid the money conversation with clients, today’s short episode is for you. In it, I share a simple way for solopreneurs and other creative professionals to change the way you think about money. This reframe will make it easier to talk to prospects and clients about it, to get their budget and to quickly weed[...]

If you feel exhausted from day after day of Zoom meetings, this episode is for you. Communications coach, Eleanor Handley, and I delved into the psychological aspects of what Zoom is doing to us and how we can use it to our best advantage. We’d love it if you write a review, subscribe on Apple Podcasts and[...]

What role does integrity play in business? And how can you demonstrate yours to your clients? That’s the topic of today’s episode with veteran creative professional and photographer, Michael e. Stern. We’d love it if you write a review, subscribe on Apple Podcasts and sign up for Quick Tips from Marketing Mentor. 

If you’re tired of 5-figure funnel fantasies, pointless lead magnets and the barrage of heartless, automated content, you’ll love my conversation with Lisa Mullis of Paraphrase Communications, who respectfully disagreed with my recent rant to “forget funnels.” You’ll also learn a better way to use automation to delegate some of your marketing, without also delegating[...]

Pitching yourself as a guest on the podcasts that your ideal clients listen to is one of the advanced content marketing strategies many Marketing Mentor coaching clients are using. And it can be very effective – when you do it right. In today’s episode, I chatted with copywriter, Francis Nayan, who pitched himself for my[...]

In part 2 of my conversation with marketing strategist, Elke Giba, we talked about what it’s like to close a 10 year old business to take a full time job and the importance of keeping your personal brand alive, especially on LinkedIn. (Listen to Part 1 here) If you like what you hear, we’d love[...]

Want to know what it’s like to be an in-house marketer who outsources to creative professionals. In today’s episode, Elke Giba, shares her experience of being on the other side of the table after 10 years of self-employment. If you like what you hear, we’d love it if you write a review, subscribe on Apple Podcasts and[...]

Is it cheating to hire someone to help you with writing or design if those are the services you offer? And should you tell your clients if you’re not doing “all the work?” If you want to grow your creative business, you’ll need to learn how to delegate -- not everything, but certain things. That’s[...]

What is a designer who coaches? What kind of coaching can a designer offer? In today’s episode, Sandra Koenig of BrandingHarmony.com shares her experience as a Brand Coach, just one example of the types of coaching many creatives are pursuing as they transition from doing the work for their clients to becoming more of a[...]

What happens to your creative business when a crisis in your personal life takes everything you have? In today’s episode, Jeanine Davis of JL Davis Design shares what she’s learned about how to take care of your clients, your marketing and, most important, yourself, when life happens. If you like what you hear, we’d love[...]

Do you need a budget? In today’s episode, Ean Murphy of Moxie Bookkeeping and Coaching answers that question and more. She breaks down all the financial jargon so everyone --- especially creative professionals -- can understand their money and keep more of it. If you like what you hear, we’d love it if you write[...]

Strong client relationships are the sign of a healthy business. But how strong are your relationships with your clients? And how would you know? That’s the topic of today’s episode with veteran creative professional and photographer, Michael e. Stern. We’d love it if you write a review, subscribe on Apple Podcasts and sign up for Quick Tips from Marketing Mentor. 

You were off to a great start. First quarter of 2020 was almost over and this was going to be your year! And then, well, you know what happened. Now your plans to launch or grow your creative business have been derailed. How should you respond? Is all lost? Of course not. Here’s my take on how[...]

If you’re wondering how to handle your money at this moment, whether you have a lot or a little, today’s episode with Galia Gichon of Down To Earth Finance will help. Galia is a personal finance expert specializing in artists, entrepreneurs and freelancers and today we talk about how to strengthen your finances, no matter[...]

This is the perfect time to be self employed and the perfect time to chat with someone who’s been a successfully self employed creative for even longer than my 32 years. Michael e. Stern has seen it all and persevered through many many ups and downs. Today we talked about how he knows which clients to give up[...]

Whether or not you consider yourself a blogger, there are lots of reasons to use a blog for content marketing, and you don’t even have to do it all that often. In this chat with Melanie the Marketer, (that’s Melanie Deardorff), we discuss why it’s worth making time for, even if you don’t like to[...]

Get ready to breathe a sigh of relief because I don’t think creative professionals and solopreneurs need any fancy CRM (customer relationship management) software to keep track of your clients and prospects. In this chat with Melanie the Marketer, (that’s Melanie Deardorff), we discuss the simple strategy we both use instead. You may remember Melanie[...]

Is a billboard an affordable marketing tool for a design firm or copywriter? Don’t laugh it off. I spoke with Bart Bradshaw, host of the Built to Stay podcast, who educated me all about the latest in outdoor advertising. It’s not as expensive as you think and depending on your niche, it could definitely make[...]

If you’re someone who relies more on your intuition than your reason, this episode is for you. I spoke with Dr. Gleb Tsipursky, author of a new book called, Never Go With Your Gut: How Pioneering Leaders Make the Best Decisions and Avoid Business Disasters. We talked about one of my favorite topics, mental blindspots[...]

If distraction prevents you from reaching the goals you truly want to achieve, this episode is for you. I spoke with Nir Eyal, international best-selling author of a new book called Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life. We talked about the simple yet powerful changes you can make to control your[...]

If you’ve had trouble picking a niche, this episode is for you. I spoke with Pamela Slim, business coach and author of the best-seller, Escape from Cubicle Nation and her latest book, Body of Work. We talked about how to develop the language to attract the right people and repel the wrong people to your[...]

If you love writing, writers and words, this episode is for you. I spoke with Jennie Nash, founder of Author Accelerator and author of the new book, Read Books All Day & Get Paid For It, about the opportunity to become a book coach and her upcoming free online Business of Book Coaching Summit. If[...]

If you suspect your marketing is still just too much about you, this episode is for you. I spoke with Adam Fairhead of Fairhead Creative and BuiltForImpact.net about his new book, Marketing Isn’t About You, and about how to use personalized videos to get the attention of the clients you want to serve. If you[...]

If you don’t have clarity about the unique value you bring to your ideal clients, this episode is for you. I spoke with Lisa Mullis of Paraphrase Communications about the “Value Framework” she uses to help her clients package and position their “high value offers.” If you like what you hear, read her guest blog[...]

If you’re tired of coming up with new marketing ideas all the time and you want a simple system that (almost) runs on its own, this episode is for you. I spoke with Susan Harper of Conference-Creative.com about her “marketing machine,” which is generating enough work for her to outsource her marketing! If you like[...]

If you want longer relationships with clients (and fewer one-off projects), this episode is for you. I spoke with Ben Callahan, President of Sparkbox, about how, once inside a client company,  his web firm “spreads like a virus” and how they use content marketing to attract clients who want long term partners. If you like what you[...]

If you are always looking for ways to improve your productivity, this episode is for you. I spoke with Paula Rizzo, media trainer and author of the brand new, Listful Living: A List-Making Journey to a Less Stressed You, about how to use lists to improve your life and, ultimately, waste less time. Be sure[...]

If you are overwhelmed and just can’t get a handle on your to do lists (most of us have more than one), this episode is for you. It’s an excerpt from a recent presentation by Andy Brenits, of Brenits Creative, on his self styled productivity process. Be sure to read his updated and detailed blog[...]

If you struggle when talking money with clients, this episode is for you. It’s an excerpt from a recent workshop I gave for creative professionals on how to take more control over your business (and your pricing) by learning when and how to initiate the money conversation with confidence. If you like what you hear,[...]

In the latest episode, I got to chat with Ann Handley, best-selling author of “Everybody Writes,” and the world’s first Chief Content Officer. We bonded over our mutual obsession with email newsletters and talked all about how to write ridiculously good content and the art of curating content. If you like what you hear, write[...]

If you’re feeling stuck, you’ll get a lot out of today’s episode with strategic copywriter, Danielle Z. Hughes, who generously shares how her business has grown in the short time since she started asking for (and getting) the help she needed. “Everything that has happened to me in the past year has been because I[...]

In today’s episode with Tom Ross, podcast host and CEO of DesignCuts.com, we talked about what he calls “the beautiful marriage that can be design and marketing,” and how he and some of the members of his community are shedding the “starving artist” identity and learning to love marketing. Find him on Instagram @tomrossmedia. If[...]

In today’s episode with Melanie the Marketer, (that’s Melanie Deardorff), we explore the idea of generosity as an antidote to that “salesy” feeling that is NOT an inevitable element when marketing your creative services. Melanie also shared the specific and practical ways generosity manifests in her everyday marketing. If you like what you hear, by[...]

If you’re thinking of trying podcasting, you’ll enjoy my recent interview with Rob & Kennedy of ResponseSuite.com. We talk about podcasting as the ultimate marketing tool and they share their own podcasting strategy. Also, read my recent post on being an excellent podcast guest and then listen to my interview on their podcast, “3 Marketers[...]

If you’re thinking of offering Facebook advertising as a service to your clients or wondering if Facebook's ads would be a good way to get clients, this episode is for you. In our chat, Lucas Lee-Tyson, a college student who runs GrowthCave.com, an agency that specializes in Facebook ads, shared how, how much and much[...]

One way to use generosity as a marketing tool is to treat your content marketing as a gift for your market. That’s just one of the ideas from my second interview with Nick Usborne, who teaches a course on conversational copywriting. There was also some ranting about whether puppies are always click bait. You may[...]

Are you wasting time on your least profitable clients? How much time do you spend hunting for things? Should you be charging for travel time? These are some of the questions I tackled with Corina Ludwig, President of FunctionFox.com, an online time tracking and project management software for creative professionals – and a sponsor of my latest[...]

In this very special podcast interview, I talked with Kevin Carroll, a HOW friend and past speaker, whom I met when he gave his PATH to Professional Presentations at SCAD recently. You can also see the highlight reel of his collaborations with creative partners (and fellow friends of HOW), Ann Willoughby/Willoughby Design/Gordon Mackenzie. If you[...]

Today’s episode was originally recorded for the HOW Design Live podcast, but the information is relevant to my listeners too, so I’m reposting it here. I chatted with Bridget Watson Payne, Executive Editor for Art & Design at Chronicle Books. She’s speaking on how to become an author as part of the Creative Freelancer Track[...]

Here’s my latest chat with time lapse filmmaker, Michael e. Stern, who walks us through a recent “warm intro” he did for a big project and describes how he meticulously and patiently pitches the projects he wants. Find more of our chats here. And we’d love it if you write a review, subscribe on iTunes and sign up for Quick[...]

For February I’m reading aloud another essay I love from the poet-philosopher, David Whyte, and his book of essays CONSOLATIONS: The Solace, Nourishment and Underlying Meaning of Everyday Words. This one is on “courage” so much more important than confidence, which so many people claim not to have. If you like what you hear, write a review, subscribe on[...]

This special episode is the audio version of Ilise Benun’s new presentation, How to Get Better Clients with Bigger Budgets, hosted by Communo.com. (Watch it on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/BSPKWDRE6Wg). It is, she outlines clearly and succinctly how the only 3 marketing tools you need work together to reinforce your message when you follow the Simplest Marketing Plan. If you like what[...]

If you want your words to sound more like your voice, today’s episode is for you. It’s a very “meta” conversation about conversational copywriting with Nick Usborne, who teaches a course on the topic. We covered the difference between authentic and conversational copy vs. fake and “chatty” style, plus what types of businesses this style[...]

Here’s something new for 2019: I’m reading aloud work that I love and that is influencing my work. First up is an essay called “Work” from the poet-philosopher, David Whyte, and his book of essays CONSOLATIONS: The Solace, Nourishment and Underlying Meaning of Everyday Words. If you like what you hear, write a review, subscribe on iTunes and[...]

I’m kicking off 2019 with Ben Callahan, President of Sparkbox, whose web development firm has grown from 8 to 42 employees. Their winning bizdev strategy? Content marketing. In this episode, Ben shares details about the reality of an effective content marketing strategy and why it works. If you like what you hear, write a review,[...]

This is my 15th episode with time lapse filmmaker, Michael e. Stern, who shares his proven strategies for dealing with tricky situations with prospects without losing your self-respect, from crazy demands to contract conflicts. If you like what you hear, find all 15 of our chats here. And we’d love it if you write a[...]

Ilise Benun talks with poet and coach to creatives, Mark McGuinness, about his new book, 21 Insights for 21st Century Creatives. (Download the book here.) The focus in this conversation is on important business insights for creative professionals, including how to get out of your own head, how and why to invest in yourself and[...]

