Brand Strategy Unwankified
For brand designers and creators who want to learn or sharpen their brand strategy skills. Join host Bec Hughes - a brand strategist for more than 20 years - on The C Word podcast for weekly insights into the business and behind the scenes of brand strategy.
Episodes
132. Why the 3 Tier Pricing Model Doesn't Work for Strategic Branding Services
3 packages on your services page might feel logical and flexible.
It might also be the reason your best prospects always pick the option with no brand strategy, and you're convinced clients don't want strategy.
If you've ever built tiered service packages to feel more affordable, flexible or available, this is for you.
In this episode:
• Why "affordable" packages train clients to shop on price ins
131. Are You in a Race to the Bottom?
Every designer is feeling the pressure to be faster and cheaper, especially with AI in the mix. But competing on speed and price isn't a strategy, it's a trap.
If you've ever wondered whether brand in a week offers, selling templates, or rock bottom logo packages are just the new reality, this one's for you.
I tackle why the race to the bottom is hurting us as individual designers and as an indust
130. It's Time to Ditch Mission, Vision and Values
"Mission, Vision and Values" is everywhere in brand strategy. But what if it's not brand strategy at all?
If you've ever completed an MVV exercise with a client and then wondered how to actually turn it into branding, this one is for you.
I tackle why Mission, Vision and Values belongs in a different strategic discipline and what brand strategy actually needs to do instead, including:
• Why MVV pr
129. Why You Need a Brenemy - The Villain Strategy
The villain strategy is having a moment. But trendy brand strategy concepts are only useful if you know how to use them.
If you've heard about brands defining their "enemy" and thought it sounded good but weren't sure how to apply it for a client, this one's for you.
I tackle the "brenemy" concept and give it the framework it's been missing, including:
Why standing against something is just as po
128. Creating Opportunities With 100 Rejections with Liz Mosley
In this episode I'm joined by Liz Mosley, and she has a challenge for you... 100 challenges actually.
We talk about Liz, her business and creativity, and her hot takes on the design industry.
We cover:
• How Liz unintentionally built a personal brand and why that was the best way
• Advice she has ignored
• Being vulnerable, building in public, and setting healthy boundaries
• Her thoughts on w
127. Is Your Brand Strategy Leaking Value?
No one wants a leaky brand strategy. Could you be devaluing what you create for your clients without you even knowing it?
If you've ever handed over a 50-point questionnaire, wrestled with AI for hours, or sent a Loom instead of presenting your work live, this episode is for you.
I tackle the most common brand strategy leaks and how to plug them, including:
Why your discovery process might be wor
126. The Lean Brand Strategy Tech Stack
It's not about the tech, it's about what you do with it!
In this episode I share my tips for creating a simple but effective brand strategy focused tech stack. This will ensure the apps streamline and support, but don't get in the way of your thinking.
I cover:
• The principles of a lean tech stack
• The brand strategy activities that need or benefit from supporting apps
• My own brand strategy te
125. Becoming a High-Ticket In-Demand Designer with Bec Morris
In this episode I talk to Bec Morris, one of the founding students of The Brand Method program, and very talented brand creator.
I check in on Bec's journey with brand strategy to explore:
• Why she wanted to invest in her brand strategy skills
• What that journey has looked like for her
• The impact it's had on her business and also her identity
I'm honoured to have been part of Bec's journey, an
124. Feedback that Doesn't Derail the Project
Feedback isn’t the problem, it's how you ask for it.
If you’ve ever received vague, emotionally charged, or completely off-track feedback, chances are there's a problem with your feedback process.
In this episode, I break down:
• Why client feedback so often derails projects (and why it’s not actually their fault)
• The role feedback should play in your process
• Common mistakes designers make
I'l
123. Stop Saying a Brand is Not a Logo - Say This Instead
How many times have you said “a brand is not a logo”… and watched clients glaze over?
In this episode, I tackle why that line doesn’t resonate, and what to say instead if you want branding to click for your clients.