If you are thinking of writing a book to market your business, listen to Ilise Benun’s conversation with publishing veteran, Jane Friedman, on the difference between publishing for money vs. publishing for credibility, the myths about being an author, the rise of self publishing and, of course, how to get your book published. If you[...]

Ilise Benun talks with Ryan Gill, co-founder of Communo.com, a new sharing economy platform for creative professionals, about what it really takes to be your own boss. And how his new platform attempts to address some of the challenges and facilitate business development and access to talent. If you like what you hear, write a[...]

In the latest “Revolve Conference Speaker Podcast,” Ilise Benun, of Marketing-Mentor.com, interviews Ali Schwanke, founder of Simplestrat, who will be speaking on “vanity metrics” at The Revolve Conference, a gathering of design, UX and marketing professionals this Nov. 12-13, 2018 in Charleston SC. Details here: http://revolveconference.com 

Ilise Benun talks with Kevin Rogers, founder of Copy Chief, (the community and the live event this Oct 23-25) about 2 sides of the “bat-signal” coin: what he calls “bat-signal talent” and she calls “bat-signal content.” If you like what you hear, write a review and subscribe on iTunes and sign up for Quick Tips from Marketing Mentor. 

Ilise Benun talks with Greg Corey, founder of Porchlight, about how started as a freelancer and found the simplest niche to grow into a boutique branding and packaging agency. It’s the one where you don’t have to prove yourself and you aren’t starting from scratch. If you like what you hear, write a review, subscribe on[...]

Today’s podcast is highlights from a recent webinar Ilise Benun gave for the Graphic Artists Guild on how to identify your value to your dream clients so you get paid what you’re worth and can negotiate the best deals for yourself as a creative professional. Find the entire webinar here. And If you like what[...]

Ilise Benun and Robert McGuire of Nation1099.com dig into some of the findings from the Career Freelancer Status Report, including the idea that freelancers seem to reach an income plateau after 5 years and the effectiveness of freelance marketplaces for finding quality clients. Also, sign up for our (free) Q&A Livestream on Negotiating Strategies on[...]

Today’s bonus episode is a conversation between 2 unemployables: Ilise Benun talks with Emily Leach, Founder of The Freelance Conference, a free conference for freelancers, Sept. 10-14, 2018 in Austin and Corpus Christie Texas. Details at FreelanceConference.com. If you like what you hear, write a review and subscribe on iTunes and sign up for Quick Tips from Marketing Mentor.

If you crave less hype and more candor, this episode is for you. Ilise Benun talks with Dave Salanitro, a designer who had it all and lost it, about what happened, what he could have done differently and what he’s learned in the process. If you like what you hear, write a review and subscribe on[...]

In this episode, Ilise Benun learns about REACH, a new idea for a business model that provides design services to non profits on a budget and recurring revenue for GDLOFT, a small design firm in Philadelphia. If you like what you hear, write a review and subscribe on iTunes and sign up for Quick Tips from Marketing Mentor. 

If you’ve ever bartered your services, you know it can be tricky. There’s an art to it, from deciding whether to do it, to making sure everything is fair and everyone feels valued. In this episode, time lapse filmmaker, Michael e. Stern, and I talk about a recent barter opportunity he pursued and how he[...]

It’s a podcast about podcasting! If you’ve been thinking about starting a podcast to promote your creative business, you’ll learn a lot from my conversation with John Hartwell of Hartwell Studio Works, whose content marketing strategy includes the HSW Sports Branding Podcast. In our interview, he generously shares his strategy, plus nitty gritty details on[...]

  If you’ve been dreaming about getting rid of your annoying clients and turning your service business into a product business, this episode is for you. My guest is designer/developer, Justin Putney, who has developed a product called In5, that is an add on to Adobe’s InDesign. In our interview, he generously shares tips on[...]

This episode is the audio from a recent webinar with 2X TEDx speaker, Terri Trespicio, on "How to Use Public Speaking to Grow Your Reach & Influence (and get clients!)," in advance of her brand new 2-day workshop, Tapped to Speak, in NY June 7-8, 2018. Details at http://bit.ly/mmentortix. You can find the slides here and watch the video here [...]

In the latest episode, I spoke with That Speaker Guy  Corey Poirier, about the business of speaking, whether it’s part of your content marketing strategy or the way you plan to make your living. We covered everything from inspirational vs. how-to content, webinars, online summits and speakers bureaus. If you like what you hear, write a review, subscribe[...]

In the latest episode, Chris Leone of Web Strategies, Inc. generously shares in detail the “highly accountable, highly trackable system” that drives his agency’s marketing. He shares not only the guts of their process (which tools they use and which are most effective), but also why they do it the way they do. It’s another[...]

In the latest episode, I chatted with Carl Smith, former co-founder of nGen Works about the various business models his agency tried, including the 4 person partnership that founded the digital agency. Smith currently runs Bureau of Digital, whose mission is to provide the support system agency owners never had. If you like what you[...]

In the latest podcast episode, Ilise Benun continues the conversation with marketing professor, Michael Solomon, who literally wrote the book on consumer behavior. Today’s topic is the most important currency being exchanged in today’s economy (it’s not money) and what designers and other creative pros can do about it. Hear more from Michael at the brand[...]

It’s almost tax time so in this episode, time lapse filmmaker, Michael e. Stern, and Marketing Mentor, Ilise Benun, talk big picture about how (and why) creative professionals struggle so with money management – and what you can do to improve things. (Disclaimer: no financial advice is offered, just the sharing of anecdotes and experience.)[...]

If you haven’t seen my recent talk, The Worst Negotiating Mistakes…and How to Avoid Them, on the Marketing Mentor YouTube channel, here’s the audio. Also, as mentioned in the intro, learn more about the “Experienced Newbie Accountability Group” on the Marketing Mix Blog. And if you like what you hear, subscribe on iTunes and sign up for Quick Tips[...]

If you’ve been wondering whether you are suited to build a business that employs others, or whether you are better off “just you,” this interview is for you. For the first podcast episode of 2018, Ilise Benun talks with time lapse filmmaker, Michael e. Stern, of Build a Better Photograph, about what it takes --[...]

In the next installment of the Experienced Newbie series of interviews, Ilise Benun talks with Andy Brenits of Brenits Creative  a designer who has gone back and forth between self employment and working in house in big name corporations. He’s 2 years into his latest stint on his own, taking it seriously and the success has built his[...]

Many creative professionals give away their strategic services because it’s intangible and you don’t know how to account for it when you price a project. Tiered pricing is a technique that will ensure you get paid for everything you do. In this week’s podcast interview, time lapse filmmaker, Michael e. Stern, shows us how he[...]

If you hate pricing, you’ll  love this week’s podcast, in which Ilise Benun talks with Ed Gandia about the nuts of bolts of how to do tiered pricing, a pricing strategy that solves most of the pricing problems so many creative professionals struggle with. This interview was also the impetus for the Tiered Pricing Kit:[...]

This week’s podcast is perfect for introverts and other people who hate “networking." Listen now especially if you have an event coming up that you’re a little bit nervous about attending. You’ll learn the language to use to start a conversation, get someone’s business card and how to remember names, an essential and learnable skill.[...]

In the 4th episode of Season 2 of the “Revolve Conference Speaker Podcast Series,” Ilise Benun, of Marketing-Mentor.com, interviews Cheryl Smithem of Charleston PR, who will be speaking on The Essential PR Basics: Should I Send a Press Release? at The Revolve Conference, where design and creativity meet marketing and design. The big event will[...]

In the third episode of Season 2 of the “Revolve Conference Speaker Podcast Series,” Ilise Benun, of Marketing-Mentor.com, interviews Business Coach and Brand Strategist, Thomas Heath, whose topic is Increase Engagement with Storytelling Videos, at The Revolve Conference, where design and creativity meet marketing and design. The big event will be held Oct. 26-27, 2017[...]

In this episode, Ilise Benun, of Marketing-Mentor.com, talks with Katie Lane, lawyer, negotiation coach and blogger at Work Made For Hire, about how to overcome the particular challenges faced by creatives and by women when it comes to negotiating the best deal for yourself. If you like what you hear, subscribe on iTunes and sign up for Quick Tips from Marketing

In the second episode of Season 2 of the “Revolve Conference Speaker Podcast Series,” Ilise Benun, of Marketing-Mentor.com, interviews Dan Mall  of Superfriend.ly, whose topic is “Should Designers…” at The Revolve Conference, where design and creativity meet marketing and design. The big event will be held Oct. 26-27, 2017 in downtown Charleston SC. Details here:[...]

Here’s the 3rd interview with "experienced newbie," Lisa Mullis, of Paraphrase Communications, in which we discuss the pros and cons of comparing yourself both to others and to yourself in your previous career. Plus an update on how she’s doing now 7 months into her new venture. Read more from this series on the blog and sign up for Quick[...]

In the first episode of Season 2 of the “Revolve Conference Speaker Podcast Series,” Ilise Benun, of Marketing-Mentor.com, interviews Katie Kern, VP of Media Frenzy Global who will be speaking on How PR is Being Reimagined at The Revolve Conference, where design and creativity meet marketing and design. The big event will be held Oct. 26-27, 2017 in downtown[...]

In interview #11 of the popular series of chats between Ilise Benun of Marketing-Mentor.com and time lapse filmmaker, Michael e. Stern of BuildaBetterPhotograph.com, they define multitasking for self employed creative professionals, how to handle client demands (and their maddening lack of responsiveness) and why Michael walked away from a $60K project. If you like what you hear, subscribe on iTunes and[...]

In this episode, Ilise Benun, of Marketing-Mentor.com, talks with an old friend, Alan Seiden of The Seiden Group, about how he left an unsatisfying job to start his own consulting business. Now he manages big projects, charges big money and does marketing with a flare. He’s even garnered a bit of celebrity status in his focused[...]

In the second conversation with author and marketing professor, Michael Solomon, of michaelrsolomon.com, he explains to Ilise Benun, of Marketing-Mentor.com, how to use your price as an indicator of quality and attract the clients who value your services. And if you like what you hear, subscribe on iTunes and sign up for Quick Tips from Marketing Mentor.  

Pricing your services accurately and talking about money with confidence are essential to success. In the audio version of this recent PaperSpecs webinar, Ilise Benun distills pricing into 3 simple steps. It’s an excellent refresher for any self employed creative. And if you like what you hear, subscribe on iTunes and sign up for Quick Tips from Marketing[...]

Ilise Benun, of Marketing-Mentor.com, interviews author and artist coach, Gigi Rosenberg about how to balance the desire to make art with the need to make a living and how to tell who’s a competitor and who’s a potential collaborator.  If you like what you hear, subscribe on iTunes and sign up for Quick Tips from Marketing Mentor.  

It’s already 6 years since Bryn Mooth left her cozy full-time job as Editor of HOW Magazine to strike out on her own as a freelance food and wellness writer. I caught up with her at HOW Design Live and had a chance to hear how she has used what she learned to build a[...]

On the 1-year anniversary of her new branding firm for the brand new cannabis industry, Jenn Culpepper of Brand Joint, shares how they got their first client and which marketing tools are most effective as she grows her new business. If you like what you hear, subscribe on iTunes and sign up for Quick Tips[...]

Here’s the second interview with Lisa Mullis of the new firm, Paraphrase Communications, sharing details about how she is re-building her online presence and email list (almost) from scratch. Read more from this series on the blog and sign up for Quick Tips from Marketing Mentor 

In the next episode sponsored by Twenty20.com, Ilise Benun, of Marketing-Mentor.com, interviews author and marketing professor, Michael Solomon, of www.reachyourconsumers.com about how to be objective and authentic in your own self promotion. Plus, you can support our sponsor by starting your own 5-photo trial account now at Twenty20.com/mmpodcast

Ilise Benun, of Marketing-Mentor.com, chats with Caitlin Pearce of Freelancers Union (join for free if you aren’t already a member) about the new, free and easy-to-use contract building tool they developed in partnership with And.co to help the self employed protect themselves from non-paying clients. (This episode is sponsored by Twenty20.com – get photos that[...]

In the next in a series of episodes sponsored by Twenty20.com, Ilise Benun, of Marketing-Mentor.com, interviews Wendy Merrill of AreYouGrowingSmart.com about how to overcome fear of self promotion. Plus Wendy shares the LinkedIn content marketing strategy that gets her a stream of new clients. Start your own 5-photo trial account now at Twenty20.com/mmpodcast

In this special podcast, Ilise Benun asks Jamie Saunders, Senior Marketing Communications Manager at Neenah Paper and Packaging, all the questions you wish you could ask your ideal client about promoting your work, including, “Is it BS when you say, “stay in touch” or “send me something?” (This conversation is excerpted from the “3 Steps[...]