Because replacing 'logo' with 'design scheme' won't do it either.
• We’ll have a quick reset on what a brand really is
• Understand why that definition matters
• Get to the nuts &
122. Brand Strategy Workshops 101
Let’s demystify the whole workshop thing.
The thought of running a strategy workshop strikes fear into many creatives, but they don't have to be scary.
In fact they’re one of the fastest ways to build strategic authority.
In this episode I share:
What a proper Discovery Workshop actually is (and what it’s not)
The structure that keeps your workshop focused and valuable
How to manage tangents
121. What It Takes to Grow a Studio With Em Sparrow
Em Sparrow, founder of Sparo Studios, shares her experiences and learnings as a successful studio founder, and why she implemented some big changes in 2025.
We talk about:
• The most important skills needed to scale a business
• Em's experiences growing a team
• The discomfort that is part of growth
• Innovation as a mindset and growth strategy
• One thing the Sparo Studios team prioritise in thei
120. Brand Strategy is Trending - What Does That Mean For You?
Brand strategy is having a moment. It’s no longer flying under the radar or reserved for the select few.
What used to be a nice-to-have for designers is quickly becoming a non-negotiable to secure better clients.
In this episode, I unpack
• Why strategy is trending
• What’s driving the shift
• Why the competitive advantage window is closing
Don't panic, this is your chance to take advantage of for
119. Sell Like a Consultant with Hayden Burgess
In this episode, I have a value-packed chat with Hayden Burgess from Pitchr.
We purposefully meander through lots of valuable insights, including:
• What it means to have a 'no compromise' business
• Cultivating confidence and assertiveness with clients
• Positioning yourself as a consultant
• Bad habits that creatives develop in business
• Simple selling skills with real impact
About Hayden Bu
118. Does Brand Strategy Really Need to Take 8 Weeks?
Brand strategy doesn’t need to take months to be valuable.
In this episode I share:
• Why long timelines are bloated, impractical, and irrelevant
• A realistic 3-week brand strategy project plan for designers
• How you can significantly increase your income even with a short timeline
The purists will be choking on their textbooks.. but I don't care.
This is about efficiency, confidence and outcome
117. What If You're Not Cut Out for Brand Strategy?
What if you're not cut-out for brand strategy?
What if you get it wrong?
What if it takes too long?
What if people think you're a fraud?
There are so many 'what ifs' that hold designers back from leaning into learning and offering brand strategy.
In this episode I explore:
• Why these questions are holding you back and what they really mean
• Some better ways to frame these 'what ifs'
• What leani
116. This Small Upgrade Will Transform Your Positioning Strategy
If I could only give a client one thing to create the most strategic clarity, it would be positioning.
It's the one thing that gets to the heart of (arguably) the most important branding question... why should our audience want us?
In this episode, I break down:
What positioning is and why it's so essential
The single upgrade that makes positioning easier to build and understand
Why this cha
115. The 3 Hard Skills You Need in Brand Strategy
Designers always want to know... “what am I missing in my brand strategy process?”
Usually it's the same things... the 'hard' skills.
They already have the soft skills.
Asking curious questions, reading between the lines, empathy, and being OK with not having all the answers.
The gap is the technical skills.
Too many designers rely on exhausting questionnaires, over the top avatars and shiny distr
114. Can You Offer a Lite Version of Strategy?
Is it possible to offer a 'lite' version of brand strategy without cutting corners or lowering your standards?
You can’t just leave bits out of brand strategy and expect the same outcome... but in this episode I share the 3 levers you can adjust without dumbing things down.
Depth – how deeply you explore
Deliverables – how you package and present the outputs
Delegation – who does the work: y
113. Becoming a Brand Strategist with Jacob Cass
In this episode, I had the pleasure of talking shop with Jacob Cass.
We cover a lot of ground, including:
• Jacob’s own journey from brand designer to brand strategist
• The role of a brand strategist
• How brand builders can become a strategic partner to their clients
• The biggest challenges facing designers and brand builders
• What’s happening at the Brand Builders Summit on 16-19 Sept >&g
112. Why I Skip Brand Archetypes
Brand archetypes are everywhere—but are they really helping your strategy?
In this episode of Brand Strategy Unwankified, I share why I don’t use brand archetypes and what I do instead.
I cover:
Why archetypes seem appealing but lead to sameness
How they amplify industry clichés
Why the illusion they create of strategy is only skin deep
What I focus on in my brand strategy process instead
111. How Women Succeed in the Design Industry with Anna Dower
In this podcast, I welcome one of the founders of The Designer Boss Summit, Anna Dower.
We go deep into the female experience in the design industry.
From money blocks, time and head space, confidence to lead, self-belief, role models to aspire to and platforms to get our voices heard, we explore what women need to succeed.
What I loved about this episode is the honest exploration of the female ex
110. Brand Strategy Can't Predict the Future
We’ve been told that design should be quicker and more decisive. That strategy should make things certain and predictable, and guarantee success.
I want to challenge those ideas.
Because what if strategy isn't about logic and certainty at all? What if those things destroy creativity?
Instead, what if brand strategy is about invention, and re-imagination.
About finding the 'unbland' spaces and hel
109. 5 Simple Ways I've Uplevelled My Brand Strategy
If you’re already offering brand strategy and wondering how to sharpen your process, this episode’s for you.
I’m sharing 5 practical shifts I’ve made that have unlevelled my client experience and outcomes.
• Why I ditched the questionnaire
• A smarter way to share research
• The power of presenting in person
• How to stay curious longer
• Why ruthless simplification is your biggest value-add
Smal
108. Crafting a One Page Brand Strategy
Ever handed over a 30-page brand strategy doc no one read? Let’s fix that.
In this episode I'll share an approach your clients will love you for:
• The 7 elements every one-pager brand strategy should include
• Why simple brand strategy is smarter (and more powerful)
• How to position, prove, and differentiate a brand on one page
If you want your brand strategy to be understood and used, positioni
107. Pricing to Make More Money with Your Pricing Queen
Jaz, aka Your Pricing Queen, sharing all her wisdom on pricing your creative work.
In the value packed episode we cover:
• Mistakes creatives make with pricing
• Charging your worth vs charging your value
• Creating solutions based on 'problem pathways'
• Getting the right product and pricing mix
As so much more!
About Jaz, Your Pricing Queen:
Jaz is the driving force behind Your Pricing Queen.
106. Design Gaps that Strategy Fills
Design isn’t just about what looks good, it’s about what works. But when strategy’s missing, there are gaps you can drive a bus through.
Vague briefs that leave you guessing
Research that doesn’t go anywhere
Design without a clear purpose
Over-investing in concepts that don’t land
Feedback that turns into a subjective free-for-all
In this episode, I define what simple strategy actually
105. One Offer You Need to Turn Lurkers into Hot Branding Leads
Build a brand audit offer and attract clients pre-disposed to purchasing strategic services:
In this episode:
• The purpose of a brand audit offer
• How to implement it super quickly
• The simple framework to guide the audit and produce valuable insights
• Where it fits in your pipeline process
• What to do next
>> Join the 4 Day Build Your Brand Audit Offer Bootcamp >> https://bech
104. What Clients Think 2025 with Carol Mackay
Listen to Carol Mackay sharing her take on the latest design industry report by Up To The Light: What Clients Think 2025.
We explore:
• The impact and opportunity of AI for designers
• The changing tech landscape in design
• What clients want from designers from pitch to presentation
About Carol Mackay:
Carol is the co-founder of Design Business Council and design studio Mackay Branson. She is a
103. 10 Steps to Create Strategic Case Studies that Sell
Are your case studies costing you strategic credibility?
If they read like a design diary: client needed a logo, you made it, they loved it, it’s time to raise the bar.