In the first in a series of episodes sponsored by Twenty20.com, Ilise Benun, of Marketing-Mentor.com, interviews Robert McGuire on how he overcame obstacles to subcontracting to build his content marketing agency using freelancers. Download his free “freelancer agreement” template. And start your own 5-photo trial account now at Twenty20.com/mmpodcast

When JC Candanedo of greypistachio.com heard Part 1 of this new series, he responded immediately and wanted to share his experience of changing careers in his 40’s, competing with photographers half his age and developing confidence by bringing his experience from the first career to bear. Read more from this series on the blog and[...]

Ilise Benun chats with Danny Iny, author of Teach and Grow Rich, & founder of mirasee.com (formerly Firepole Marketing) about how to grow a scalable business, who should (and shouldn’t) spend time building an online course and which courses do well (and which don’t). If you like what you hear, sign up for Quick Tips from[...]

Ilise Benun starts a new series of conversations with communications professional, Lisa Mullis, as she goes through a mid-career makeover and navigates the challenges of building a new firm, Paraphrase Communications, on the foundation of her past experience and presenting it transparently. Watch the Marketing Mentor Blog for Lisa’s companion posts too.  

The Graphic Artists Guild needs the help of all creative professionals, creators and copyright holders. Make your voice heard by taking the survey to help keep copyright laws strong for you. Let the Library of Congress know that we need a Register who understands the value of copyright, recognizes the need for the Office to[...]

Ilise Benun chats with Jeff Sauer of Jeffalytics, the brains behind the JumpStart Podcast and former agency owner-turned-consultant specializing in making sense of analytics data, about how creatives can set themselves apart and achieve better results for clients by positioning themselves as “data-driven” creatives. Check out his podcast too (and his interview with Ilise) at https://www.jeffalytics.com/ilise-benun-podcast/

Here’s another excerpt from Ilise Benun’s new marketing plan, The Marketing Blueprint: How to Connect the Dots of Your Marketing. It’s called, How Not To Stalk Your Prospects and Still Get the Project: What to Say When Walking the Fine Line of Follow-up When You Really Want the Project. You’ll learn exactly what to say when[...]

If you’re doing some marketing but still struggling with feast or famine because your ideal clients aren’t knocking on your door, it could be that you’re not connecting the dots of your marketing -- yet. That means you have the right mindset and use the right tools in a way that supports your positioning message[...]

In episode #9 of the popular series of meaty and chatty conversations between Ilise Benun of Marketing-Mentor.com and time lapse filmmaker, Michael e. Stern of BuildaBetterPhotograph.com, they both share strategies for how to intercept self defeating attitudes and behaviors so you can do the best possible job for your clients. If you like what you hear, sign up[...]

In this conversation, Ilise Benun of Marketing-Mentor.com chats with one of her star students, web designer/developer for creative professionals, Jill Anderson of Jill Lynn Design, about how to end a client relationship that isn’t working, without burning bridges. To find out how Jill focused and grew her business 17% with content marketing, read the case[...]

In the final installment of the “Revolve Conference Speaker Podcast Series,” Ilise Benun, of Marketing-Mentor.com, interviews Meena Kothandaraman and Zarla Ludin of twig+fish about their workshop, Designing (N)credible Research Studies at The Revolve Conference, a gathering of design, business and marketing professionals to be held Oct. 26-28, 2016 in Charleston SC. Details about this and 2 other pre-conference[...]

In the 4th installment of the “Revolve Conference Speaker Podcast Series,” Ilise Benun, of Marketing-Mentor.com, interviews Aaron Irizarry, Director of User Experience at Nasdaq, about his topic, Hold Fast: Managing Design Teams When Projects Go Sideways, at The Revolve Conference, a gathering of design, business and marketing professionals to be held Oct. 27-28, 2016 in Charleston SC. See you[...]

This episode is #8 in the popular series of chatty (but always meaty) conversations between Ilise Benun of Marketing-Mentor.com and time lapse filmmaker, Michael e. Stern of BuildaBetterPhotograph.com. This one is about the mindset and tactics required to be a satisfied, self-employed creative person and focuses in on client communication skills, especially how to figure out the right[...]

In the 3rd installment of the “Revolve Conference Speaker Podcast Series,” Ilise Benun, of Marketing-Mentor.com, interviews Robert Prioleau, Founding Partner and the Strategy Director for Blue Ion, a brand experience agency based in Charleston, SC. Robert will be speaking on how to sell when you hate selling at The Revolve Conference, a gathering of design, business[...]

Ilise Benun chats with Terri Trespicio and Paula Rizzo, the brains behind Lights Camera Expert, who can’t help but share what they know about what it takes to get the media’s attention and whether you need to have a book to get on TV. If you like what you hear, sign up here for their[...]

In this episode, Ilise Benun, of Marketing-Mentor.com, interviews Paul Parreira of Company Cue about the evolution of content marketing, the changing expectations of consumers and new gigs for content writers. If you like what you hear, sign up for Ilise’s Quick Tips here. 

In the second installment of the “Revolve Conference Speaker Podcast Series,” Ilise Benun, of Marketing-Mentor.com, interviews Ahava Leibtag, founder of Aha Media Group, who will be speaking on how to navigate challenging content strategy conversations at The Revolve Conference, a gathering of design, business and marketing professionals to be held Oct. 27-28, 2016 in Charleston[...]

This is the 4th of 5 live interviews from the HOWDesignLive@SCAD Lecture Series 2016 where Ilise Benun of Marketing-Mentor.com is joined by Lana Rigsby and Thomas Hull of Rigsby Hull, a Houston-based design firm honored internationally for design that pairs verbal intelligence with restrained, elegant expression. They share their process for projects where the deliverable is nothing tangible but instead[...]

Here’s #7 in a series of chatty (but meaty) conversations between Ilise Benun of Marketing-Mentor.com and time lapse filmmaker, Michael e. Stern of BuildaBetterPhotograph.com. In this episode, Stern gives an update on the prospect he’s been stalking for the project of a lifetime and a novel way of thinking about value-based pricing and bartering. If[...]

In the first installment of the “Revolve Conference Speaker Podcast Series,” Ilise Benun, of Marketing-Mentor.com, interviews Rivers Pearce, Director of Marketing at Boomtown, who will be speaking on Marketing Technology for Agencies & Small Business at The Revolve Conference, a gathering of design, business and marketing professionals to be held Oct. 27-28, 2016 in Charleston[...]

Here’s the next in a series of ongoing conversations between me, Ilise Benun of Marketing-Mentor.com and time lapse filmmaker, Michael e. Stern of BuildaBetterPhotograph.com. In this episode, he shares 2 stories in which he heard about a project that would be perfect for him, proceeded to “insert himself into the conversation” and already secured one[...]

In the latest podcast, Ilise Benun of Marketing-Mentor.com chats with Steve Maurer, a copywriter in the vertical B2B Industrial Manufacturing niche, about the changes he’s making to his business, based on Ilise’s new program, AWAI’s Simplest Guide to Pricing Copy Projects. Steve also took what he learned and created worksheets to figure out his monthly[...]

Ilise Benun of Marketing-Mentor.com talks with Cassie Boorn of Maker Mentors, an online community for creative professionals, about how she knew when it was time to quit her  job and launch her business and what attendees will learn when they sign up for the 2nd Build a Better Business Conference, an online event happening April[...]

This podcast episode is a little different: Ilise Benun of Marketing-Mentor.com is joined by Meena Kothandaraman of Twig + Fish and Ben Callahan of Sparkbox for a quick rehearsal/overview of Keeping it Human, a brand new presentation they’ve collaborated on for ConvergeSE in Columbia, SC, April 2016.     

This is the 3rd live interview from the HOWDesignLive@SCAD Lecture Series 2016 with Ilise Benun of Marketing-Mentor.com and #HOWLive 2016 Opening Keynote speaker, author and filmmaker, Tiffany Shlain. She shares nuggets about her creative process, especially why she chose film as her creative medium and how she scales and maximizes her creativity. Watch the video version here and the rest of the[...]

In this conversation with writer, Lori Ferguson, Ilise Benun teases out the details of what Lori did and said for 18 months, until her ideal prospect was ready to give her a big project. Plus, which marketing tools she’s using to build a strong, portable business that will allow her to spend half the year[...]

This is the 2nd live interview from the HOWDesignLive@SCAD Lecture Series 2016 with Ilise Benun of Marketing-Mentor.com and #HOWLive 2015 speaker, Jason Fried, Co-Founder of Basecamp and author of 3 books including, “Rework,” and “Remote.” Lots of inspiring ideas about how to use your creativity to build a business that lasts, plus a little rant[...]

If you are a mid-career creative pro with a solid portfolio and lots of experience but you still struggle with pricing, you’re not alone and this podcast is for you. Time lapse filmmaker, Michael e. Stern ofBuildaBetterPhotograph.com, chats with Ilise Benun of Marketing-Mentor.com about how you may be undermining your success. He also shares the[...]

This is a live interview from the HOWDesignLive@SCAD Lecture Series 2016 with Ilise Benun of Marketing-Mentor.com and #HOWLive speaker, Matthew Manos of Founder of verynice.co, author of, “How to Give Half Your Work Away for Free” and recently named one of “Seven Millennials Changing the World.” Lots of inspiring ideas about building on his foundation[...]

If your unpredictable income makes your life a roller coaster, you’re not alone. In today’s podcast interview, Ilise Benun of Marketing-Mentor.com talks with freelance marketing strategist, Dianna Huff, about her new guide, Cashflow for Freelancers, in which she shares what she’s learned about evening out her own cash flow. And if you like what you[...]

What the heck is digital marketing? Is it online marketing? Is it Internet marketing? Is it a moving target? That’s the question I tackled with David Bain of Digital Marketing Radio. We talked especially about podcasting, live audio and video broadcasting. if you’ve been thinking of starting your own show, this is a great episode[...]

The new year is upon us so it’s time to reflect on what worked, and especially on what didn’t work, so we can improve it. In this year-end podcast, Ilise Benun of Marketing-Mentor.com is joined by time-lapse filmmaker, Michael e. Stern, of BuildaBetterPhotograph.com to share mistakes made and lessons learned regarding excited clients, partnerships, contracts[...]

There has been a ton of interest in Package Pricing for creative services but some confusion amongst other pricing strategies, like tiered-pricing and the trendy “productizing.” In this podcast interview Jason Blumer, of BlumerCPAs.com, and Ilise Benun of Marketing-Mentor.com, sort out and clarify these strategies so you can use them to gain more control over[...]

Laurie Millotte used to worry that she was undercharging. Other times she worried that she might be overcharging. Even when clients hired her, she never really knew if she had come up with the right price for her creative services. Then she started offering packages and it changed the way she does business. In this[...]

If you’re selling big-ticket services and want to connect directly with your best prospects, the phone is an effective marketing tool, if you know how to give good phone. Michael e. Stern generously shares his proven techniques in his 3rd podcast/interview with Ilise Benun of Marketing-Mentor.com Want more? Sign up for Quick Tips here.

How do you reach a wide audience when you don’t have thousands of raving fans? In my latest interview, music entrepreneur, Budi Voogt, explains exactly how he gets wide exposure for his talented musicians and how commercial artists and other creative professionals can adapt these strategies to reach a larger audience to find better clients.[...]

As a right brainer in a left brain world, Michael e. Stern has learned a lot in his 36 years in business about how to price his creative services. In his 2nd podcast/interview with Ilise Benun of Marketing-Mentor.com he shares his 3 best pricing strategies, including what he calls the “J.B. factor” and many other[...]

What are corporate in house design managers looking for in the freelancers they hire? Andy Epstein, author of The Corporate Creative, answers that question and many others in the latest podcast interview with Ilise Benun of Marketing-Mentor.com. Find out where the growth is and which skills will set you apart. Want more? Sign up for[...]

From surviving to thriving as a creative professional -- that’s the path Michael E. Stern walked the past 35 years as a photographer. It’s taken him time, but he’s found the niche that fits him like a “fur-lined” glove -- construction time-lapse films -- and gives him the freedom many can only dream of. You[...]

Cynthia Sterling of Sterling Creativeworks talks with Marketing Mentor, Ilise Benun, about how she chose the wine and spirits niche in 2011 when reinventing her business. She also shares how the resulting clarity has freed her to pursue (and secure as clients) the top multi-brand marketers in the category. Learn about her at SterlingCreativeworks.com and[...]