In this episode, learn how to craft and use case studies that demonstrate your value as a brand strategist.
You'll learn how to:
Lead with the business problem
Show your thinking (not just the doing)
Highlight transformation—
102. The Missing Piece in Your Solo Studio
If brands aren’t built in a vacuum, why are so many brand designers trying to create them in one?
In this episode, I explore the hidden challenge most solo brand designers face: growing creatively without any support.
I’ll unpack why:
~ Guides, hacks and courses will only get you so far
~ Creativity is a team sport (even when you work solo)
~ Insightful, objective and strategic feedback at the rig
101. Filtering: The Essential Strategy Skill No One Talks About
If you think brand strategy is about adding more... think again.
In this episode, I’m sharing the one skill that instantly makes you more strategic: filtering.
I’ll walk you through the three tools I use every time I create brand strategy: Themes, Priorities, and Focus.
These methods will help you simplify without dumbing things down—so your clients get clarity, not confusion.
If you want to be se
100. Lessons From 25 Years (and 100 Episodes) in Brand Strategy
For this 100th episode, I’m sharing 12 lessons from 25 years of working in branding.
This isn't just the process of strategy, but what it really means to be a brand strategist.
From why no one wants to buy 'strategy', how good strategy often feels like therapy, to why the best strategists know they don’t know everything, this episode is a behind-the-scenes look at the mindset, method, and messines
99. How to Dovetail Strategy into Your Brand Design Process
Not sure how to fit brand strategy into your design process?
This is the episode for you:
Why strategy doesn't have to be as complex as you think
The 5 steps in my SIMPLE framework
How to seamlessly dovetail strategy into your current design workflow
What it really means in terms of time and workload
Find out how adding strategy to your process could be the smartest shift you make.
Want
98. Attract Clients Ready for Brand Strategy
Struggling to position yourself as a brand strategist? Finding clients don't want to or aren't ready to buy brand strategy services?
In this episode, I break down the Brand Strategist Focus Funnel (BSFF) - attract the right clients, build authority, and make buying from you easy.
You’ll learn:
✔ How to become known for the right thing with a compelling Value Pitch
✔ How to attract predisposed clie
97. Rethinking Customer Avatars
Over-engineered avatars are the brand strategy equivalent of a chocolate teapot - seems fun, but not fit for purpose.
In this episode, I'm rethinking customer avatars, because the overcomplicated, deeply nuanced descriptions everyone tells you to create are actually unhelpful for brand strategy:
Why unnecessary details (like Jane’s Spotify playlist) miss the point
What really drives buying dec
96. Simple Brand Strategy Minus the Buzzwords
Brand strategy is full of buzzwords, but does it need to be?
In this episode, I share a straight-forward approach to developing strategies that are simple, but not basic. We’ll bridge the gap between client and business goals, and what their audience actually wants.
No fluff, no jargon - just a practical, simple approach for designers who want to create and talk about brand strategy with confide
95. The Evolution of The C Word Podcast
The C Word Podcast is evolving!
Welcome to Brand Strategy Unwankified, a no-BS space for brand designers and creators who want to learn brand strategy and sell it as a service. If you’re over the jargon and gatekeeping of the ‘exclusive club’, and want practical, honest tools and insights, you’re in the right place.
Why listen… this podcast is dedicated to helping brand designers confidently add
94. Email Marketing 101 for Designers
Email marketing... are you doing a bit or none at all?
In this episode of The C Word Podcast I share my perspective on the 3 key questions I think designer are asking when it comes to email marketing?
1. Do I really need to send regular emails, my business is about visuals not words?
2. What should I send, because who needs another newsletter?
3. How do I get people on my list?
Links & Resou
93. When Your Client Doesn't Value Brand Strategy
In this episode I share the one thing you need to do if you find your clients don't value or want to buy brand strategy.