In this interview with the Small Business Advocate, Jim Blasingame, Ilise Benun debates what exactly is a niche and how to go about choosing one. If you're struggling with your niche, download the free worksheet "Is Your Market Viable,"  excerpted from The Pick a Niche Kit, http://bit.ly/ViableMarket

For this special “Pick a Niche” podcast, Ilise Benun is joined by Tomas Fransson of FlauntMyDesign.com and Scarlett Rugers to talk about Scarlett’s success in the book design niche. Want more? Sign up for Quick Tips from Marketing Mentor.

Copywriter & Marketing Strategist, Amy Posner, describes in exquisite detail the 9-step direct outreach approach (avec chocolat) with has so far yielded a 16% response PLUS a dream client. Learn about her at amyposner.com and Sign up for Quick Tips from Marketing Mentor. The transcript of this interview is also included in the 30 Minutes a[...]

Ilise Benun talks with Jenny Poff, founder of the national accountability group, The Designers Roundtable, about the inaugural Designer’s Retreat, an event unlike any other, designed for creative professionals by creative professionals.

Designer, Robin Ridley, describes how she decided to focus on the animal welfare and vegan markets and the steps she took to determine the viability of these markets. Learn about Robin at parfaitstudio.com and Sign up for Quick Tips from Marketing Mentor. The transcript of this interview is also included in the Pick a Niche Kit.

In Episode 5 of the #HOWLive 2015 Speaker Podcast Series, Ilise Benun, HDL Partner for the Creative Business program and founder of Marketing-Mentor.com, interviews communications strategist and writer, Doug Dolan, on his HDL 2015 topic, “There Will Be Words: How To Get Designers And Writers On The Same Page.” Details here www.howdesignlive.com.

In Episode 4 of the #HOWLive 2015 Speaker Podcast Series, Ilise Benun, HDL Partner for the Creative Business program and founder of Marketing-Mentor.com, interviews Janine Vangool, Publisher, Editor and Designer, UPPERCASE magazine on her HDL 2015 topic, “What I Learned From Design Clients Led to My "Retirement"... And Launched A Whole New Career.” Find out more about[...]

In Episode 3 of the 2015 HOW Design Live Speaker Podcast Series, Ilise Benun, Partner for HDL’s "Creative Business" program, interviews poet and creative coach, Mark McGuiness, on his topic, “How to Handle Rejection & Criticism as a Creative.” In this podcast, he explains why he believes creatives have trouble with criticism and what we can[...]

Ilise Benun joins Jim Blasingame at Small Business Advocate to talk about why packaging your services has many advantages for you and your clients. For more, check out the Package Pricing Bundle.

In Episode 2 of the 2015 HOW Design Live Speaker Podcast Series, Ilise Benun, Partner for HDL’s "Creative Business" program, interviews Rob Harr, VP of Sparkbox, on his topic, “How to Make Hourly Pricing Work.” He explains why he thinks creatives have such a hard time with pricing and how his firm keeps cash flowing and[...]

In this podcast interview with Ilise Benun, Programming Partner for the "Creative Business" program of HOW Design Live 2015, Aaron Draplin gives a taste of his topic. Officially entitled, "Tall Tales From a Large Man," he thinks of it as "graphic treasures from the American underbelly" and he'll talk about mining the world for what he[...]

In this podcast, Nathan Powell of Nusii Proposal Software interviews Ilise Benun, Marketing Mentor and creator of the Designer's Proposal Bundle series. They discuss the 4 types of proposals, what exactly should be in a winning proposal and what it really means when a proposal is about the client's project and not about you! Plus, much[...]

In today’s podcast, Ilise rehearses the introduction for her upcoming CreativeLive course, Command the Fees You Deserve. This course, presented by Ilise Benun of Marketing-Mentor.com, will help you enjoy greater stability and security by finding the right niche, marketing and pricing your work, and sifting good clients from bad ones.

Listen to find out how Jen Neal's Toronto-based firm, K9 Strategy & Design, has evolved since we last talked in 2011. She shares details on their rebranding and how their involvement in the supposedly dying publishing industry has led them to a leadership level in the industry and which marketing tools they use to get[...]

This podcast collage is a sneak peek at the brand new Enhanced version of the Marketing Plan + eCalendar for 2015. You’ll hear clips from 3 interviews between Ilise Benun of Marketing-Mentor.com and creative professionals who are practicing what I preach and it’s working! They are targeting their markets and finding better clients! If you want[...]

This podcast is a little different than usual – it’s a sneak peek at the brand new Package Pricing Bundle, the newest product in the Marketing Mentor Toolbox. You’ll hear clips from 4 interviews with creative professionals who so generously shared the creative pricing strategies they’re using to take more control over their business and[...]

Packaging creative services is all the rage these days, but it’s more than a trend. It’s actually allowing creative professionals to take control of their work life, raise their prices and save time on estimates and proposals. In this podcast, excerpted from Marketing Mentor’s new product, The Package Pricing Bundle, Ilise Benun interviews web copywriter,[...]

I recently joined Jake Jorgovan to discuss the biggest mistake new freelancers make when telling people what they do. Listen to learn a better way...

  Ilise Benun joins Jim Blasingame of Small Business Advocate to reveal two more critical questions to ask yourself before you become a small business owner.

  Ilise Benun joins Jim Blasingame of Small Business Advocate to talk about why most of us start our small businesses, and to reveal a very important question to ask ourselves when we do.

Here’s the 5th Audio Article written by Ilise Benun of Marketing-Mentor.com and read aloud by the author, “5 Steps to Finding the Right Clients.” Listen to learn the secret to closing a deal with new clients by ushering them through a step-by-step qualifying process that weeds out the tire-kickers. Follow this tried-and-true formula to find the[...]

In today’s podcast, The Marketing Mentor, Ilise Benun, chats with Heather Lloyd-Martin, SEO Writing expert and teacher of SEO copywriting, about what designers and writers really need to know about SEO plus the art of writing pages that both convert well and connect with web site visitors. Find more on the blog: http://marketing-mentor.com/blog and at seocopywriting.com

Here’s the 4th Audio Article written by Ilise Benun of Marketing-Mentor.com and read aloud by the author, Closing the Deal: From Proposal to Contract. Listen to learn when to talk money, how to present your proposal, when to follow up and what to do if you don’t get the gig. Find actual sample proposals in[...]

Here’s the third in a new series of “audio articles” written by Ilise Benun of Marketing-Mentor.com and read aloud by the author. There is more and more video being used by creatives to market their services, which makes sense. Because when it comes to showcasing your talent, seeing is often believing – and stills don’t always do[...]

Battling big egos and unfair deadlines? You're not alone. For small agencies and solopreneurs especially, one bad client can mean big problems, draining your resources and even harming your carefully built culture. In this podcast, Ilise Benun, of Marketing-Mentor.com, helps you spot the 4 red flags you should be watching for, plus 3 actions you[...]

Here’s the second in a new series of “audio articles” written by the Marketing Mentor, Ilise Benun and read aloud by the author. “Content marketing” is the latest buzzword, but should you be doing it? The answer is yes, but only if you do it right. Follow this guide to create a content-marketing plan that[...]

Here’s the first in a new series of “audio articles” written by the Marketing Mentor, Ilise Benun and read aloud by the author. The Art & Science of Pricing covers the basics of pricing for creative services, including the tools you need to price profitably (instead of desperately) as well as the intangibles that make[...]

The answer, according to Jake Jorgovan, web designer and intrepid freelancer, is an unqualified YES! In this interview with Ilise Benun, he shares how he kick started his business using oDesk + what and who online marketplaces are best for. For more like this, check out www.Jake-Jorgovan.com

In this post-HOW Design Live/Creative Freelancer Business Conference podcast interview, Laura Foley (@LMFDesign & lauramfoley.com) generously shares so much, including what she learned from Jason Blumer about pricing her services and how she immediately used the 3-tier pricing structure to win a new project -- at the highest price.

In Part 2 of their conversation, Ilise Benun joins Jim Blasingame of Small Business Advocate, to discuss one of the most popular sessions from CFBC with Doug Dolan, A Field Guide to Bad Clients.

In Part 1 of their conversation, Ilise Benun joins Jim Blasingame of Small Business Advocate, to discuss one of the most popular sessions from CFBC with Doug Dolan, A Field Guide to Bad Clients.

Marketing Mentor, Ilise Benun, talks with Corwin Hiebert about how to create a Business Action Plan, which is much simpler (and can be better for creative professionals) than a traditional business plan. Listen to this taste of his session at the 2014 CFBC/HOW Live, Creating a Business Action Plan. Details and sign up for the[...]

Marketing Mentor, Ilise Benun, chats with Doug Dolan, communications strategist, writer and creative director about a cast of bad clients from the coin counter and the buck passer to the web searcher and the game changer, in preparation for his CFBC/HOW Live session, Solving Your Biggest Creative Problem: The Client. Details and sign up for the[...]

Started by Jen Lombardi, Kiwi Creative (a small design firm outside Cleveland, Ohio) is now a firm of 6 people - and this growth was intentional. This is what Jen discusses with Ilise Benun of Marketing Mentor, in this episode of the HOWLive/CFBC 2014 Speaker podcast series. Details and sign up for the event this May in Boston here: http://bit.ly/1eNEI0v 

In this week’s podcast interview, Marketing Mentor Ilise Benun chats with Alina Wheeler, author of “Designing Brand Identity” on the latest survival strategy for the soul: Reinvention. At this year’s CFBC/HOW Design Live (2014), Alina will be sharing the process she’s used to reinvent herself, as well as lots of examples of people to use[...]

If you want to survive as a creative professional, you need to be one who understands business, especially the things in business that trump aesthetics. But how? That’s what Ilise Benun of Marketing Mentor discusses with Douglas Davis, in this week’s installment of the HOWLive/CFBC 2014 Speaker podcast series. Details and sign up for the[...]

In the next installment of the HOWLive/CFBC 2014 Speaker podcast series, Ilise Benun of Marketing-Mentor.com chats with Jason Blumer of BlumerCPAs.com about the highly subjective art of pricing (especially value-based pricing) for creative services, plus many other topics he’ll be covering in his CFBC session this May in Boston. Details here: http://bit.ly/1eNEI0v"

In this week’s podcast interview, Marketing Mentor, Ilise Benun, chats with Ed Gandia, of the International Freelancers Academy, about time-sucking clients and the things we procrastinate (i.e. tasks we hate, don’t do well and shouldn’t be doing in the first place). Details for his popular “Effortless Productivity” program (which starts Feb. 27, 2014) here: http://bit.ly/145e6UR

We all know that preparation is important -- but most people don't take the time to do enough of it. And the consequences often sting, especially when you're working with corporations whose culture often involves (and demands) lots of preparation. In this podcast, Dana Maciagli (in preparation for her HOWLive/CFBC 2014 session, Behind the Corporate[...]

In this podcast, Marketing Mentor client, Tiffany Estes, of Whole Brain Creative, describes to Ilise Benun, her step by step process to choose and approach a select few of her existing clients about a retainer arrangement for more stability in her business and less anxiety in her life.

In this first podcast of 2014, Marketing Mentor, Illse Benun, interviews her client, marketing consultant and creative director, Jim Gorman of Gorman360. Their wide-ranging conversation covers everything from Jim's uber-confident and clear, 3-storey elevator pitch to an in-depth discussion of 3 of his winning proposals, with which he won 4 retainer clients in his target[...]

Do you know how to set and achieve goals? Ilise Benun joins Jim Blasingame to joins Jim Blasingame to recommend goal setting best practices, including using small steps, as you begin the New Year.

Ilise Benun joins Jim Blasingame of Small Business Advocate to explain that networking is the most important part of marketing, plus the kind of people you need in your network.

Ilise Benun joins Jim Blasingame of Small Business Advocate to discuss getting your customers to take an active role in your business, plus why peer, colleagues, mentors & even competitors should be part of your network.

In this interview with Marc Harmon from Creative Grit Media, learn how to market your business using an organized, step-by-step process -- like the one in the new, 2014 Marketing Plan + eCalendar. 

Are your attempts to communicate with customers successful? Ilise Benun joins Jim Blasingame to recommend practicing self-analysis before and after talking with customers to evaluate your performance and success.

Are all of your conversations with customers successful? Ilise Benun joins Jim Blasingame to discuss common communication challenges we all have when trying to influence and serve customers.

Ilise Benun talks with creative freelancer, Nick Matarese of Delaware-based, The Creative Barn, about how he went from not knowing where his next project was coming from to signing a 2-year contract with a dream client in just 5 months (actually less). In this very candid and informative interview, he shares (among many other things)[...]

Ilise Benun talks with Ed Gandia of the International Freelancers Academy on pricing for creative professionals. Ed shares his strategy for demonstrating value to support your prices and tells exactly how he raised his rates to an existing client, always a tricky thing to do.

Ilise Benun joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how online and offline networking can support one another.

In today’s podcast, Sarah Durham of BigDuckNYC.com (a favorite speaker on pricing at CFC 2012) talks with me about how she integrates her own unbillable time into her pricing. 

Copywriter, Sonia Quinones, first time attendee of the Creative Freelancer Conference (and HOW Design Live), is one more creative professional who, only one month after the event, had already landed a project as a result of the networking she did at the Matchmaking Happy Hour with InHOWse Design Managers. The event essentially paid for itself[...]

In today’s podcast, Deidre Rienzo interviews Marketing Mentor, Ilise Benun, about how she organizes her day. From Post-It Notes, to dog walks, to getting up early, find out how Ilise balances flexibility with structure to stay productive. 

Ed Gandia interviews Marketing Mentor, Ilise Benun, for his B2B Launcher podcast about her newest networking tricks, including how to choose the right event to attend, how to prepare to make the best of your time, plus a few secrets for standing out, getting noticed and increasing your chances of starting a dialogue that can[...]

Join Ilise Benun and Mark O'Brien (CEO of Newfangled) as they offer a Crash Course in Positioning and Content Marketing for Design Firms.

Does your pricing strategy need a profitability boost? Ilise Benun joins Jim Blasingame to reveal how to replace your hourly rate pricing strategy for professional services with a value-based strategy that focuses on the results of your work.

Ilise Benun talks to Jim Blasingame about the upcoming, 6th annual Creative Freelancer Conference (June 22-24 in San Francisco), and shares examples of the business practices attendees will learn.

In the latest podcast/interview in the Creative Freelancer Conference Speaker Series (the big event is right around the corner, June 22-24 in San Francisco), Ilise Benun speaks with Jezra Kaye, author of “Speak Like Yourself, No Really,” and together they dissect each word of her session title: “Promote and Present: How to Speak Persuasively to[...]

In the latest podcast/interview in the CFC 2013 Speaker Series, Ilise Benun of Marketing-Mentor.com talks with writer and strategist, Alisa Bonsignore about how she went from newbie creative freelancer to speaking at the event this year. She also shares tips on the art of saying “no” (including the actual language) and how she’s developed the[...]

Marketing Mentor, Ilise Benun, talks with Jim Krause (www.jimkrausedesign.com), 25-year veteran freelance designer and author of many books, including Color Index book and Idea Index books, about his CFC 2013 topic: “How to Stuff 10 lbs of you-know-what into a 5-day week, (week after week)” – essentially how to manage time and projects efficiently (without[...]

In preparation for the networking fest that is CFC 2013: The Business Conference for the Creatively Self Employed (www.creativefreelancerconference.com), networking expert, author and speaker Dana Manciagli shares with Marketing Mentor, Ilise Benun, 10 tips to network with a purpose to get what you need.

In this podcast interview with Marketing Mentor, Ilise Benun, Leila Zogby, independent writer of corporate marcom, in business for 30 years but struggling after the recession, gets unstuck by reinventing herself and changing how she thinks and talks about the services she offers.

Ilise Benun, of Marketing-Mentor.com, interviews Erin Pheil of TimeForCake.com about her strategy for capturing visitors to her web site and offering a freebie so she can nurture them into becoming clients. Check out the model here: NoClientHostingHassles.com.

Podcast: Ilise Benun of Marketing-Mentor.com interviews Bryn Mooth on where she is after 2 years of freelancing and her upcoming CFC session: What to Expect When You’re Freelancing, which is perfect for those who are anywhere on the continuum from "I’m thinking about it" to "I’ve made the move but I’m still struggling," Come hear her[...]

Podcast: Ilise Benun of Marketing-Mentor.com interviews Luke Mysse for the CFC Speaker Podcast Series on The Arc of Success and how he overcame his own fears by expanding his vision and committing to helping others. Come hear him in person at CFC 2013, June 22-24 in San Francisco. Details here: www.creativefreelancerconference.com

Ilise Benun of Marketing-mentor.com interviews Colleen Wainwright (a.k.a. the communicatrix) for the CFC Speaker Podcast Series on the latest trends in social media networking for creative pros. Come hear her in person at CFC 2013, June 22-24 in San Francisco for her session, Making People Love You Madly: Selling Yourself in the Postmodern Marketplace. Details:[...]

For the CFC 2013 Speaker Podcast series, Ilise Benun of Marketing-Mentor.com interviews Mark O’Brien of Newfangled.com about what exactly content marketing is for creative professionals and small firms and what gets in the way of doing it. To develop your own content marketing strategy, attend Mark’s post-conference workshop You Don’t Know What You Know: Developing[...]

Jill had plenty of clients through word of mouth, but wanted to get better quality work. She needed to update her website, manage time better, and find more efficient ways of growing her business. In this interview, Jill talks about her successes (including a 17% increase in business!) with the help of Marketing Mentor, Ilise[...]

In the latest podcast interview in the CFC 2013 Speaker Series, Ilise Benun talks with Sarah Durham, Principal and Founder of Big Duck about working with companies who “do good” and suggests how to find them. Also, she shares a taste of what she’ll be speaking on at CFC, “Integrating Your Values and Your Positioning.”[...]

Marketing Mentor, Ilise Benun, chats with Dana Manciagli, CFC 2013 speaker (Cut the Crap, Start Networking!) and 30+ year corporate veteran who is also building a freelance business as a speaker/author. This wide ranging conversation goes from how looking for a job in the 21st century is a lot like being self employed, to rules[...]

Freelance designer, Jenny Poff (www.presqueisledesigns.com), found clarity, confidence and a niche market at CFC last year. You can hear the confidence in her voice and learn what she did to catapult her business. To find your version, join us at CFC June 22-24 in SF! Get $100 off (CFC only) if you combine promo code[...]

June Walker, tax advisor to the self employed (she calls them “indies”), talks with Marketing Mentor, Ilise Benun, about why creatives get so confused about taxes and what you can do about it. She’ll be at CFC (June 22-24, 2013 in SF) and her session is called “Creatively Legitimate Expenses: Don’t Cheat Yourself” – Details[...]

Toronto-based designer, Sherri Gallowitz of G Strategic (gstrategic.ca), started sending out her email newsletter to her nonprofit sector clients in November 2012 and already has 2 decent contracts as a result. Listen to how she did it and do it for yourself!

Rick Carlile and his passionate team are building “the first networked professional marketplace.” It’s called Aegora.com and its goal is to make it easier for freelancers and creative professionals to connect and transact business. I talked recently with Rick about the future of work and whether everyone can really be their own boss, succeeding or[...]

See success in action and we kick off the launch of CFC 2013 (June 22-24, 2013 in SF). In this podcast interview, package designer, Jenn David Connolly of Jenn David Design (www.jenndavid.com), describes exactly how she took what she learned at CFC 2012 to heart and used it to reach her 5 year goal in[...]

In part 2 of this podcast interview, Tiffany Estes of Whole Brain Creative (www.wholebraincreative.com) shares more takeaways from the HOW Interactive Design Conference 2012, including the difference between web apps and native apps, what to include in a competitive analysis for a client and whether it makes sense to post pricing for your services on[...]

This week I was interviewed by Judy Rosenthal about raising rates and she had some ideas from the financial planning industry that could also apply to creative services.

Tiffany Estes of Whole Brain Creative (www.wholebraincreative.com) attended the HOW Interactive Design Conference for the 2nd time in 2012 and in part 1 of this podcast/interview with Ilise Benun, she recaps the highlights. Includes why she’s rethinking Wordpress, how she’s dealing with proposals for complex projects and how her mindset needs to change if she’s[...]

Join us for another conversation with writer and journalist, Bryn Mooth. This time, we talk about Bryn’s goals for growing her network in 2013 and reaching outside her current sphere. We focused on 2 questions: how to keep track of her best prospects (that doesn’t involve learning a new software) and how to pitch those[...]

Does your prospect's excitement mean he's ready to buy? Ilise Benun joins Jim Blasingame to talk about some of the things to do so you know the difference between a prospects excitement and readiness to sign a contract.

Ilise Benun joins Jim Blasingame to report on how she kept working off-site, in the Cloud, when Hurricane Sandy kept her out of her office.

It’s already been a year and a half since writer and journalist, Bryn Mooth (http://brynmooth.com/), former editor of HOW Magazine, started her freelance writing business. Listen to our recent interview to about Bryn's progress and learn why patience is a freelancer's friend.

As a preview for upcoming PIC event on November 7th in Toronto (Secrets to writing winning proposals, estimates and RFPs), listen to my short interview with PIC chair Donna Papacosta. More event details here: http://toronto.iabc.com/iabc-events/2012/10/13/professional-independent-communicators-presents-secrets-to-writing-winning-proposals-estimates-and-rfps/

Last time, I talked with Julia Reich of Julia Reich Design about her recent rebrand. Today, we discuss the details of how her logo came about. Listen in...

I asked Mark O’Brien, CEO of Newfangled and author of one of my favorite books, A Website that Works, about how to use your website to filter out non-ideal clients. Listen to this 8-minute interview for his suggestions.

If you're considering changing the name of your business or doing a rebranding for your creative firm, listen to this interview with Julia Reich about her process.

In my latest interview with Bryn Mooth, we talked about what she learned at CFC and how she is putting that learning into practice. She suggested a technique for taking potentially overwhelming information and putting it into action. Listen here to hear exactly how Bryn does her one-chunk-at-a-time approach.

Jeff Tara, from Brand Vue Design, is back with his upbeat attitude. Jeff has been in business only 4 months so far, but he's already accomplished so much. Listen to the latest in this interview...

In this 11-minute interview, Luke Mysse previews his upcoming CFC session, Options for Growth. Join us at the Creative Freelancer Conference, June 21-22 in Boston. Details here.

For today’s podcast interview with a speaker, we have David Baker from ReCourses (www.recourses.com) giving us a preview of his session, “Positioning yourself as if you were outside looking in.” Join us at the Creative Freelancer Conference, June 21-22 in Boston. Details here.

How is newbie freelancer, Bryn Mooth, progressing?   Listen to April's interview with wellness and creativity journalist and copywriter, Bryn Mooth. Join us at the Creative Freelancer Conference, June 21-22 in Boston. Details here.

Newly-minted freelancer, Kelsey Grafton, of Lewiston, Idaho, knows she has a lot to learn about running her new business, BlueSkyMondays. She said it wasn't hard to convince her new boss (herself!) to invest in sending her to the Creative Freelancer Conference as her first big step in that process.

Listen to this 15-minute interview, where Allison Manley, from Rogue Element, answers these questions: How much time it takes to do the proposals and how they decide which ones to do. What to do if the prospect isn’t responsive during the proposal process. What if you don’t have access to the people involved in the[...]

The 5th Annual Creative Freelancer Conference, June 21-22 in Boston (early bird deadline is April 30!), is rapidly approaching. For today’s podcast interview, we have Marcia Hoeck, giving us a preview of her session, Skillful Communication with Clients.  Q: What’s the biggest mistake creatives make when communicating with clients?  Marcia: The biggest mistake is not[...]

Last time we talked, Jeff Tara from Brand Vue Design had gotten a client by sending an email (in which he shared his honest opinion about his favorite wine company’s new label). Recently laid off, this happened one week after Jeff officially went freelance.  With such a productive first week, I couldn’t wait to speak[...]

One of the most popular speakers from last year's Creative Freelancer Conference, Allen Murabayashi, CEO of PhotoShelter, will be back this year (June 21-22 in Boston -- early bird deadline is this Friday, March 30!). Allen joined me for a podcast interview to preview his session, Building Your Prospect List: Quality vs. Quantity. In our[...]

The 5th Annual Creative Freelancer Conference, June 21-22 in Boston (early bird deadline is this Friday, March 30!), is rapidly approaching and for today’s podcast interview, we have Sarah Durham, Founder of Big Duck. Sarah’s session will be The Nuts and Bolts of Pricing and Negotiating. At Big Duck, they design exclusively with nonprofit organizations.[...]

The 5th Annual Creative Freelancer Conference, June 21-22 in Boston (early bird deadline is this Friday, March 30!), is rapidly approaching and for today’s podcast interview, we have Cameron Foote, Editor of Creative Business, who will be taking part in the Perspectives on Pricing Panel at this year’s conference. In this 14-minute interview, I asked[...]