You need to make ‘ownership’ of brand strategy a priority and that involves upgrading 1, 2 or all of the following:
• Your offer
• Your message
• Your content
Resources You Might Love
Download the Brand Designer to Strategist 90 Day Plan
Subscribe to The Brand Brief
92. Getting Your Design Work Signed Off First Time
Sometimes the design work just isn't right, but that's not always the case.
In this episode I share some of the other reasons clients don't sign off first time.
I also share 4 things you can do to work towards making sign-off first time the norm not the exception.
Bec x
Resources You Might Love
Download the Brand Designer to Strategist 90 Day Plan
Subscribe to The Brand Brief
Episode 72 - How Ma
91. My Shittiest Client Experiences
This episode is part therapy session, part cautionary tale and part paying it forward so you can learn from my mistakes.
First, let's be real, having 100% 'dream clients' isn't realistic.
You won't always repel or be able to pick the pain in the ass clients straightaway.
In this episode you'll hear about:
~ My shittiest client experiences
~ The learnings I took from it
~ Why 80:20 'shining star'
90. ChatGPT and Brand Strategy: Can You Outsource Your Creativity to AI?
With so many tools and custom prompts to support AI generated content and solutions, I want to ask if AI can make you more creative.
It can make you more efficient, perhaps more informed. But as brand designers one of our key messages is the importance of originality and ingenuity in brand.
How can we use AI as the creative engine and simultaneously stand by that claim?
Does using AI as a tool to
89. The No1 Reason Your Content Isn't Connecting With Your Audience
Would you rather lots of engagement with your content from people who will never buy from you or a small amount of engagement from people who will buy from you?
I think we'd all say the same thing... if our logical brain was answering.
But the emotional reality is quite different.
In this episode I discuss:
• The reason designers are falling into the trap of a specific type of content
• Why that
88. What to Include in a Brand Strategy Presentation
Not sure what to include in your brand strategy presentations?
This is the episode for you.
I take you through my own presentation format step-by-step, to cover the 4 crucial parts of a brand strategy presentation and the 12 elements I include to build those parts out:
• Part 1: Set the Scene
• Part 2: Present the Evidence
• Part 3: Create the Narrative
• Part 4: Intentional Wrap-Up
I hope it's h
87. Your Worth vs Your Value
In this episode I'm calling out the 'charge your worth' messaging that is infecting the coaching space.
I believe this kind of messaging is click bait, created to tell you what you want to hear and tap into your insecurities and worries about your pricing.
I discuss:
• Why your worth has nothing to do with your pricing
• Why your value and perceived value are what actually matter
• Why money min
86. Creaticise Your Life
In this episode, I pick apart into what inspires and fuels my creativity day-to-day.
Inspired by the 'Romanticise Your Life' movement, I explore the idea of 'Creaticise Your Life' and how it makes me a better designer and creator.
Work With Me
If you’re ready to connect with me on a deeper level and work together, there are 3 ways you can do that. Just visit my Mentoring with Me overview to get
85. Your Big Fish Offer
If you want to stand out, cut-through, have high perceived value and be more profitable, your 'Big Fish Offer' is a very good place to start.
In this episode I'll give you a step-by-step process to brainstorm, define and articulate your big fish offer so you can:
• Increase your profit
• Streamline your workflow
• Make marketing less painful
• Create a pipeline of pre-qualified clients
Work With
84. The 7 Brand Strategy Mistakes Devaluing Your Offer
Brand strategy mistakes aren't a problem as long as you learn from them.
In this episode I cover the 7 most common mistakes brand designers make when creating brand strategy for clients. Mistakes that are devaluing your offer and undermining your authority:
1. Mistaking a questionnaire for strategy
2. Failing to separate brand and design strategy
3. Not connecting the dots between theory and appli
83. My 5 Pillar Brand Strategy Research Framework
Your creative or strategic work is only as good as your research.