As we get ready for the 5th Annual Creative Freelancer Conference, June 21-22 in Boston (early bird deadline is March 30!), we’re doing a podcast interview series with our speakers! Recently, we featured Dyana Valentine, Mark O’Brien, Shane Pearlman and Jonathan Cleveland.  Today, we have Ed Gandia, freelancer copywriter, speaker, coach, and co-author of “The[...]

As we get ready for the 5th Annual Creative Freelancer Conference, June 21-22 in Boston, we’re doing a podcast interview series with our speakers! Recently, we featured Dyana Valentine, Mark O’Brien and Shane Pearlman. Today, we have Jonathan Cleveland, Principal of Boston-based Cleveland Design. With a staff of five, his firm fills an important need[...]

As we get ready for the 5th Annual Creative Freelancer Conference, June 21-22 in Boston, we’re doing a podcast interview series with our speakers! Recently, we featured Dyana Valentine and Mark O’Brien. Today, we have Shane Pearlman, describing his upcoming session, “Planning for the First Year of Freelance.”  Read an excerpt below and listen to[...]

Bryn Mooth is an independent journalist and copywriter focused on food, wellness and creativity—she blogs at www.writes4food.com -- and I’ve been following her marketing journey since she became self-employed less than a year ago.   Lately, we’ve been talking about the merits of LinkedIn, and Bryn has dedicated time, twice a week, to gain visibility and[...]

As we get ready for the 5th Annual Creative Freelancer Conference, June 21-22 in Boston, we’re doing a podcast interview series with our speakers! Last week we featured Dyana Valentine whose topic is “Pitch Perfect.” Today, we have Mark O’Brien, President of Newfangled, describing his upcoming session, “Is Your Website Generating Business?”  Read an excerpt below[...]

Amy Graver’s design firm, Elements, positions themselves as a “virtual marketing department.” It’s a strong positioning for them—but the only challenge is, with such a potentially broad audience (Who doesn’t need a virtual marketing department?), where do you go to find those prospects? How do you efficiently locate those people?  When it comes to Amy,[...]

Stephanie Helline, Owner of Strategic Design Studio, had a very surprising response to her latest email newsletter. The topic was, “Is the Business Card DEAD?” and she didn’t think much of it when she scheduled it to go out Friday morning. She didn’t even like the topic much, but she was committed to staying in[...]

Dyana Valentine is one of our favorite Creative Freelancer Conference speakers; we bring her back every year! This year at CFC (June 21-22nd in Boston) she is going to be talking about Pitch Perfect—and I interviewed Dyana to get a preview. Listen to find out more about Dyana, hear her “working pitch,” and learn: The[...]

“I've already landed 2 freelance jobs since I launched my website this week! Without your materials, I don’t think I would have been as prepared as I am now.” This is what Jeff Tara emailed me after launching his website for Brand Vue Design with the help of the Freelancers Essentials Collection.  I had to[...]

Last time I talked to independent journalist and copywriter, Bryn Mooth, from Writes4Food, she confessed to slowing down in December and paying the price in January. When I asked her, “What could you have done differently to avoid this slowdown?” Bryn said, “I should have put more effort into marketing in October and November.” Bryn[...]

In this world where “content is king,” more and more of marketing is “content marketing.” With the need for content so vast—you can be a writer who specializes in exactly what a prospect needs, such as a web writer, content strategist, direct response writer or technical writer. Stacey King Gordon, from Suite Seven, started as[...]

When it comes to taxes, are you deducting everything you can? Bryn wasn’t.  Bryn Mooth is an independent journalist and copywriter at Writes4Food. We’ve been following Bryn’s journey, and recently, we talked about taxes. In the first meeting with her accountant, Bryn had a big surprise: She had a percentage in mind for Uncle Sam,[...]

Bryn Mooth is an independent journalist and copywriter at Writes4Food.com. I’ve been checking-in with Bryn for the past 8 months (since she went freelance) to follow her journey, and last week, we did our first calls of 2012. How did she do? Overall, 2011 “exceeded” her expectations. Bryn was pleased with the income she earned[...]

Recently I interviewed Scott Hull (www.scotthull.com), an agent for illustrators who, when you ask what he does, says he, “links creativity to the corporate world.” We talked a lot about how illustration has changed and who the new “art buyers” are. He shared some interesting information for creatives and illustrators—especially when it comes to selling[...]

Sometimes, all you need is a kickstart. That’s all it took for Julia Nable, co-founder (with her partner) of SandorMax, to decide how to position their small Connecticut-based firm after 6+ years in business.  I met with Julia and Zoltan for a 2 hour consultation in June 2011 (almost exactly 6 months ago). Then, in[...]

We’ve been talking about crowdsourcing a lot on the Creative Freelancer Blog, and designer, Laurel Black, is central to every discussion. So, I decided to do an interview with Laurel on some basics of crowdsourcing (from her perspective) for those who haven't been following all the comments. We started with a few basic questions: What[...]

Should you be putting samples inside your proposals? Should higher fees equal longer proposals? What are the 5 basic elements every proposal should have? Find out answers to these questions, and many more, in my recent interview for the International Freelancers Academy with Ed Gandia. In this hour-long interview, we cover the real information you need to[...]

Bob Bly, who has been a freelance copywriter since 1982 (and made millions doing it) generously shared his one-page agreement in the new Proposal Bundle for Copywriters (Today only: Get $10 off with promo code: BUNDLE10). I interviewed Bob on the Marketing Mentor Podcast to find out more about his agreement. Here’s an excerpt…  Is it safe to skip[...]

Do you know how to respond to a Request for Proposal? Recently, I joined Jim Blasingame to discuss: How to prepare for a request for proposal (RFP) How to know when to not respond  How your proposal can have a long shelf-life  Listen to this interview on the Marketing Mentor Podcast. If you're working on[...]

If you know you need a target market—but don’t know where to start, this interview will help. Often, your market is right there in front of you, where you can see a need. Usually, it comes from your past experience. This is where I found my target market (creative professionals) in 1988. Last week, I[...]

Daniel Pelavin is entering his 5th decade as a typographic designer and illustrator. I had the pleasure of meeting him at the Graphic Artists Guild’s Reboot (http://newyork.gag.org/RRR_Conference/schedule.html) conference. He was pointed out as being “the king of self-promotion,” and of course, I had to find out more.  Daniel agreed to an interview so I asked him[...]

Recently, I talked with Jim Blasingame, of Small Business Advocate, about proposals. Though we have a slightly different approach (he says don’t miss an opportunity, I say deliver only when you have a real chance of getting the job) we can both agree on this: Whenever possible, present the proposal personally. This is, hands down,[...]

Just 5 months into her new career as a freelance food writer, Bryn Mooth is already getting a lot of publicity and great projects. (Follow her journey here.) But as a lot of new freelancers do—Bryn is finding pricing to be a challenge. Why? She’s calculated an hourly rate, refined an estimating sheet, and learned[...]

If you’re hesitant to focus on a target market, listen to this interview with Jennifer Neal, Owner of K9 Design Co. – I bet it will change your mind. In a nutshell: in 2008, K9 was a busy family-owned design business that was almost completely referral-based. They need more control over the flow of work,[...]

I recently interviewed Stacey King Gordon about her transition from being a freelancer known as “Night Writer Communications” to running her newly named content strategy firm, “Suite Seven,” which has 2 employees and more coming soon.   In a nutshell: Stacey always had “stars in her eyes” about owning her own business and started as[...]

Neil Brown of Brown Advertising (http://www.brownadvertising.com/) in Winston-Salem North Carolina recently faced a bit of a business crisis. His biggest client restructured and disappeared. One month later I called to see how things were going. To my delight (and a bit of surprise), Neil said, “Business has been really good.” When I asked him what[...]

I grabbed a few minutes with PhotoShelter's Vice President of Marketing, Andrew Fingerman, to talk about a particularly sticky issue - when and how to directly ask your clients about their budget while pitching for new business. Here's an excerpt:  Are we a good fit? The primary reason to bring up the budget issue is[...]

It’s 3 months into Bryn Mooth’s career as a freelance food writer, and I’ve been interviewing her along the way. (See our previous interviews: Asking Questions = Looking Stupid and The First Week as a Freelancer.) In today’s interview, we talked about the importance of tuning into what’s around you. Bryn says,  “Once you start[...]

Not following up with a contact you meet—is like not watering a seed that would otherwise sprout into an apple tree. Whether you’re back from CFC and still haven’t gotten to that stack of cards (you know who you are), or you network often but follow up spottily, these interviews are for you. I joined[...]

Not following up with a contact you meet—is like not watering a seed that would otherwise sprout into an apple tree. Whether you’re back from CFC and still haven’t gotten to that stack of cards (you know who you are), or you network often but follow up spottily, these interviews are for you. I joined[...]

Ann Siegle, President of Tria Marketing (http://www.triadesignfirm.com/) in Lansing, MI. has recently separated from her partners to embark on her own. She’s enjoying the transition, and in this interview, she shares with us the new vision she has for her business—and how she’s using marketing to make it a reality. With a target market of entrepreneurs and[...]

If you’ve been following along with our story about Bryn Mooth, who left her 20-year publishing career to pursue a career as a freelance writer, you’ll remember our interview a month ago when she was in the glow of Week 1 of self-employment.  I interviewed her again in Week 5 to see how she’s coming[...]

Vivienne Scholl, from San Francisco-based Avenue 4 Design, commented recently on a Marketing Mix post about progress payments. She said: We've started doing monthly billing with our clients. Billing is now tied to a date, not a milestone. It's so much better for cash flow. Anyone else doing this? Since getting paid is always an[...]

Bryn Mooth recently left 20-year career in publishing, and she’s embarking on her own as a freelance writer. Her blog at Writes4Food.com started as a way to spark her own creativity, and has turned into a business where she writes on food, cooking, nutrition, and healthy living topics. In the beginning of Bryn’s 2nd week[...]

I’ve been talking to clients lately to get a view inside the evolution of their business. A big signpost in the evolution journey is raising rates, but often, the creatives I work with are afraid their clients will disappear if they do it. In a recent interview with Megan Coleman, freelance web designer, she says,[...]

"A lot of the jobs I was doing were one-off jobs,” said Stephen Hadley, owner of Houston-based Inkwell Media, a creative firm that produces employee newsletters and magazines for the oil and gas industry. In business over 5 years, Stephen recently completed the Beginner Marketing Group, which he joined because, in his words, “I didn’t have enough[...]

At last year’s Creative Freelancer Conference, there was an attendee named Lauren Hybinette. She was employed by a company at the time, but she had an epiphany that made her decide, then and there, that she wanted to be self-employed.   Where is Lauren one year later? Find out. Read this blog post from Bryn[...]

Designer (and Creative Freelancer Conference veteran), Charlene Tiedemann, was getting bits and pieces of work, but struggling with how to get more clients and how to become the boss. She didn’t know who the clients were, where they were, or how to get to them. Six months later, she said, “Meeting people and having a[...]

Direct outreach works. Here’s proof. Eric Koby from fatrabbit CREATIVE talked about his direct outreach efforts (on his Advanced Marketing Group phone call), and he's given us permission to share it. Listen here...

Now that most of my clients have chosen target markets, things are starting to happen. Some of them are thrilled to have finally found a market that is responding positively. Others are still struggling, especially because they just aren’t “excited” about their target market. What to do? I spoke last week with Dianne Rohkohl, a[...]

Ilise recently did an interview with QRCA, Qualitative Research Consultants Association, about talking price without alienating customers. Listen in...

Heather Parlato from Parlato Design talks about how she made the transition from a full-time job to full-time freelancing. In the interview, she addresses:   Shifting from the employee mindset Flat rates vs. hourly rates How to treat your clients, and how much authority to give them Her qualifying process Saying no, red flags, and finding the right[...]

Lisa Smith Youngdahl joined the Beginner Marketing Group in September 2009. In the past year and a half, she has made great strides in her business. Learn the tools she uses, how she uses them, and the results she's achieved within her target market: healthcare.   Listen in...

In this interview, Jennifer Neal from K9 Design describes how her company has increased their presence as experts in the publishing industry, and due to specific marketing efforts had a 30% increase in their business in 2010.

Do you need to be reminded about marketing? Ilise Benun joins Jim Blasingame to launch a new tool, the Marketing Mentor eCalendar, that will help you keep marketing top-of-mind as you go about running your small business.

Ilise Benun joins Jim Blasingame with marketing tips, including defining your profile customers and marketing to them strategically with the help of organizing tools for marketing tasks.