In this episode I share my 5 pillar brand strategy research framework:
1) Stakeholder Inputs
2) Brand Audit
3) Competitor Deconstruction
4) Industry Trends Analysis
5) Audience Understanding
I hope it helps!
Bec
Work With Me
If you’re ready to connect with me on a deeper level and work together, there are 4 ways you can do th
82. Should Designers Do Brand Strategy?
Traditionally there is a hard line between brand design and brand strategy. But I don't believe this should be the case at all.
In fact, you have no business designing brands if there isn’t a strategic element to what you do.
In this episode I share why I think designers should not only offer brand strategy but why it's an enormous opportunity.
Work With Me
If you’re ready to connect with me on
81. Uncomplicating Business: 4 Places to Focus Your Energy
I’m craving simplicity in my design business, which made me think maybe you are too.
So I put my thinking cap on and pulled out what I think are the 4 simple premises for a good, solid business that has growth:
~ Big Fish Offer
~ Visible Value
~ Conscious Connection
~ Repeatable Experience
Find more resources and insights here...
My Website... https://bechughes.com/
Instagram... https://www.inst
80. I Said What I Said: My Flavour for 2024
This episode of The C Word is a reflection on:
1) My word for the year in 2023 and 2022
2) My word for 2024
3) What my choice means for how I want 2024 to shape up
4) My mantra for 2024 and how it aligns with my word choice
Things are going to get spicy!
Work With Me
If you’re ready to connect with me on a deeper level and work together, there are 4 ways you can do that. Just visit my Mentor
79. Investing Your Marketing Energy for Results with Bec Chappell
On this episode of the C Word podcast I cosy up with the energetic marketing firecracker Bec Chappell. We talk about marketing as an energetic resource and our chat covers:
~ Where people might be squandering too much of their marketing energy
~ The most effective ways to invest your energy for marketing results
~ Switching your focus to the things that give rather than sap your energy resources
78. Where My First 6 Clients Came From
One of the most common questions I get asked is where do I find clients.
In this episode I share where my first 6 clients came from and what that’s taught me about where to find clients.
Hopefully it will give you some inspiration to help build your client list no matter what stage you're at as a designer.
Work With Me
If you’re ready to connect with me on a deeper level and work together, there
77. What You Need to Create a Passive Income
Passive income for designers is equal parts misconception and great opportunity.
First, let’s not call it passive income.
Passive implies no action and I haven’t come across any income that doesn’t require action.
In this episode I share 8 things to build or consider when creating a 'one-to-many' income stream.
Work With Me
If you’re ready to connect with me on a deeper level and work together,
76. Over-Thinking and Over-Investing in Studio Systems
Have you been over-thinking and over-investing in your studio systems?
In this podcast I talk about:
~ Why apps and systemisation have become a status symbol
~ When over-engineering your systems might be holding you back
~ What to consider when choosing how you systemise in your business
~ What you actually need at different stages in your design business
The biggest take-out I hope you get from
75. Amplify Your Story Through Imagery with Grace Costa
Imagery is a crucial part of your brand, even more so as a creative.
In this episode of The C Word I have a super informative chat with Grace Costa, photographer, podcaster and mentor, about using a curated image library to amplify both your brand and personal brand story.
Grace shares some really actionable advice about:
~ How to choose the right photographer
~ What image categories you should c
74. Should You Put Your Prices on Your Website
As a designer, should you put your prices on your website? It’s a very common question.
In this episode of The C Word I chat about:
~ My own changing perspective on this.
~ The reasons why you might not want to be quite so transparent
~ Your options and the benefits
All just to give you some food for thought.
Bec x
Work With Me
If you’re ready to connect with me on a deeper level and work
73. Take SEO Out of the Too Hard Basket with Karlie Plowman
SEO for designers is just as important as any other industry. It's time to take it out of the too hard basket.
Whether your SEO's a bit S.H.I.T. or you and Google are besties from way back, you’ll want to listen to this episode.