Would organizing tools help you become a better marketer? Ilise Benun joins Jim Blasingame to discuss how getting organized with technology tools that sync with each other can help you become a more successful marketer. Listen in...

In my recent interview with Janet Mobley from Fat Cat Strategies, she talks about:   Why 2010 came in like a lamb and went out like a lion How they talk about the services they offer, especially retainer services The “dark side” of retainers Properly outlining retainer relationships Mini-retainers Why she prefers “unofficial” networking events[...]

In this interview, Ilise talks with talented illustrator, Tim Read, about the marketing tools that are working for his business. He shares: ·         Exactly how he uses social media ·         How he’s getting business from LinkedIn ·         How to self-promote without doing a blatant sales pitch ·         What works in a social media profile Tim[...]

How is marketing changing in the 21st century? Ilise Benun joins Jim Blasingame to discuss marketing in the new economy, the importance of relationships with customers and vendors, plus tips on developing and maintaining these relationships. Listen in...

Cleveland Design is a firm that has been in business for nearly 20 years, and in this interview, Jonathan Cleveland, Principal, shares why this has been one of their best years yet. Find out which tools they're using, and how they make sure clients know "everything" they are capable of. Listen in...  

Here's a recent interview Ilise did with Beth Brodovsky from Iris Creative. http://www.iriscreative.com/   There are two big questions that Ilise asks Beth in this interview:    How did you come to pinpoint your target market? Beth talks about how she (and her staff) worked together to find their target market, membership organizations, after being generalists for many[...]

It sounds obvious, but when you go out looking for clients -- really looking -- you find them. Ilise saw this last week in Martha Retallick's Prospecting Hour interview, and it is once again the simple lesson from Pam Saxon of Saxon Design in Nashville TN. Pam (who finished Ilise's Beginner Marketing Group last month) called to tell Ilise her business[...]

Martha Retallick, of Western Sky Communications, told Ilise recently about her daily "Prospecting Hour."   I don't know about the rest of this planet, but here in my studio, taking whatever comes along is a recipe for failure. I can't depend on business coming to me. I have to be a go-getter and go get[...]

How do you identify and connect with your ideal prospect? Ilise Benun joins Jim Blasingame to talk about the perfect prospect for your small business, how to identify them and why this activity is so valuable. Listen in...

Remember all that advice Mom gave you when you were growing up? What if it’s hindering your success as a creative freelancer? Listen in as I look closely at Mom's pearls of wisdom to see how applicable they are today -- some still are, I admit -- for freelancers and the creatively self-employed.  

Did your mom tell you not to brag? We bet she didn’t know that one day you’d be creatively self-employed and have to promote yourself. In her new article for the HOW Magazine Freelance Column, Ilise takes a look at Mom’s pearls of wisdom to find out what is still relevant, and what tidbits need[...]

Check out Ilise's latest interview with Jim Blasingame of Small Buiness Advocate. In this interview, she and Jim talk about why you should incorporate an online marketing strategy with your traditional marketing activity.

Does your website really resonate with your target audience? Ilise shares some checkpoints to help you ensure that your website is “marketing-smart.” If you’re not sure if your site is “hitting home” with your prospects and being as effective as possible as a marketing tool, listen in.

Are you coming to the Creative Freelancer Conference in Denver this weekend? We hope so! But if you can't, here is the preview for Ilise's opening keynote, "You Are A Business." Listen in...

Last week, Ilise had the pleasure of joining Andrew Fingerman, VP of Marketing at PhotoShelter, to talk about how photographers can effectively market themselves. (The concepts carry over to all creative pros.) Listen in...

Why waste time when you can devote your energy to what works for your business? Listen here as Ilise describes The Lazy Creative's Guide to Marketing.

Do you have what it takes? Preparation & 5 Freedoms. From HOW Conference 2009's session: Do You Have What It Takes to Be A Successful Freelancer?

Do you have what it takes? Skills & Personality Traits. From HOW Conference 2009's session: Do You Have What It Takes to Be A Successful Freelancer?

Do you have what it takes? What's happening now in freelancing & and myths and realities about freelancing. From HOW Conference 2009's session: Do You Have What It Takes to Be A Successful Freelancer?

If you ask a creative how they get their clients, they often say, "through word of mouth." But is this the best way to get new clients? Probably not. Ilise takes a look at why Word of Mouth Ain't All That. Listen in.  

Here is an interview Ilise did with Jim Blasingame from the Small Business Advocate called: Freelancers are Small Business Owners too.

She made it! Listen in to find out if Colleen's year-long commitment to marketing worked...

It's the second-to-last week in Colleen's year-long marketing adventure, but never too late (or too painful) to learn a really valuable lesson. Curious? Listen in...

At Week 50, a few events occurred that had Colleen taking a long look back at where they came from. The answers speak strongly to the benefits of social media. Listen in for more...

Week 49 brought some serious and unexpected lessons for Colleen: one bitter, one very, very sweet. Listen in...  

For Colleeen, Week 48 was a rare week off—from marketing, anyway. Listen to the story on when and why that can be a good idea (and what makes it possible, at least in part).

Week 47 found Colleen continuing her two-week tour of the Pacific Northwest, combining (marketing) work with pleasure in a way that had her questioning what's really work, and what's really marketing.

46 weeks into this venture, Colleen can say with surety that the best kind of marketing doesn't feel like marketing at all. Listen in.

A busy week of no real marketing-marketing turned out to be the perfect opportunity for Colleen to review the role that her marketing machine had on bringing the events that made the week so busy to fruition. Listen here.

Here is an interview that Ilise did with Kim Duke, the Sales Diva, for Prosperity Cafe. It's all about finding prospects. Listen in...

This week, the issue of "regular" marketing is suddenly reframed for Colleen: not only is it a marathon, not a sprint (and cumulative, in a most excellent way), it allows for all kinds of adaptive implementation. Listen in to find out why...

Welcome to Week 43. This week, Colleen has realized that marketing is becoming as much a part of her routine as brushing her teeth. Listen in...

Ever feel like you wish you could turn back time and "unpublish" something really stupid that you did? This week was like that for Colleen. Check out all the gory details on How She Screwed Up (so hopefully, you don't have to).

Colleen is continuing to streamline at a steady pace since her freakout of a few weeks back. She's moving toward her stated goals of clearing backlog and implementing systems that support her work. Listen in for more...

With just 12 weeks left in the year, Colleen is taking a look backward at what's been not-so-hot and what's been fun, valuable and energizing. And she's come up with a list of tactics. Check them out.  

Colleen attended two events this week that have already changed her life—marketing and otherwise—significantly. Listen in to find out more.

This was one of those weeks where Colleen had to push a little extra hard because so many opportunities came up. Listen in...

Welcome to Week 38! Did you know that NOW is the perfect time for marketing?  Listen in to find out why...

One great thing about practicing your marketing everyday (other than, we hope, getting better at it) is that after a while, you have lessons thrown at you so many times, they become useful practice in your everyday, working life. Take shutting up, for example. This week, Colleen looks into the benefits of the fine art[...]

It's not everyday that you get interviewed...by yourself. But to commemorate having 2/3rds of a Marketing Mentor calendar under her belt, that's just what Colleen did. Listen to her burning questions (to herself) on how the calendar has worked and what her plans are for moving forward.

Ready to learn the right way to prep for a conference? Colleen shares the mistakes she's made prepping (or not) for conferences and gigs in the past -- and demonstrates how to improve.  

What do you do if you're not good at asking for stuff? You look at why. You look at when you have asked, and when you haven't, and what's different. You look at what it could do for your business or you or even the world if your "ask" got an answer. Basically, you look.[...]

Have you found a schedule that works for you?  This week, Colleen looks into the topic of scheduling and how finding one that's right for you is so important for your marketing efforts.

This week, Ilise is busy getting ready for the Creative Freelancer Conference in San Diego (it starts in 9 days but it's not too late to register). Here is a short (12 minute) excerpt from the session she gave at the HOW Conference in June. In this one, Ilise covers the 10+ skills and personality traits she thinks[...]

This past week, Colleen sent out her 28th email newsletter.  She says things are starting to happen as she tightens her focus and feels it makes for enough of a milestone to reflect on where she's been and what I might need to do in the coming months. Listen in...

Colleen says that getting your marketing machine up and running is a big endeavor that takes time, patience and a big appetite, much like eating the proverbial elephant. This week, Colleen reflects on some of the help she's enlisted in the eating of her elephant, both the paid and the free (well, paid in time) kinds.

This week, Ilise tells how she met her July goals, and shares some useful resources to help you meet yours too.

This week, Colleen takes to the road!  She learns how she's grown, and also  where there's still room to do so.  She calls the week of traveling "wildly illuminating."  Listen to find out why...

This week's sound advice is the first 10 minutes of the workshop Ilise gave for creative freelancers at the recent HOW Conference in Austin. It starts with her perspective on what's happening now in the economy (and why it's the best time for freelancers to build a business), followed by the myths and realities of being[...]

Colleen makes personal marketing history this week!  She calls week 29 the week when everything finally came together. She's really beginning to notice that doing her marketing consistently could make a real difference both in how she felt and how things actually worked.  Listen for more...

Type-A personality?  This week Colleen offers a new perspective on business, and demonstrates how she's growing and changing.

Welcome to week 27!  This week, Ilise talks to Jonathan Cleveland of Cleveland Design.  He recently got a project from a travel company with no travel experience by submitting a few designs!  But is it spec work?  Listen in for Ilise's interview with Jonathan.

At the halfway point in the year, Colleen takes a moment to reflect.  She shares what she's learned about marketing by doing it every day for the past 6 months.  Listen in...

Today is the first day of 3rd quarter. We are half way through the year, the perfect time to look back and look forward to realistically assess what we've done and what we need to be improve. Listen in for Ilise's second quarter results.

This week was all about support for Colleen, both learning the difference it made for her personally, and realizing what a difference it would make if she applied some of the lessons to her own business and her marketing in particular.  Listen in!

When Ilise was in Boston last week, she had dinner with longtime client Jonathan Cleveland. He told her a great story about how he got a project for a travel company without any history of travel related work.  Check it out here!

Watch out for Colleen, she's really building stamina now. In addition to its cumulative positive effect on your business and cashflow, this week, Colleen benefits from the stamina of doing her marketing chores regularly.    

How can you really set yourself apart from the competition?  In this week's sound advice tip, Ilise will share what is making people stand out and getting them jobs.

Ilise has been on a cold calling roll this week.  Listen in to hear her strategy.

Now that we're about halfway through the year, Colleen takes a look at the question of how to measure all this marketing and networking.  How is it converting into dollars? How do you decide how much time to put in, and when (and how) do you decide whether it's working or not?  Let's take a look...

This week, Colleen shares her renewed appreciation of the Grow Your Business Marketing Plan & Calendar, and the art of planning in general.  Here's why...

Everyone's asking: what markets are growing (or declining the least)?  An article in the New York Times gives some insight to one market that might still be going strong, and could be relevant for your business. Check it out.

As Colleen got back in the saddle, she had a great, productive, FUN week of work and marketing. To discover the "why" behind it, she takes some time to reflect.  Listen in!

Hope you had a good Memorial Day weekend-- and now it's back to work!  Listen in to get some inspriration from Ilise.

Blind spots and struggles.  We all have them.  And this week, Colleen  realizes that by sharing openly with people, you can get some great help seeing where your own blind spots are, and advice on how to get out of them.

Welcome to Week 20! How is the marketing plan + calendar working for you?  This week, Start Up Plan users should be cold calling, and Veterans should be crafting a newsletter (in addition to their continued calling).  Listen in for more...

Still recovering, Colleen talks about what she did accomplish this week (which would seem to be an impressive work load to anybody else!).  She also talks about why she's grateful for her marketing machine.  Do you have a marketing machine that has carried you through less productive times?

Even when she's sick in bed, Colleen still manages to see the bright side, providing 3 great tips to help anyone's self employment journey.  Check them out.

Welcome to May!  How was April for you... did you reach your April goal?  This month, it's time for Veterans to work on their "un-newsletter" and Start Up's to begin their research calling.  Listen in for details.

In this week's episode, Colleen discusses the cold, harsh realities of what happens when things go haywire. The truth is, we learn some of our best marketing and planning lessons when the road gets rocky. With her humor always in tact, she refers to the Odd Couple episode where Felix shows the group what happens when[...]

In the third audio cupcake, Ilise and Colleen talk about the realistic and unrealisitc expectations that go along with cold calling... none of which actually happen.  Listen in to find out if prospects ever really hang up on you.

A jam packed week of travel had Colleen thinking a lot about her marketing. Reinspired, she asks the question: Can marketing be a tool for changing the world?

Getting publicity can help you gain exposure to your prospects and it's a great way to enhance your other marketing efforts.  Ilise gives some tips on getting publicity for your business in today's tip.

Today, Ilise and Coleen talk about a common roadblock to cold calling.  The discuss the question: Do you need to have something ready to send before you start cold calling? Listen in to this short tip to find out. 

Things went slightly awry for Colleen this week because of life's surprises, (but she still managed to attend two formal events, a breakfast meeting, and business related socializing.)  She's paid attention to this week's lessons to move onward and upward.

Today's cold calling tidbit answers the question: Should you leave a voice mail message? Listen in to find out...

When it comes to taking the next step in marketing, Colleen realizes that a common pitfall is the idea that you'll never totally be ready. Accordingly, you might as well just get going!  If you're never quite ready, then what does it matter?  Marketing yourself is a work in progress.  What's the next step that you're[...]

Today Ilise checks in with Jennifer Neal from K9 Design.  Has Jennifer's marketing efforts gotten her results this quarter?  Listen in to find out.

Colleen is really moving now.  And she's offering a different perspective on marketing this week-- Star Wars Marketing.  With her unique ability to keep marketing interesting, Colleen has certainly launched her efforts into a new realm this week.

Welcome to Week 13! Start Up followers will turn their newly launched website into promotional materials, Veteran's will use their newly re-launched website to inspire a press release. In this audio clip, Ilise talks about valuable resources that can help you get PR for business, whether you're a Start Up or a Veteran. Check it[...]

Every small business owner gets their inspiration and support from somewhere, and in this week's post, Colleen shares where she gets hers from... The systems she has in place to keep herself productive and accountable... The people who keep her on track.  Like she says, a good support system really keeps you moving in the right[...]

Are you hiding behind email?  Ilise talks about how picking up the phone this week has made a difference in her business, and how it can make a difference in yours. Listen in to see why... 

Giving herself permission  to put the Grow your Business Marketing Plan + Calendar on hold, Colleen immerses herself in the South by Southwest Conferences this week-- and realizes that conferences are marketing too.  Here's what she found out.

This week, it's time to finish your marketing smart website.  Also in today's podcast, Ilise answers a question from a client: "We are behind in our research calls because we have been making lots and lots of calls to past and present clients trying to drum up business that way, but so far they are all feeling[...]

This week, Colleen struggles to keep up her lofty goals for 2009 and finds herself slipping.  She realizes that the way things are going, it's impossible to maintain all of her committments. The good news is, she finds a solution... She finds ways to be more productive while spending less time doing work. Sounds good, right?  Listen in to see[...]

How can you make sure your website is marketing smart?  How can you be more like Google?  And how can you use Facebook to better launch your website.  Listen to today's audio clip to find out. Ilise has also come up with a Marketing Smart website checklist to help you.  If you'd like a copy, email ilise@marketing-mentor.com[...]

This week, Colleen talks about the work in progress that is her website.  She also discusses the difficulties of being the (self-proclaimed) world's worst self-promoter.  She talks about testimonials-- Are they the  plague of the earth, or a useful marketing tool?  Listen to this entertaining episode to see how humor helps get her through, and[...]

Welcome to March! We've been spending a lot of time on our web presence.  Today, Ilise talks about how to get the most useful feedback on your site.  Who should you ask?  What should you ask?  Listen in to find out...

Goals, goals, goals!  Ilise gets personal and talks about her goals and how she's doing with them.  Listen in to find out. How far have you come towards your monthly goal for February?  The good news is, March is just around the corner-- a new month, a new chance to pinpoint a goal and work towards it.   

She's a self-proclaimed militant fanatic-maniac when it comes to newsletters.  This week, Colleen is rocking and rolling-- getting her newsletter archives in order and completing other web marketing tasks.  How are you doing with your marketing efforts?

We're into week 8 and making some serious progress!  Great job!  This week, it's time to wrap up your online presence.  Listen in for some guidance and inspiration. 

Ah, the age old question... Blog or newsletter-- which one should you have for your business?  Ilise discusses the pro's and con's, and helps you decide what's right for you.

Following the Grow Your Business Marketing Plan + Calendar has inspired Colleen to get some longstanding goals checked off her list.  She's pulled together her "hire me" page, created a landing page for acting related sites, and created a contact form page!  Looks like the marketing calendar sparked some excellent progress!

Welcome to week 7! Do your clients ever ask for more information about exactly what you do?  A case study is the perfect way to tell them.  Here is the format that Bending Design uses for their case studies-Project, challenge, solution, results, testimonial from the client.  Check it out!

Want to see what a good links page looks like?  Check them out here!  Ilise talks about each page, and tells us why they're excellent.  If you're working on a resource page-- these are sure to help. Karen Zapp, Fundraising Copywriter: www.pkscribe.com Joan Damico, Integrated Marcom Copywriter: www.jdamico.netAnn Gallops, Feng Shui Expert: www.theorganizedlife.netBob Bly, B2B Copywriter:[...]

Want to demonstrate your expertise and help people at the same time? Then it's time to make a resource page on your website! This week, Colleen talks about sharing information wisely via her resource page, and rounding up her past newsletters into one place.

Do you have a website?  If not, it's time to get started on making one.  If you do, it's time to refresh your content and develop a resource or links page. This week, Ilise talks about how to develop a resource page or links page that supports your positioning.

Have you ever had trouble putting what you do into words?  This week, Colleen shares a three-step tool that will help you write a powerful bios for your social networking profiles.  It's a simple tool, but it will help with writing any bio you'll need in your marketing endeavors!

One of the best ways to get new clients-- is to have them read (or hear) the wonderful things that other's have said about working with you.  In this audio clip, Ilise talks about how to get (and give) endorsements or recommendations on LinkedIn. 

Did you meet your goals for January?  If not, take a few minutes today to create your goals for February. The focus for February is developing your online presence with social networking sites like Biznik.com, LinkedIn.com, Facebook.com, Twitter.com.  These sites can be used very effectively for marketing, but remember to be professional.  If you have profiles[...]

This week, Colleen isn't sharing demos or how-tos, but a cautionary tale about what not to do.  Remember, it's important to do one task at a time and not to get overwhelmed.  Colleen stresses the importance of measuring success by small I did-its!  She also talks about taking care of yourself, and adjusting the marketing plan so it becomes more personalized, and[...]

Today, Ilise interviews Jennifer Neal from K9 Design. Jennifer reveals the tools that make up her "Marketing Machine" and descibes exactly how she uses them and fits them into her weekly schedule.  This will be a great help for anyone who is trying to work out the logistics of thier marketing efforts. Listen in, and find out how to[...]

This week, Colleen tackles unchartered terrian with her very first cold call ever.  Was it as bad as she'd imagined?  Listen in to find out!  You will also find some excellent tips on how to make cold calls a success.

Check out this free consultation Ilise had with Dennis G. Dennis is a designer in Indiana who generously agreed to let Ilise tape the phone consultation they had last week. They talked a lot about how he can leverage what he does know as he enters new markets. Here's what else he wanted to know: -What if I have[...]

How are you doing at the end of two weeks?  Is your target market clear, or mushy? Have you found a list you can work with, events you can attend, or places you can interact with your prospects?  Listen in for some inspiration from Ilise. 

Colleen, aka the communicatrix, will be straight with you- she hates cold calls.  Here, she talks about how she's putting aside her hatred and  getting ok with idea of calling someone.  Keeping it low key, being prepared, and the hamburger theory, can help you get your head around the idea.  Listen in, and follow along.  Remember, you're[...]

Are you still listening?  Good job!  It's important that you don't give up. Just a few minutes each day can make a big difference in the long run. Listen in today for some more guidance and inspiration. 

Marketing doesn't have to be overwhelming.  Today, Ilise deals with not getting overwhelmed, and answers a few questions about trade associations.  Thanks for following along, and keep up the good work!  

Things are really moving now-- it's time to get a list together of actual prospects!  Listen in, and for your reference, here are the links Ilise talks about in this podcast.  YPulse Mashup (conference for marketing to youth that provides a list of attendees)Massachusetts Surgical Centers (web site that provides all contact info)

After a successful week 1, we're on to week 2!  Today it's time to look more closely at the trade associations you've found.  What kind of contact information can you find? P.S. We've compiled a list of all the trade associations you've sent in just in case you need help.

Marketing Mentor's Colleen Wainwright, aka communicatrix, begins her 52-week marketing endeavor with the Grow Your Business Marketing Plan + Calendar (Veteran's version) as her guide.  She talks about Week 1's challenge, wrangling your contacts into a database, and gives you all the specifics you'll need to do the same. If you're following the Veteran's calendar,[...]

You've found some trade associations for the markets you're interested in-- now what?  Now it's time to find out which ones will make your marketing easiest. Listen in to find out how, and by the end of today you should be able to pinpoint your market!  You're doing great-- and we look forward to continuing[...]

Today you will take your list of 3 possible markets and figure out which market will be the most viable for you.  It's important that the market you choose needs you, realizes that they need you--and is willing to pay for your services. How can you tell which market is the most viable? Listen today.  And don't forget to send your[...]

It's time to identify your market!  Every successful business needs a well-oiled marketing machine to keep the prospects coming, and that marketing machine should focus on one market to start with! How do you choose your market?  Listen to find out.

How much marketing should you do?  Find out in today's tip.  Also, today is the day to set some quantifiable goals for the year ahead.    And don't forget to send them to Ilise at Ilise@marketing-mentor.com so she can keep track of them.  Listen and follow along with today's tip- and your business will be growing in no[...]

Week 1, Day 1- It's time to get revved up for a successful year of marketing!  Which tools should you use? How can you make sure your pipeline is full this year? The answer is in your marketing plan. Without a plan, the feast or famine syndrome is right around the bend.  What if you don't have a plan?  We[...]

What does it mean to grow your business?  Everybody has a different definition.  To some it means moving out of the spare bedroom, to others it means making more money. In Episode 13, we will help you take a detailed look at your business, decide what growth means to you, and determine how to achieve that[...]

You got the job!  But it's not time to celebrate just yet.  Before you get to work on the project, there is some business to take care of.  A contract! Episode 12 will talk you through contracts, why you need one, and what yours should include.

Proposals- documents that detail what you do for a client and under what terms- are essential to the selling process.  In Episode 11, we discuss your proposal, and how to make it work as a marketing and sales tool.    Join us!

Here's the reality. You are in business, and you can't do business without dealing with money.  In Episode 10, we deal with the ever important question, How Do I Talk About Money? You will learn that your prospects don't expect you to work for free and that talking about money is OK.  Once you get comfortable with money[...]

The fact is, most designers are not charging enough.  In this podcast, we cover the nuts and bolts of estimating a project and figuring out how much to charge.  One of the most important parts of knowing what to charge is understanding what you're selling.  Join us to answer the question, How Much Should I[...]

There are two aspects to the pricing side of your business: how you deal with your own issues about money, and how you deal with your clients.  Episode 8 shows you how to deal with your own money issues.  Until your own issues- such as payment terms and policies- are resolved, you can't begin to[...]

It's important to be in front of your prospects.  If you are, they will be more likely to think of you and send a project your way!  In Episode 7, we will discuss the in's and out's of following up, why it's so important, and the benefits you will see when you do it properly[...]

One of the biggest obstacles to marketing is not time or money.  It's not knowing what to say.  In Episode 5, you'll learn about what to say to prospects and clients in all sorts of situations: In person, on the phone, and online.

Podcast episode #5 talks about networking, e-mail marketing, online marketing, cold calling and promotional materials, and discusses which of these marketing tools you should use to get the most benefit to your business.   

It's not just corporations that need to brand themselves. Individuals and small businesses need to stand out from the crowd too!  Find out how in Chapter 3's podcast, How Do I Present Myself?  This chapter deals with the "I" vs. "we" question, naming your business, finding your own personal brand, how to talk about your services, and so much[...]

The second episode of Chapter 2, How Can I Find Clients and Prospects, deals specifically with small design businesses and how they can find profitable new clients and viable prospects.

Chapter 2, How Can I Find Clients and Prospects, is broken down into 2 episodes.  The first episode shows solopreneurs how to find clients and prospects.  It will deal specifically with those who work as a one person design business.  Do you have a larger small business?  Stay tuned for next weeks episode on how small businesses can[...]

Chapter 1: This podcast answers the question, Who is My Market?  Designers will pinpoint the best market for them, learn how to dominate that market, and understand why specialization is so important to the success and profitability of their business.