Karlie Plowman and I talk about:
~ SEO basics and what it’s all about
~ The foundations for getting started with SEO for designers either if you’re a noob or if thin
72. How Many Design Concepts Should You Present?
How many design concepts should you present?
Designers often want to know what's the perfect number? What's best-practice? What's everyone else doing?
The truth is I’m not sure there’s a hard and fast 'right answer' to this question.
In this episode of The C Word podcast, I share my view on the pros and cons of 3 approaches:
~ The 'One and Done' Concept
~ Multiple Concepts
~ My own 'Diamon
71. Website Development as a Revenue Stream with Nikki Hamilton
On this episode of The C Word podcast I have a fab chat with Nikki Hamilton from Seedling Digital.
We dive onto the opportunity for designers to create a web development revenue stream.
We cover:
~ The pitfalls for designers starting in web dev
~ Why it's such a big opportunity
~ How to get started
Nikki also shares her personal story as a self taught brand and web designer, and the impact
70. Getting Found Part 2 - Volume and Value
In episode 68 of The C Word, I shared my insights on standing out in a crowded market, focusing on the 4 key opportunities to leverage.
But there’s almost no point in focusing on building your brand to stand out if you can’t be found, seen or heard.
So in episode 69 I shared the first part of my 3 'V' framework to 'stand up' and be seen... visibility.
In this final episode in the mini-series, I di
69. Getting Found Part 1 - Visibility
There’s almost no point in focusing on building your brand to stand out if you can’t be found, seen or heard.
In the previous episode (#68), I shared my insights on standing out in a crowded market, focusing on the 4 key opportunities to leverage.
For the next 2 episodes, #69 and #70, I'm sharing the magic little framework I refer to when it comes to being seen and 'standing up'.
It’s made up of
68. Standing Out in a Crowded Industry
How do you stand out in a crowded industry? That’s probably one of the most crucial questions for any business owner.
Surprisingly the answer is not post more on social media.
In this episode of The C Word Podcast I'll explore 4 key learnings designers can take from brands that stand-out across different industries to apply to our own creative business:
1. Innovation... the magic in your uni
67. Your Ego and the Impact on Your Business
Self-concept, also called self-image, self-identity or ego, is at the centre of just about everything we do.
It's a powerful force and can propel you forward or it can hold you back and stop you from being and doing what you want.
In this episode of the C Word Podcast I look at:
~ The 3 aspects of self-concept
~ How self-concept can adversely affect designers in their business
~ How you can use se
66. Grow with Brand Strategy Inspired Income Streams
There are lots of way to create an income from brand strategy related services, it doesn’t have to be an all in brand strategy process.
In this episode of The C Word podcast, I share 6 potential revenue streams that will allow you to create income from brand strategy and other brand related services:
1) Branding Audit
2) Brand Audit (not a typo, they are different!)
3) Naming
4) Consultancy I
65. Strengthen and Elevate Your Brand Strategy Offer
Brand strategy as a core part of your offer in a brand design business has so many benefits including:
~ Increased revenue
~ More impactful creative outcomes
~ More fulfilling client relationships
In this episode, I share 6 essentials that will strengthen and elevate your brand strategy offer as a creative in business so you feel confident delivering and charging for it:
1) Your brand strategy
64. 5 Essential Strategies to Amplify Your Content’s Impact
I read a rare, 'stop-me-in-my-tracks', good enough to want to share in my stories piece of content recently.
So I ran a little diagnostic on it and pulled out 5 strategies that will help you create more impactful, growth delivering content of your own:
Strategy 1: Get out of the studio and into your client’s office
Strategy 2: The so what...? story
Strategy 3: The BBQ chat principle
Strategy 4
63. Rebranding Networking
Networking needs a rebrand!
It can feel particularly awkward for designers. We're most at home in a creative bubble. So getting out and meeting people with an agenda of business growth feels cringey and unauthentic.
But I think your network is more important than your portfolio, and would love to see more designers feeling inspired and aligned to the idea.
In this episode, my aim is to refra
62. Consultant Mindset versus Producer Mindset
In this episode I take a deep-dive into the Consultant Mindset:
~ What it is and how it's different to the producer mindset
~ The value of cultivating your consultant mindset in your design business
~ Some of the signs that your consultant mindset might need work
~ 9 attitudes and behaviours of a creative consultant
~ What it looks like in action in your business and how you can implement it
T
61. Secrets to a Discovery Call that Converts
In this episode of The C Word Podcast I take a deep dive into discovery calls:
• What a discovery call actually is and what it isn't!
• How it fits into the discovery process and why it's an important distinction
• The biggest secret to success when it comes to discovery calls
• My tips for a great discovery call and what works for me
• The 5 phase framework for a well-managed call: pleasantries
60. How It’s Going Hotseat with Bec Hughes
To celebrate 1 year of The C Word podcast, I invite you to join me for a fun Q&A.
In honour of the tradition started in Episode 1 of The C Word Podcast, I'm interviewing myself on how things are going as a podcaster 1 year on.
I share my learnings from the podcast and business in general, and look ahead to what the next 12 months has in store.
Listen in for a bit of a giggle, more about me and s
59. Lifting the Veil on the Perfect Lead Magnet
In this episode of The C Word Podcast I get super practical and dive into what makes for the perfect lead magnet.
I chat about:
~ The purpose of a lead magnet and getting that clear
~ 5 ingredients of a great lead magnet
~ 8 steps to create and share an effective lead magnet
At the end of the episode I mention my blog with 10 Lead Magnet Ideas for Graphic Designs which you can check out via th
58. How to Be More Consistent... On Purpose
Being consistent is something many solo creatives and small business owners wrestle with.
In this episode of The C Word podcast I talk about some ideas and strategies to help you be more consistent:
~ 3 golden rules for choosing the right places to invest your efforts
~ Why consistently isn't just about your social media posts
~ The concept of a consistency practice and why it's useful
~ 7 strateg
57. Mindset Strategies for Effective Selling with Christine Corcoran
Christine Corcoran is a Business Mindset Master Coach, Speaker, Podcast host and Creator of the Thrive Retreat & ELEVATED Program.
And she really brings the goods when it comes to mindset.
Christine is a qualified Practitioner in Master Neuro-Linguistic Programming, Matrix Therapies and an MBraining Practitioner with an extensive study of Human Behavioural Profiling, Hypnotherapy and Leadershi
56. Overcoming Objections from Prospective Clients
In this episode of The C Word podcast I talk about overcoming client objections from new prospects and enquiries.
I'll get in your ears about:
~ The 3 pivotal points in the sales process to effectively tackle objections
~ How to get closer to your prospective client to understand what their objections might be
~ The most important skill when it comes to overcoming client objections
~ My tips for
55. Project Layering - The Sweet Spot for Increasing Your Income
How do you manage your workload and your workflow? And more importantly how is that reflected in the money you make as a designer?
For may designers we are inundated and juggling work frantically one minute and then staring at a blank schedule wondering where the next project is coming from the next.
In this episode I explore how other designers work and manage their workload. I’ll share my approa
54. 10 Things I Would NOT Do Again if I was a Start-Up
In the previous episode of The C Word podcast I shared the top 10 things I would do first if I was a start-up. I'm following that up in this episode with the 10 things I would NOT do again if I was a start-up.
I reflect on things I did in the evolution of my business that, with the benefit of hindsight, I would avoid or do differently now:
1) Paid Online Ads
2) Services Just for Revenue
3) Per
53. 10 Things I Would Do First If I was a Start-Up
If I was a start-up design business what would I do in today's market? It's been some time since I started my business and a lot has changed. Not only that, I've learned a lot and have the benefit of hindsight.
So in this episode of The C Word podcast, I reflect on what I would do now if I was a start-up design business based on what I believe would give me the fastest but also the most sustaina
